TAJIK PRESIDENT HELPS DEDICATE NEW EMBASSY

C O N F I D E N T I A L DUSHANBE 001223 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 6/30/2016 TAGS: PGOV PREL ECON ENRG RS CH TI SUBJECT: TAJIK PRESIDENT HELPS DEDICATE NEW EMBASSY CLASSIFIED BY: Thomas H. Armbruster, Charge d'Affairs, US Embassy Dushanbe, State. REASON: 1.4 (b),(d) ¶1. (C) SUMMARY: After giving remarks at the June 29 dedication ceremony for Dushanbe's new Embassy, Tajik President Emomali Rahmonov spent twenty minutes in a private meeting with CdA and OBO Director Williams discussing Tajikistan's future and the influx of new investment and infrastructure projects. Relaxed and pleased with the previous day's official events marking the National Day of Reconciliation, Rahmonov noted that Tajikistan had truly overcome its civil war and was a united country looking forward. END SUMMARY. ¶2. (C) In a gesture of support for the United States, Rahmonov attended the dedication ceremony at the new Embassy building in Dushanbe and made a short speech describing Tajikistan's "open door policy." (NOTE: His attendance, unusual at an Embassy- sponsored event, came down to the wire, when Rahmonov's staff called at 10:40 am to ask if the dedication could be postponed until July 4. CdA informed them that it could not, and the President arrived as scheduled. END NOTE.) ¶3. (C) After the ceremony, to the chagrin of his security detail, Rahmonov plunged through the center aisle and walked up the main staircase to the Ambassador's suite, where he sat with CdA and Director Williams for a private meeting. PolOff, OBO Chief of Staff and Presidential Advisor Erkin Rahmatulloyev were also present. Rahmonov showed great interest in the cost and construction of the Embassy, particularly the grounds and trees. Rahmonov shared that he brought home saplings and plants from every trip abroad. ¶4. (C) Turning to the June 28 National Day of Reconciliation official in Garm, CdA remarked on the touching toast given by former opposition leader Abdullo Nuri, who highlighted Rahmonov's concern for all Tajik citizens. Rahmonov noted that during the Civil War, many of the towns in Rasht Valley, including Garm, had been opposition centers and displayed Islamic banners. "Nine officers were killed removing the Islamic banner in Garm," he said. Now, reconciliation was complete and the country was truly united. ¶5. (C) Rahmonov expressed strong support for new foreign investments, including American energy firm AES' construction of transmission lines, and a $630 million package from China to build a road and tunnel and high voltage transmission lines from Dushanbe north to Khujand. The Chinese project would employ up to 2500 Tajik workers and be completed in two years. He noted that China also planned to develop up to seven hydropower stations, three in Zarafshan valley, and four on the upper Vaksh river. He mentioned RAO UES investment and "partnership" in response to the Chief of Staff's suggestion that the U.S. could provide technical assistance in managing the electricity grid. ¶6. (C) "We must continue counter narcotics cooperation with Afghanistan," he emphasized. He also commented that at the June 15 Shanghai cooperation meeting, Uzbek President Karimov had "started the problems," possibly alluding to the protectionist rhetoric that came out of the meeting. ¶7. (C) COMMENT: The meeting broke no new ground, but underscored Rahmonov's ease with the United States as a strategic and economic partner, even as other countries, in particular Russia and China, are trying to gain the upper hand in Tajikistan. His presence at the dedication ceremony, particularly after a long day of official holiday events, sent a strong signal to the Tajik press and diplomatic corps that the United States has his attention. END COMMENT. ARMBRUSTER