Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06DUSHANBE199
2006-01-31 11:48:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Dushanbe
Cable title:
TAJIK CABINET SHUFFLE PLACES OLD RAHMONOV ALLY IN KEY ECON
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C O N F I D E N T I A L DUSHANBE 000199
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 1/31/2016
TAGS: PGOV ECON TI
SUBJECT: TAJIK CABINET SHUFFLE PLACES OLD RAHMONOV ALLY IN KEY ECON
POSITION
CLASSIFIED BY: Richard Hoagland, Ambassador, US Embassy
Dushanbe, State.
REASON: 1.4 (b),(d)
C O N F I D E N T I A L DUSHANBE 000199
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 1/31/2016
TAGS: PGOV ECON TI
SUBJECT: TAJIK CABINET SHUFFLE PLACES OLD RAHMONOV ALLY IN KEY ECON
POSITION
CLASSIFIED BY: Richard Hoagland, Ambassador, US Embassy
Dushanbe, State.
REASON: 1.4 (b),(d)
1. (U) Tajik President Rahmonov appointed Matlubkhon Davlatov
as State Advisor to the President for Economic Policy, replacing
Faizullo Kholboboyev. The January 30 decree elevated Davlatov
to the senior economic position in Tajikistan and named
Kholboboyev Representative to the CIS and the Eurasian Economic
Community (EAEC),a move considered a demotion.
2. (C) Davlatov comes from Rahmonov's hometown of Dangara and
is reported to be Rahmonov's maternal uncle. According to some
observers, Davlatov is one of Rahmonov's closest confidants.
Starting in the early 1990s, he played various roles in
Tajikistan's privatization efforts until appointed Chief of the
Presidential Agency on Financial Control in 2001. Thought to be
highly corrupt and anti-reform, the former Secretary of the
Communist Party Committee of the Academy of Sciences may have
made his fortune selling properties during the privatization
schemes. Davlatov's son works for the Ministry of Security
(MoS) and Davlatov allegedly has at least one MoS security
officer with him at all times.
3. (C) Davlatov's appointment came as part of a larger
shake-up of mid-level government officials, and may have been
motivated by a personal conflict between Kholboboyev and
National Bank (NBT) Chairman Murodali Alimardonov when the World
Bank and IMF were inspecting the NBT's activities. A PhD in
Economics, Kholboboyev has the reputation as being less rich,
less corrupt and more reform-minded than most of Rahmonov's
cabinet.
4. (C) COMMENT: Davlatov's appointment could signal a shift
away from reform and towards a more Soviet way of approaching
the economy, or it could be part of the on-going effort to
consolidate power and wealth in the hands of the First Family.
His reputation for corruption and incompetence has not inspired
confidence on the street in Dushanbe and may not do much to pull
in the Western investors Rahmonov wants to court. END COMMENT
5. (C) BIO: Matlubkhon Davlatov
Born 17 January 1950 in Dangara.
1970 -- Graduated from Tajik State University. Candidate of
Economic Sciences
1970-72 -- Served in Soviet Army
1972-83 -- Graduate Student, scientist at Institute of Economy,
Academy of Sciences, Tajikistan
1983-88 -- Secretary of the Communist Party Committee of Academy
of Sciences
1988-90 -- Leading Scientist at Institute of Economy, Academy of
Sciences
1990-94 -- Chief Specialist, Deputy Chairman of the State
Property Committee
1994-2004 -- Chairman of the State Property Committee
2005 -- Chairman of State Financial Control
January 30, 2006 Economic Advisor to the President
Davlatov is married and has six children. Speaks good Tajik and
Russian, some English.
ARMBRUSTER
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 1/31/2016
TAGS: PGOV ECON TI
SUBJECT: TAJIK CABINET SHUFFLE PLACES OLD RAHMONOV ALLY IN KEY ECON
POSITION
CLASSIFIED BY: Richard Hoagland, Ambassador, US Embassy
Dushanbe, State.
REASON: 1.4 (b),(d)
1. (U) Tajik President Rahmonov appointed Matlubkhon Davlatov
as State Advisor to the President for Economic Policy, replacing
Faizullo Kholboboyev. The January 30 decree elevated Davlatov
to the senior economic position in Tajikistan and named
Kholboboyev Representative to the CIS and the Eurasian Economic
Community (EAEC),a move considered a demotion.
2. (C) Davlatov comes from Rahmonov's hometown of Dangara and
is reported to be Rahmonov's maternal uncle. According to some
observers, Davlatov is one of Rahmonov's closest confidants.
Starting in the early 1990s, he played various roles in
Tajikistan's privatization efforts until appointed Chief of the
Presidential Agency on Financial Control in 2001. Thought to be
highly corrupt and anti-reform, the former Secretary of the
Communist Party Committee of the Academy of Sciences may have
made his fortune selling properties during the privatization
schemes. Davlatov's son works for the Ministry of Security
(MoS) and Davlatov allegedly has at least one MoS security
officer with him at all times.
3. (C) Davlatov's appointment came as part of a larger
shake-up of mid-level government officials, and may have been
motivated by a personal conflict between Kholboboyev and
National Bank (NBT) Chairman Murodali Alimardonov when the World
Bank and IMF were inspecting the NBT's activities. A PhD in
Economics, Kholboboyev has the reputation as being less rich,
less corrupt and more reform-minded than most of Rahmonov's
cabinet.
4. (C) COMMENT: Davlatov's appointment could signal a shift
away from reform and towards a more Soviet way of approaching
the economy, or it could be part of the on-going effort to
consolidate power and wealth in the hands of the First Family.
His reputation for corruption and incompetence has not inspired
confidence on the street in Dushanbe and may not do much to pull
in the Western investors Rahmonov wants to court. END COMMENT
5. (C) BIO: Matlubkhon Davlatov
Born 17 January 1950 in Dangara.
1970 -- Graduated from Tajik State University. Candidate of
Economic Sciences
1970-72 -- Served in Soviet Army
1972-83 -- Graduate Student, scientist at Institute of Economy,
Academy of Sciences, Tajikistan
1983-88 -- Secretary of the Communist Party Committee of Academy
of Sciences
1988-90 -- Leading Scientist at Institute of Economy, Academy of
Sciences
1990-94 -- Chief Specialist, Deputy Chairman of the State
Property Committee
1994-2004 -- Chairman of the State Property Committee
2005 -- Chairman of State Financial Control
January 30, 2006 Economic Advisor to the President
Davlatov is married and has six children. Speaks good Tajik and
Russian, some English.
ARMBRUSTER