TAJIKISTAN'S BORDER CHIEF DISCUSSES U.S. ASSISTANCE AND

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 DUSHANBE 000237

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

STATE FOR EUR/CACEN, SA

E.O. 12958: DECL: 2/3/2016
TAGS: PGOV PREL ASEC SNAR RS TI
SUBJECT: TAJIKISTAN'S BORDER CHIEF DISCUSSES U.S. ASSISTANCE AND
RUSSIA'S ROLE


CLASSIFIED BY: Richard Hoagland, Ambassador, Dushanbe,
Tajikistan, Department of State.
REASON: 1.4 (b),(d)



CLASSIFIED BY: Richard Hoagland, Ambassador, Dushanbe,
Tajikistan, Department of State.
REASON: 1.4 (b),(d)




1. (C) SUMMARY: The Ambassador met with Chairman of the
Border Protection Committee General Saidamir Zuhurov on February
2 to assess his views on U.S. assistance and to seek his views
on Russia's role in Tajik border affairs. Zuhurov praised the
United States as a most reliable partner. Though sometimes
exasperated with the Russians, he described their role as "huge"
and necessarily unavoidable. Zuhurov was open about other
foreign assistance from Iran and China for border security -
essentially very little. He praised the United States for being
the largest and most reliable donor. END SUMMARY.


2. (C) The Ambassador commented to Zuhurov that when former
Russian Ambassador Maksim Peshkov was in Tajikistan, they had an
open and productive relationship. However, Moscow's attitude
towards the United States seems to have changed. The Ambassador
asked Zuhurov if the Border Protection Committee maintains a
good relationship with Russia. Zuhurov touted President
Rahmonov's open-door foreign policy, and said that he works well
with all of his partners, including the commander of the Russian
border guards. However, the relationship can be difficult.
Presidents Putin and Rahmonov can reach agreements and make
promises, but they do not always get translated into action at
the working level.


3. (C) For example, Tajikistan has an agreement with Russia to
send Border Guards to Russia for FSB training free of charge.
Recently, the FSB has presented Tajikistan a bill for the over
30 Tajik officers training in Russia for $42,000 per officer for
the four-year course. Zuhurov characterized this amount as
extortionist. Before President Rahmonov's mid-January visit to
Saint Petersburg, Zuhurov had drafted a protest letter for
Rahmonov to sign and hand-deliver to Putin. Zuhurov smiled that
the "Russian bureaucrats in Dushanbe went hysterical" that
Zuhurov had managed to get his message directly to Putin.


4. (C) The Ambassador asked about Russia's current role in
Tajikistan. Zuhurov replied, "It is huge," and naturally so
because of over 70 years shared history, shared language, and
the over 500,000 Tajik labor migrants in Russia. There are 50
Russian border guard advisors in Tajikistan and an additional
250 support staff. Zuhurov added refusing assistance from
Russia would be "senseless." Tajikistan depends too much on
Russia for supplies and materials. He added Russia is
geographically close to Tajikistan, whereas Europe is thousands
of kilometers away and the United States is "on the other side
of the world." The Ambassador acknowledged that it is
absolutely normal for Tajikistan to have a close relationship
with Russia, given their historical, linguistic, cultural,
economic and security ties.


5. (C) During the past year, the Ambassador explained, it has
appeared Russia has wanted to limit the United States' role in
the region and this may be a problem, certainly not beneficial,
for Tajikistan and the region. Zuhurov nodded his
acknowledgment. The Ambassador asked what other countries
provide border security assistance. Zuhurov openly listed

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contributions Tajikistan has received: China delivered eight
vehicles including two jeeps and four trucks, medical equipment
and uniforms; Germany gave 450 night vision goggles and
communications equipment; the United Kingdom, under the guise of
BOMCA and with U.S. support, helped construct a training center.
Although Tajikistan petitioned Iran for supplies, Iran has
offered nothing but $100K cash and promises.


6. (C) The Ambassador asked if Russia will help repair the two
helicopters they gave Tajikistan. Zuhurov said that they are
practically beyond repair. One helicopter is from 1983, the
other dates to 1986, and both have been fully reconditioned at
least three times. In normal circumstances, they should now be
decommissioned and mothballed, but Tajikistan maintains the
helicopters because it needs them. To fully repair the
helicopters to international standards would cost $490K each,
money Tajikistan does not have.


7. (C) Zuhurov emphasized that, at every opportunity he is
with President Rahmonov or the media, he applauds the United
States for its generous contributions, specifically mentioning
the United States as the largest assistance provider. Zuhurov
commented that he does not hide anything and, sometimes, Russian
journalists do not like what he has to say. The Ambassador
pointed out that the Russian press, in particular, does not
treat Tajikistan fairly. Zuhurov characterized Russian media
reporting on Tajikistan as mostly "slander."


8. (C) The Ambassador expressed his goal to make U.S.
contributions more efficient and effective. Zuhurov
acknowledged that he did not want to waste U.S. funds, and both
agreed to use local supplies and contractors in future border
checkpoint projects. Both the Ambassador and Zuhurov admitted
that $80,000 was too much for what the United States actually
delivered at the Bratsva border post. Zuhurov noted using local
materials and contractors would have cut the cost in half. He
added that if any of his officers built the post the way the
United States did at Bratsva, he would have fired them. He
stated the additional U.S. funds to IOM for further construction
at Bratsva would go to local procurement and contractors so that
Tajikistan can have "a nice solid building like on the Uzbek
side of the border." But he complimented the Embassy team as
individuals and promised to cooperate as closely as possible
with the United States.


9. (C) The Ambassador asked if he and Zuhurov could hold a
joint press conference at a zastava that has received emergency
U.S. assistance. Zuhurov said that he had already been thinking
about such an event, but would like to wait for warmer weather
to complete the repair of one or two of the border posts on the
Tajik-Afghan border before taking journalists there. "Maybe in
March, when there are flowers," he suggested.


10. (C) Zuhurov thanked the Ambassador and the U.S. team for
the border assistance and reiterated that he "tells everyone at
every opportunity, including President Rahmonov," about the
United States' support. He recounted that during a recent
governmental meeting, Rahmonov had embarrassed him by chiding
the other ministers, "Learn from Zuhurov how you should work
with your partners."


11. (C) COMMENT: Although Zuhurov must maintain a good
relationship with Russia, he expressed a degree of exasperation
with Russian lower-level officials and their unwillingness to
carry out promises made at the top. He genuinely appreciates
Western, especially U.S. assistance, and recognizes that the
United States is Tajikistan's primary partner in border
security, capable of delivering on its promises. For our part,

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we continue to see Zuhurov as an open and honest partner, a
trusted voice in the Tajik government who has a direct channel
to Rahmonov. END COMMENT.
HOAGLAND