IIR 6 947 0005 06/CHINESE GIVE 32 VEHICLES TO TAJIK ARMED

C O N F I D E N T I A L DUSHANBE 001644 SIPDIS NOFORN E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/7/2015 TAGS: MCAP TI CH SUBJECT: IIR 6 947 0005 06/CHINESE GIVE 32 VEHICLES TO TAJIK ARMED FORCES (U) CLASSIFIED BY: Jonathan Edwards, DATT, USDAO Dushanbe, DIA. REASON: 1.4 (a),(b) CONFIDENTIAL NO FOREIGN SIPDIS SERIAL: (U) IIR 6 947 0005 06. COUNTRIES: (U) TAJIKISTAN (TI),CHINA (CH). IPSP: (U) IFC1590, IFC1950, IFC1510, IFC1513, IFC1510, IFC1540, IFC1500, SUBJECT: IIR 6 947 0005 06/CHINESE GIVE 32 VEHICLES TO TAJIK ARMED FORCES(U) WARNING: (U) THIS IS AN INFORMATION REPORT, NOT FINALLY EVALUATED INTELLIGENCE. REPORT CLASSIFIED CONFIDENTIAL NO FOREIGN -------------- -------------- DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE -------------- -------------- DOI: (U) 20050928 REQS: (U) DHCD002124, DIAC156205002, DHCD002104, DHCD111055, GAIF116482402, DHCD111054, DIAC154107003, DHCD111050, DHCD111045, DHCD112051 SOURCE: A. (C) //MEMBER USDAO DUSHANBE//MEMBER OBSERVED ON A RECENT VISIT. CONTEXT STATEMENT-MEMBER MAINTAINS REGULAR CONTACT WITH CHINESE DEFENSE ATTACHE. MEMBER WAS IN CLOSE CONTACT WITH CHINESE DEFENSE ATTACHE THROUGHOUT THE 6 DAY TRIP. ¶B. (C//NF) //OTS 6 947 0001 06// MID-LEVEL HOST NATION officer with DIRECT AND INDIRECT access to the information. RO DOES NOT HAVE AN ESTABLISHED RELATIONSHIP WITH SOURCE. context statement - RO SPENT APPROXIMATELY 4 DAYS WITH SOURCE DURING TRIP. SOURCE IS A CORRUPT MID-LEVEL OFFICER WITH LIMITED INTEGRITY. CREDIBILITY IS UNDETERMINED. ¶C. (c) //OTS 6 947 0005 06//MID-LEVEL HOST NATION OFFICER WITH DIRECT AND INDIRECT ACCESS TO INFORMATION. RO DOES NOT HAVE AN ESTABLISHED RELATIONSHIP WITH SOURCE. CONTEXT STATEMENT - RO SPENT ONE DAY WITH SOURCE DURING TIP. SOURCE APPEARS CREDIBLE, BUT A LIKELY PARTICIPANT IN CORRUPT ACTIVITY IN REGION. SOURCE MADE A NUMBER OF STATEMENT STRONGLY SUPPORTING CLOSE COOPERATION WITH THE UNITED STATES. CREDIBILITY IS UNDETERMINED. d. (C) //6 947 0022//SENIOR HOST NATION MILITARY OFFICER WITH DIRECT ACCESS TO THE INFORMATION. RO HAS AN ESTABLISHED RELATIONSHIP WITH SOURCE. CONTEXT STATEMENT - RO AND SOURCE MEeT ON A REGULAR LIAISON BASIS AS A RESULT OF RO AND SOURCE'S OFFICIAL DUTIES. SOURCE HAS BEEN RELIABLE IN THE PAST. THIS WAS SOURCE'S FIRST VISIT TO THIS REGION. SOURCE IS AWARE THAT INFORMATION WILL REACH U.S. INTELLIGENCE CHANNELS AND COMMENTS MAY BE MEANT TO INFLUENCE AS MUCH AS TO INFORM. SUMMARY: (C//REL TO USA, GBR AND AUS) THE CHINESE MINISTRY OF DEFENSE PROVIDED 32 VEHICLES TO THE TAJIK MINISTRY OF DEFENSE AS PART OF THEIR ONE MILLION USD 2005 MILITARY ASSISTANCE PACKAGE. HOWEVER, THE CHINESE HAVE MINIMAL INFLUENCE AND LIMITED RELATIONS WITH TAJIK MILITARY AND BORDER OFFICERS IN EASTERN TAJIKISTAN. ENCLOSURES. TEXT: 1. (C//REL TO USA, GBR AND AUS) FROM 23 SEPTEMBER 2005 TO 29 SEPTEMBER 2005, RO TRAVELED FROM DUSHANBE TO THE EASTERN TAJIKISTAN WITH THE CHINESE DEFENSE ATTACHE, COLONEL LEE, AND SOURCE D IN ORDER TO PICK UP 32 CHINESE VEHICLES, GIVEN TO THE TAJIK MINISTRY OF DEFENSE. THESE VEHICLES ARE PART OF A ONE MILLION USD 2005 MILITARY ASSISTANCE PACKAGE AGREED IN EARLY SEPTEMBER BETWEEN THE CHINESE MINISTER OF DEFENSE AND THE TAJIK MINISTER OF DEFENSE. ¶2. (C//REL TO USA, GBR AND AUS) ON 26 SEPTEMBER SOURCE D STATED THAT EVERY YEAR SINCE 1995 THE CHINESE HAVE PROVIDED ONE MILLION USD IN MILITARY ASSISTANCE TO THE TAJIKS. EACH TIME THE CHINESE SIMPLY ASKED THE TAJIKS TO MAKE OUT A LIST OF ITEMS THEY WANTED TOTALING ONE MILLION USD. THE CHINESE THEN PROVIDE THE ITEMS WITH NO QUESTIONS ASKED. SOURCE D STRESSED THAT THIS PROGRAM HAD NO OTHER REQUIREMENTS. ¶3. (C//REL TO USA, GBR AND AUS) ON 27 SEPTEMBER SOURCE D COMPLAINED TO RO THAT THE CHINESE WERE ONLY GIVING THE VEHICLES TO THE TAJIKS AND THE TAJIKS WERE REQUIRED TO PROVIDE THE MONEY FOR FUEL AND DRIVERS IN ORDER TO GET THE VEHICLES FROM THE CHINESE BORDER TO DUSHANBE. SOURCE SHOWED RO A BAG FULL OF APPROXIMATELY 9000 TAJIK SOMONI; THE CURRENT EXCHANGE RATE IS APPROXIMATELY 3 SOMONI TO 1 USD. SOURCE DID NOT KNOW HOW HE WAS GOING TO PAY FOR ALL THE CUSTOMS COSTS AND FUEL. SOURCE STATED THE CHINESE SHOULD FOLLOW THE U.S. PROGRAM, WHICH DELIVERS EQUIPMENT TO DUSHANBE WITH NO COST TO THE TAJIKS. ¶4. (C//REL TO USA, GBR AND AUS) ON 27 SEPTEMBER SOURCE B TOLD RO THAT THE TAJIK MILITARY HAD A HARD TIME UNDERSTANDING THE CHINESE. THE MILITARY IN THE GORNO-BADAKSHAN REGION, THAT BORDERS CHINA, HAD NO CONTACT WITH CHINESE MILITARY OFFICERS. HE SAID THAT THE CHINESE DEFENSE ATTACHE WAS THE FIRST CHINESE MILITARY OFFICER HE HAD MET. HE NOTED THAT THE CHINESE TRADE IS INCREASINGLY ACTIVE IN THE REGION AND HE SEES CHINESE CARGO TRUCKS TRAVELING THROUGH THE REGION NEARLY EVERY DAY. SOURCE QUESTIONED WHY THE CHINESE DO NOT HAVE A BUSINESS PRESENCE OR ANY OTHER LEVEL OF ACTIVITY WITH THE CITY OF MURGHAB, 120 KILOMETERS WEST OF THE TAJIK BORDER. [FIELD COMMENT: RO OBSERVED INDIVIDUALS LOADING CHINESE TRUCKS WITH WHAT APPEARED TO BE LARGE SACKS AT A LOCATION APPROXIMATELY 4 KILOMETERS EAST OF MURGHAB, BEHIND SOME ABANDONED BUILDINGS. IN ADDITION, RO MET THE MURGHAB POLICE CHIEF APPROXIMATELY 1 KILOMETER FROM THE SITE. THE POLICE CHIEF SAID HE WAS WAITING FOR SOME CHINESE DIGNITARIES WHO WERE TRAVELING TO THE CELEBRATION IN KHOROG. RO COULD NOT CONFIRM IF THE POLICE CHIEFS PRESENCE AND THE ACTIVITY WERE CONNECTED. HOWEVER, GIVEN THE LEVEL OF CORRUPTION IN MURGHAB, IT IS POSSIBLE.] ¶5. (C//REL TO USA, GBR AND AUS) ON 28 SEPTEMBER RO AND COLONEL LEE MET WITH THE DEPUTY COMMANDER, LTC MIRZOEV OF THE TAJIK BORDER GUARD OTRYAD IN MURGHAB. LTC MIRZOEV NOTED THAT DESPITE THE LONG BORDER SHARED BY TAJIKISTAN AND CHINA, HE VERY SELDOM MEETS WITH HIS COUNTERPARTS FROM CHINA. HE COMPLAINED THAT THE TAJIK BORDER GUARDS AND CHINESE BORDER GUARDS HAVE NO WORKING RELATIONSHIP. COLONEL LEE TOLD LTC MIRZOEV THAT IF THE TAJIKS HAD ANY PROBLEMS WITH CHINESE AT THE BORDER TO CALL THE CHINESE DEFENSE ATTACHE OFFICE. LTC MIRZOEV SAID IT WOULD BE BETTER TO DEAL WITH SUCH PROBLEMS LOCALLY BETWEEN THE TWO BORDER GUARD FORCES. ¶6. (C//REL TO USA, GBR AND AUS) ON 28 SEPTEMBER RO WAS TOLD BY SOURCE D THAT RO COULD NOT ACCOMPANY THE TAJIKS AND CHINESE DEFENSE ATTACHE TO THE BORDER IN ORDER TO PICK UP THE VEHICLES. SOURCE SAID THAT THE CHINESE DEFENSE ATTACHE SAID IT WOULD BE INAPPROPRIATE FOR THE UNITED STATED DEFENSE ATTACHE TO BE SEEN AT THE BORDER WITH TAJIK MILITARY PERSONNEL. ¶7. (C//REL TO USA, GBR AND AUS) JUST PRIOR TO DEPARTING, RO OBSERVED THE CONTRACTED CIVILIAN TAJIK DRIVERS PUTTING ON MILITARY UNIFORMS. IN RESPONSE TO RO'S QUESTION, ONE DRIVER SAID CHINESE CUSTOMS WERE REQUIRING THAT ONLY TAJIK MILITARY PERSONNEL PICK UP THE VEHICLES. [FIELD COMMENT: CUSTOMS TURNED OUT TO BE A SIGNIFICANT CHALLENGE FOR THE TAJIKS. RO OBSERVED ON A NUMBER OF OCCASIONS SOURCE D PAYING A NUMBER OF LOCAL OFFICIALS IN MURGHAB TO INCLUDE CUSTOMS, MINISTRY OF SECURITY AND POLICE PRIOR TO PICKING UP THE VEHICLES. IN ADDITION, THE MINISTRY OF SECURITY, CUSTOMS, BORDER GUARDS AND LOCAL POLICE ALL ACCOMPANIED THE MINISTRY OF DEFENSE TO THE BORDER TO PICK UP THE VEHICLES]. ¶8. (C//REL TO USA, GBR AND AUS) LATER ON 28 SEPTEMBER, RO OBSERVED THE ARRIVAL OF 32 CHINESE VEHICLES, INITIALLY PARKED AT THE MURGHAB BORDER GUARD OTRYAD //GEOCOORD: 3810.119N/07357.901E//. THE VEHICLES CONSISTED OF 20 LIGHT "JEEP" LIKE THAT APPEARED SIMILAR TO THE CHINESE BJ2020, 10 TRUCKS WITH "FAW" LETTERING THAT APPEARED SIMILAR TO THE CHINESE EQ2102, A SMALL AMBULANCE WITH "IVECO" LETTERING THAT THE CHINESE AND TAJIK CALLED A SMALL X-RAY AMBULANCE AND A LARGER AMBULANCE WITH "DONG FENG" LETTERING THE CHINESE AND TAJIKS CALLED A LARGE AUTOBANDAGING MEDICAL VEHICLE. ALL VEHICLES APPEARED TO BE NEW. SOURCE D EXPRESSED FRUSTRATION HALF OF THE VEHICLES REQUIRED DIESEL THE OTHERS GASOLINE. SOURCE EXPRESSED A PREFERENCE FOR THE RUSSIAN VEHICLES THAT ALL REQUIRE GASOLINE. [FIELD COMMENT: PLEASE SEE ENCLOSURES FOR PICTURES OF VEHICLES. THE CHINESE AND THE TAJIKS COULD NOT PROVIDE RO WITH THE ENGLISH DESIGNATION FOR THESE VEHICLES]. ¶9. (C//REL TO USA, GBR AND AUS) AFTER THE VEHICLES ARRIVED LTC MIRZOEV OF THE BORDER GUARDS APPROACHED COLONEL LEE AND ASKED WHY ALL THESE VEHICLES WERE GOING TO THE MINISTRY OF DEFENSE. MIRZOEV NOTED THAT THE BORDER GUARDS HELPED BRING THE VEHICLES ACROSS THE BORDER AND THE CHINESE TO DATE HAVE PROVIDED NO ASSISTANCE TO HIS BORDER GUARD UNIT. COLONEL LEE RESPONDED THAT THE CHINESE MINISTRY OF DEFENSE WORKS THROUGH THE TAJIK MINISTRY OF DEFENSE AND COORDINATION FOR ASSISTANCE TO THE BORDER GUARDS WOULD NEED TO GO THROUGH THE MINISTRY OF DEFENSE. MIRZOEV THEN PULLED COLONEL LEE AWAY FROM RO FOR FURTHER DISCUSSION. MIRZOEV THEN RETURNED TO RO AND SAID THAT HE DEEPLY APPRECIATED THE STRONG ASSISTANCE THE UNITED STATES PROVIDES THE BORDER GUARDS. HE ADDED THAT THE UNITED STATES WAS THE TAJIK BORDER GUARDS BRIGHTEST STAR IN THE SKY. ¶10. (C//REL TO USA, GBR AND AUS) COLONEL LEE LATER TOLD RO THAT THE TAJIKS DO NOT KNOW HOW TO RECEIVE THIS TYPE OF ASSISTANCE AND HE EXPRESSED FRUSTRATION AT THE TAJIKS LACK OF ORGANIZATION. HE ADDED THAT HE WISHED THE VEHICLES HAD AIR CONDITIONING FOR THE HOT TAJIK SUMMERS. ¶11. (C//REL TO USA, GBR AND AUS) RO ASKED A NUMBER OF DRIVERS WHAT THEY THOUGHT OF THE VEHICLES. RO ASKED FIVE DRIVERS WHAT THEY THOUGHT OF THE CHINESE VEHICLES. TWO HAD NO OPINION, TWO EXPRESSED DISAPPOINTMENT IN THE QUALITY AND FELT RUSSIAN EQUIVALENT VEHICLES RAN BETTER, AND ONE FELT THE CHINESE VEHICLE WAS A BETTER RIDE. ¶12. (C//REL TO USA, GBR AND AUS) RO ACCOMPANIED THE CONVOY FROM MURGHAB TO KHOROG. DURING THE DRIVE THREE VEHICLES BROKE DOWN OF WHICH ONE REMAINED IN PLACE APPROXIMATELY 20 KILOMETERS WEST OF MURGHAB. ON THE MORNING OF 29 SEPTEMBER AS THE CONVOY PREPARED TO DEPART KHOROG, SOURCE D TOLD RO THAT TWO ADDITIONAL VEHICLES WERE MISSING. SOURCE D EXPRESSED FRUSTRATION AT NEEDING TO HIRE CIVILIAN DRIVERS AS THE MINISTRY OF DEFENSE DID NOT HAVE ENOUGH TRAINED, RESPONSIBLE DRIVERS TO MAKE SUCH A TRIP. SOURCE D ALSO REITERATED HIS CONCERN THAT HE DID NOT HAVE ENOUGH MONEY TO GET THE VEHICLES BACK TO DUSHANBE. [FIELD COMMENT: RO DEPARTED KHOROG BEFORE THE CONVOY DEPARTED. RO WAS LATER TOLD THAT ALL VEHICLES EXPECT THE ONE TRUCK, EQ2102 TYPE, SUCCESSFULLY ARRIVED IN DUSHANBE]. ¶13. (C) DIGITAL PHOTOGRAPHIC TITLING LOG. ALL PHOTOGRAPHIC ENCLOSURES TO IIR 6 947 0005 06 ARE CLASSIFIED CONFIDENTIAL. THEY WERE ACQUIRED AT THE MURGHAB BORDER GUARD OTRYAD, MURGHAB, //GEOCOORD:3810.119N/07357.901E//, TAJIKISTAN, ON 20050928 BETWEEN 1600L AND 1700L USING A SONY CYBERSHOT 7.2 MEGAPIXEL, SN 1411693, GROUND. FRAMES DESCRIPTION 01 TAJIK CIVILIAN DRIVERS AFTER RETURNING WITH VEHICLES. (C) 02 1 TRUCK, LARGE AMBULANCE AND 3 LIGHT VEHICLES. (C) 03 8 LIGHT VEHICLES. (C) 04 2 LIGHT VEHICLES, 2 TRUCKS, TAJIK BORDER GUARD SOLDIERS. (c) 05 3 TRUCKS, SMALL AMBULANCE. (C) 06 WIDE ANGLE ON 12 LIGHT VEHICLES, 1 TRUCK, LARGE AMBULANCE. (C) 07 TAJIKS GOING OVER PAYMENTS TO CONTRACTED DRIVERS. (C) 08 CHINESE TRUCKS BEING LOADED WITH UNKNOWN GOODS APPROXIMATELY 4 KM EAST OF MURGHAB. (C) COMMENTS: 1. (C//REL TO USA, GBR AND AUS) FIELD COMMENT: RO WAS SURPRISED THAT THE TAJIKS AND CHINESE DEFENSE ATTACHE INVITED RO ALONG ON THIS TRIP. ONE REASON COULD BE TO DEMONSTRATE THE LEVEL OF CHINESE ASSISTANCE TO THE TAJIK MINISTRY OF DEFENSE. THE OTHER COULD BE THE TAJIKS AND CHINESE DEFENSE ATTACHE REQUIRED RO ASSISTANCE TO GET TO THIS PART OF TAJIKISTAN. THE ROADS ARE VERY DIFFICULT AND RO IS UNAWARE OF ANY VEHICLE AT THE CHINESE EMBASSY CAPABLE OF MAKING THIS JOURNEY. IN ADDITION, RO PROVIDING TRANSPORTATION SAVED THE MINISTRY OF DEFENSE MONEY. SOURCE D NOTED A NUMBER OF TIMES THAT IT WAS FAR EASIER TO TRAVEL TO THIS RESTRICTED PART OF TAJIKISTAN IN A UNITED STATES DIPLOMATIC VEHICLE THAN IN A MINISTRY OF DEFENSE PLATED VEHICLE. THE CHALLENGES THE TAJIKS FACED IN GETTING THESE VEHICLES FROM THE CHINESE BORDER TO DUSHANBE IS FURTHER INDICATION THE TAJIKS HAVE LITTLE TO NO CAPABILITY TO SUSTAIN BASIC SUPPORT REQUIREMENTS. THE REQUIREMENT THAT THE MINISTRY OF DEFENSE PAY OFF LOCAL AUTHORITIES IN FEES, IS FURTHER INDICATION OF SYSTEMIC CORRUPTION AT ALL LEVELS OF GOVERNMENT. IT APPEARED TO RO THAT MOST IF NOT ALL TAJIK MILITARY AND GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS SAW THIS CHINESE ASSISTANCE AS AN OPPORTUNITY TO RECEIVE SOME FORM OF PAYOFF. RO SELDOM HAD THE SENSE THAT TAJIK OFFICIALS FELT ANY SENSE OF LOYALTY OR SATISFACTION THAT THEY WERE HELPING THEIR OWN GOVERNMENT IMPROVE ITS MILITARY CAPABILITY. ¶2. (U) SOURCES ARE AVAILABLE FOR FURTHER CONTACT. ¶3. (U) DIRECT ANY QUESTIONS CONCERNING THIS IIR TO DIA/DHO-2 AT STU III (202) 231-7299, OR DSN 428-7299. COLL: (U) AB. INSTR: (U) U.S. NO. PREP: (U) 6-04708. ENCL: (U) TO FOLLOW - 1 ENCLOSURE. DIGITAL PHOTOGRAPHY, BORDER GUARD OTRYAD, MURGHAB (C),COLOR, 8 IMAGES, 20050928 (C). ACQ: (U) MURGHAB, TAJIKISTAN (20050928) DISSEM: (U) FIELD: EMBASSY AT DUSHANBE. WARNING: (U) REPORT CLASSIFIED CONFIDENTIAL NO FOREIGN DRVD FM: DHS HUMINT SCG OCT 04 DECL ON: 20150928 HOAGLAND NNNN