EU SWIMMING IN THE SAME MOLASSES IN TAJIKISTAN

C O N F I D E N T I A L DUSHANBE 001793

SIPDIS


NSC FOR MERKEL

E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/9/2015
TAGS: PREL ECON PGOV EAID KDEM PHUM TI
SUBJECT: EU SWIMMING IN THE SAME MOLASSES IN TAJIKISTAN

REF: A) DUSHANBE 1729 B) DUSHANBE 1762 C) DUSHANBE 1766

CLASSIFIED BY: Richard Hoagland, Ambassador, US Embassy
Dushanbe, State.
REASON: 1.4 (b),(d)


1. (C) In a meeting with the European Commission, Muzaffar
Isakov, Director of the Aid Coordination Unit of the President
of Tajikistan, suggested that while EC experts and consultants
would continue to receive visas for Tajikistan, international
NGO workers were less welcome. Barbara Plinkert, Chargi d'
affaires for the European Commission briefed Poloff November 6
about her meeting to discuss EC-financed NGO problems obtaining
and renewing visas, and a new $7 fee for invitation letters from
the MFA's Consular Department. Isakov suggested the Europeans
shift their support from humanitarian assistance to economic
development. (The same message we heard from Foreign Minister
Nazarov reported reftel B.) Isakov was pleased with the
technical assistance on certain issues, but saw little need for
continued civil society projects. He also asked Plinkert to
provide more information, possibly quarterly reports, about the
organizations and projects they were funding.


2. (C) Plinkert reminded Isakov that all personnel working on
EC-financed projects are entitled to visas under an assistance
agreement signed in 1994. Article 10 specifically stipulates
that "The Government shall grant personnel taking part in
services contracts financed by the (European) Community, and
members of the their family, as defined in Article 9, multiple
entry visas and appropriate visa extensions to be issued in the
republic of Tajikistan."


3. (C) In a November 3 letter signed by Adrian van der Meer,
Head of Delegation, the Europeans firmly reminded the Tajiks of
the conditions. "Up to now the Delegation of the European
Commission to Tajikistan has assisted the Government in applying
for visa (sic) for international experts and consultants. With
the new fees imposed and delays experienced, this arrangement
appears no longer practicable. In order to avoid further
misunderstandings I would request that, in future, the
Government take full responsibility for the issuance of visa in
compliance with Article 10."


4. (C) Plinkert suggested that since the EC and USG fund
similar projects, and often partner with the same NGOs, the
missions in Tajikistan coordinate their approach to the growing
visa difficulties. She accepted Poloff's invitation to an NGO
roundtable later in the month, possibly with Tajik officials, to
better understand the changing climate and develop a strategy to
work with the Tajiks to ensure established projects can continue.


5. (C) COMMENT: In an unusually coordinated effort, the Tajiks
are sending a strong message to the donor community: we want
your money, but not your NGOs. As the goalposts continue to
shift, post will work with other donors and NGOs to comply with
the system so as to continue the critical democracy and civil
society work.


6. (C) COMMENT CONTINUED: Post has also heard rumors that the
Head of the Consular Department, Bakhrom Kholnozarov, believed
to be a Rahmonov relative, has been profiting greatly from his
position from additional fees and bribes (Reftel c). This is
the first we've heard of a new fee for invitation letters, but
the motives may be less anti-NGO and more old-fashioned
corruption. END COMMENT.

HOAGLAND


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