IIR 6 947 0007 06/ UZBEKS DENY FRENCH MILITARY

C O N F I D E N T I A L DUSHANBE 001650 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/10/2015 TAGS: MCAP TI FR UZ SUBJECT: IIR 6 947 0007 06/ UZBEKS DENY FRENCH MILITARY OVERFLIGHT INDEFINITELY (C) CLASSIFIED BY: Jonathan Edwards, DATT, USDAO Dushanbe, DIA. REASON: 1.4 (a),(b) CONFIDENTIAL SIPDIS SERIAL: (U) IIR 6 947 0007 06. COUNTRIES: (U) TAJIKISTAN (TI),FRANCE (FR),UZBEKISTAN (UZ) IPSP: (U) IFC1531, IFC1549, IFC1540, IFC1500, IFC2613, IFC1513, IFC1512, IFC1517 SUBJECT: IIR 6 947 0007 06/ UZBEKS DENY FRENCH MILITARY OVERFLIGHT INDEFINITELY (C) WARNING: (U) THIS IS AN INFORMATION REPORT, NOT FINALLY EVALUATED INTELLIGENCE. REPORT CLASSIFIED CONFIDENTIAL NO FOREIGN -------------- -------------- DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE -------------- -------------- DOI: (U) 20051010 REQS: (U) DHCD111052, DHCD111054, DHCD111051, DHCD111049, UTCX206000504 SOURCE: (C) //MEMBER USDAO DUSHANBE//MEMBER HAS A WORKING RELATIONSHIP WITH THE FRENCH MILITARY REPRESENTATIVE. CONTEXT STATEMENT-MEETINGS WITH THE FRENCH MILITARY REPRESENTATIVE ARE NORMALLY CANDID AND OPEN. SUMMARY: (C) ON 8 OCTOBER 2005 UZBEKISTAN CANCELLED ALL OVERFLIGHT CLEARANCES FOR FRENCH MILITARY AIRCRACT INDEFINITELY. FRENCH-UZBEK MILITARY RELATIONS HAVE NEARLY CEASED. TEXT: 1. (C) ON 10 OCTOBER 2005 DURING A ROUTINE MEETING, THE FRENCH MILITARY REPRESENTATIVE TO TAJIKISTAN TOLD RO THAT ON THE MORNING OF 8 OCTOBER 2005, THE UZBEKS DENIED OVERFLIGHT OF THE FRENCH MILITARY AIRBUS 300 DEPARTING FROM DUSHANBE TO FRANCE. THE AIRBUS 300 FLIES IN AND OUT OF DUSHANBE APPROXIMATELY ONCE A MONTH IN SUPPORT OF FRENCH PERSONNEL ROTATIONS IN DUSHANBE AND AFGHANISTAN. THE FRENCH WERE THEN TOLD THAT ALL CLEARANCES FOR FRENCH MILITARY FLIGHTS ACROSS UZBEK AIRSPACE ARE INDEFINITELY DENIED. THE FRENCH HAVE NOW REROUTED ALL FLIGHTS IN AND OUT OF DUSHANBE OVER KYRGYZSTAN, KAZAKHSTAN AND RUSSIA. THE FRENCH MILREP TOLD RO THAT THE MOVE WAS LIKELY A RECIPROCAL ACTION FOLLOWING THE 7 OCTOBER EUROPEAN UNION'S SANCTION AGAINST UZBEKISTAN. ¶2. (C) THE FRENCH MILREP ALSO NOTED THAT FRENCH-UZBEK MILITARY TO MILITARY RELATIONS ARE NEARLY NON-EXISTENT. HE EXPRESSED SURPRISE AT THE UZBEK ACTION. HE ALSO EXPRESSED DISAPPOINTMENT THAT THE RUSSIANS CONTINUE TO SUPPORT KARIMOV, WHICH HE VIEWED ONLY FURTHER EMBOLDENS KARIMOV. COMMENTS: 1. (C) FIELD COMMENT: UZBEK ACTION LIKELY COMES AS A SURPRISE TO FRENCH MILITARY OPERATING OUT OF DUSHANBE IN SUPPORT OF ISAF. THE FRENCH HAVE BEEN VERY CAUTIOUS TO NOTE THAT THEIR MILITARY PRESENCE IN DUSHANBE IS NOT PERMANENT AND ONLY IN SUPPORT OF ISAF AND ITS MISSION TO PROMOTE PEACE AND STABILITY IN AFGHANISTAN. FRENCH-TAJIK MILITARY RELATIONS CONTINUE TO GROW AND IT IS UNLIKELY THE FRENCH WILL FIND ANY DIFFICULTIES HERE IN DUSHANBE. ¶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) NONE. ACQ: (U) MURGHAB, TAJIKISTAN (20051010) DISSEM: (U) FIELD: EMBASSY AT DUSHANBE. WARNING: (U) REPORT CLASSIFIED CONFIDENTIAL DRVD FM: DHS HUMINT SCG OCT 04 DECL ON: 20151004 HOAGLAND NNNN