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