TAJIKISTAN: JAPANESE CHARGE: "TOKYO LOOKING FOR NEW IDEAS

UNCLAS DUSHANBE 001746

SIPDIS


SENSITIVE

STATE FOR EUR/CACEN, SA, EAP, EB
NSC FOR MERKEL

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL ECON ETRD ELAB KDEM JA IN AF UZ TI
SUBJECT: TAJIKISTAN: JAPANESE CHARGE: "TOKYO LOOKING FOR NEW IDEAS
FOR CENTRAL ASIA"



1. (SBU) New Japanese Charge d'affaires Hiroshi Takahashi
called on the Ambassador on October 26. Unlike his, Takahashi
is energetic and brimming with ideas based on his extensive
experience in Afghanistan and Uzbekistan.


2. (U) Takahashi noted his government established the "Japan
Plus Central Asia Forum" in 2004, but has done relatively little
to energize it. Tokyo is now ready to move again and has asked
for new ideas.


3. (SBU) Takahashi said Japan supports the U.S. and EU
positions on the Andijon events in Uzbekistan but so far seems
to be under Tashkent's radar. As soon as Tashkent figures out
Tokyo's position, Takahashi predicts it will be harder for Japan
to do any business in Uzbekistan. Takahashi recommends that
Japan concentrate on relations and development projects with
Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and, especially Tajikistan.


4. (SBU) Takahashi judges Tajikistan is pivotal in Central Asia
because of Afghanistan. He sees two possible initiatives that
would help build Tajik-Afghan ties. He will suggest that Tokyo
encourage the creation of a "binational free-trade dry port" at
the site of the new Tajik-Afghan bridge at Nizhniy Pyanzh. He
pointed out that Afghans have traditionally been great traders,
and a free-port trade zone between Tajikistan and Afghanistan
could help stimulate economic development in the region.


5. (SBU) Takahashi said he would like to see Tajik migrant
laborers turn from Russia to Afghanistan, especially as large
infrastructure construction projects take off in Afghanistan.
He noted they would be closer to home, share a common language,
and be treated better than in Russia. He added he would like to
see Japan, the United States, and the European Union do much
more to encourage Tajik companies to participate in Afghan
reconstruction. He said he knew the United States had once
pushed this for Uzbekistan but, he alleged, President Karimov
had undercut this initiative because he did not want Uzbek
companies prospering abroad where he feared they might be beyond
his control.


6. (SBU) The Ambassador noted that India, too, may be looking
for greater involvement in Central Asia, and encouraged Tokyo
and New Delhi to consider consulting how to promote economic and
democratic development in the region. He noted that as "eastern
democracies," both Japan and India would be especially
well-placed to support Western efforts to promote democratic
development. Their participation would help to counter those
among the old guard in Tajikistan who protest that democracy is
a Western export inappropriate for Asian countries.


HOAGLAND


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