Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06DUSHANBE575
2006-03-30 11:23:00
UNCLASSIFIED
Embassy Dushanbe
Cable title:
OSCE CHAIRMAN DE GUCHT BRIEFLY VISITS DUSHANBE
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UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 DUSHANBE 000575
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
STATE FOR SCA/CEN, EUR, DRL
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL PGOV PHUM KDEM KIRF UK UZ TI
SUBJECT: OSCE CHAIRMAN DE GUCHT BRIEFLY VISITS DUSHANBE
DUSHANBE 00000575 001.2 OF 002
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 DUSHANBE 000575
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
STATE FOR SCA/CEN, EUR, DRL
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL PGOV PHUM KDEM KIRF UK UZ TI
SUBJECT: OSCE CHAIRMAN DE GUCHT BRIEFLY VISITS DUSHANBE
DUSHANBE 00000575 001.2 OF 002
1. (U) Sensitive but unclassified. Please handle accordingly.
Not for public Internet.
2. (U) SUMMARY: Visiting OSCE Chairman-in-Office de Gucht
raised the draft NGO and religion laws with President Rahmonov,
pressed for BBC to be re-registered for FM broadcasts in
Dushanbe, and discussed prison conditions. During a briefing
for OSCE member ambassadors, de Gucht told the Uzbek Ambassador
OSCE will never compromise its support for human rights. END
SUMMARY.
3. (U) OSCE Center Dushanbe arranged for visiting Chairman in
Office (CiO) Karel de Gucht to brief ambassadors of OSCE member
countries March 30. De Gucht had just meet separately with
Foreign Minister Nazarov and President Rahmonov, and planned a
brief meeting with members of civil society before an afternoon
departure for Afghanistan.
4. (U) De Gucht said the goals for his visit were 1) to visit
the OSCE Center and meet the staff; 2) to introduce his CiO
priorities, including better equilibrium among the OSCE's three
dimensions; and 3) to press for a more open society, progress on
the path toward democracy, and free and fair elections.
"WE WILL NOT COMPROMISE ON HUMAN RIGHTS"
5. (SBU) During the very brief question-and-answer period, the
Uzbek Ambassador asked if de Gucht planned during his
chairmanship to do anything to respond to the CIS recommendation
from at least two years ago that OSCE decrease its "obsession
with human rights" and do a better job of balancing the three
dimensions. De Gucht replied firmly that he is willing to be
flexible, taking into account that democracy is a process and
that each country has its own reality, but he will be guided by
OSCE's clear principles that must be observed, including the
independence of its component elements like ODHIR. He added,
"Yes, OSCE needs to change, but the CIS countries need to
change, too. More equal attention to OSCE's three dimensions
means greater attention to the other two dimensions, not less
attention to democracy and human rights. OSCE will never
compromise its support for human rights."
NGO LAW - NOT UNTIL NEXT YEAR
6. (SBU) De Gucht said one of his strongest talking points with
both Foreign Minister Nazarov and President Rahmonov had been
about the proposed new NGO law. He said he cannot understand
why this has become an issue in Tajikistan and several other CIS
countries. It's a highly retrograde movement that violates CIS
countries' OSCE commitments. Restricting or interfering with
the work of NGOs is "unacceptable." De Gucht said President
Rahmonov assured him Parliament will not consider a new NGO law
until after the November presidential election.
RELIGION LAW - UNDER INTERNATIONAL REVIEW
7. (SBU) Responding to a question by the Ambassador, de Gucht
said he also raised the current draft of the new religion law.
OSCE Head of Mission Couanon added OSCE Dushanbe is meeting with
all confessional groups in Tajikistan and has already sent the
draft law to OSCE experts for review and comment. Swiss
Cooperation Office Head Zuest noted a parliamentary committee in
Berne is reviewing the law and plans to send its commentary
directly to President Rahmonov.
BBC WILL BE REGISTERED, BUT MUST SUBMIT ITS DOCUMENTS
8. (SBU) Another point de Gucht said he raised was
DUSHANBE 00000575 002.2 OF 002
re-registration of BBC to resume FM broadcasts in Dushanbe.
President Rahmonov assured him as soon as the Ministry of
Communications receives BBC's re-registration documents, it will
be back on the air "the next day." De Gucht said Foreign
Minister Nazarov had harrumphed that he himself could fill out
the forms overnight and cannot understand what's taking BBC so
long. UK Charge d'affaires Belof, looking embarrassed,
explained that BBC had taken some time to decide whether it
should give in to the demand to re-register, and then had to
call a full meeting of the BBC board of directors to discuss the
matter, but hoped to submit it's re-registration package by the
end of April.
PRISONS NEED HUMANITARIAN ASSISTANCE
9. (SBU) De Gucht briefed he also raised prison conditions.
The Ambassador noted the Unites States is considering whether
some of his medical assistance can be used for prisons, and
added international assistance could perhaps begin to pry open
the door of the Tajik prison system for the International
Committee of the Red Cross. Swedish Charge d'affairs Lagus
noted the Swedish International Development Agency is
considering humanitarian assistance for Tajik prisons. De Gucht
suggested OSCE Dushanbe could become the coordination point for
prison assistance.
HOAGLAND
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
STATE FOR SCA/CEN, EUR, DRL
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL PGOV PHUM KDEM KIRF UK UZ TI
SUBJECT: OSCE CHAIRMAN DE GUCHT BRIEFLY VISITS DUSHANBE
DUSHANBE 00000575 001.2 OF 002
1. (U) Sensitive but unclassified. Please handle accordingly.
Not for public Internet.
2. (U) SUMMARY: Visiting OSCE Chairman-in-Office de Gucht
raised the draft NGO and religion laws with President Rahmonov,
pressed for BBC to be re-registered for FM broadcasts in
Dushanbe, and discussed prison conditions. During a briefing
for OSCE member ambassadors, de Gucht told the Uzbek Ambassador
OSCE will never compromise its support for human rights. END
SUMMARY.
3. (U) OSCE Center Dushanbe arranged for visiting Chairman in
Office (CiO) Karel de Gucht to brief ambassadors of OSCE member
countries March 30. De Gucht had just meet separately with
Foreign Minister Nazarov and President Rahmonov, and planned a
brief meeting with members of civil society before an afternoon
departure for Afghanistan.
4. (U) De Gucht said the goals for his visit were 1) to visit
the OSCE Center and meet the staff; 2) to introduce his CiO
priorities, including better equilibrium among the OSCE's three
dimensions; and 3) to press for a more open society, progress on
the path toward democracy, and free and fair elections.
"WE WILL NOT COMPROMISE ON HUMAN RIGHTS"
5. (SBU) During the very brief question-and-answer period, the
Uzbek Ambassador asked if de Gucht planned during his
chairmanship to do anything to respond to the CIS recommendation
from at least two years ago that OSCE decrease its "obsession
with human rights" and do a better job of balancing the three
dimensions. De Gucht replied firmly that he is willing to be
flexible, taking into account that democracy is a process and
that each country has its own reality, but he will be guided by
OSCE's clear principles that must be observed, including the
independence of its component elements like ODHIR. He added,
"Yes, OSCE needs to change, but the CIS countries need to
change, too. More equal attention to OSCE's three dimensions
means greater attention to the other two dimensions, not less
attention to democracy and human rights. OSCE will never
compromise its support for human rights."
NGO LAW - NOT UNTIL NEXT YEAR
6. (SBU) De Gucht said one of his strongest talking points with
both Foreign Minister Nazarov and President Rahmonov had been
about the proposed new NGO law. He said he cannot understand
why this has become an issue in Tajikistan and several other CIS
countries. It's a highly retrograde movement that violates CIS
countries' OSCE commitments. Restricting or interfering with
the work of NGOs is "unacceptable." De Gucht said President
Rahmonov assured him Parliament will not consider a new NGO law
until after the November presidential election.
RELIGION LAW - UNDER INTERNATIONAL REVIEW
7. (SBU) Responding to a question by the Ambassador, de Gucht
said he also raised the current draft of the new religion law.
OSCE Head of Mission Couanon added OSCE Dushanbe is meeting with
all confessional groups in Tajikistan and has already sent the
draft law to OSCE experts for review and comment. Swiss
Cooperation Office Head Zuest noted a parliamentary committee in
Berne is reviewing the law and plans to send its commentary
directly to President Rahmonov.
BBC WILL BE REGISTERED, BUT MUST SUBMIT ITS DOCUMENTS
8. (SBU) Another point de Gucht said he raised was
DUSHANBE 00000575 002.2 OF 002
re-registration of BBC to resume FM broadcasts in Dushanbe.
President Rahmonov assured him as soon as the Ministry of
Communications receives BBC's re-registration documents, it will
be back on the air "the next day." De Gucht said Foreign
Minister Nazarov had harrumphed that he himself could fill out
the forms overnight and cannot understand what's taking BBC so
long. UK Charge d'affaires Belof, looking embarrassed,
explained that BBC had taken some time to decide whether it
should give in to the demand to re-register, and then had to
call a full meeting of the BBC board of directors to discuss the
matter, but hoped to submit it's re-registration package by the
end of April.
PRISONS NEED HUMANITARIAN ASSISTANCE
9. (SBU) De Gucht briefed he also raised prison conditions.
The Ambassador noted the Unites States is considering whether
some of his medical assistance can be used for prisons, and
added international assistance could perhaps begin to pry open
the door of the Tajik prison system for the International
Committee of the Red Cross. Swedish Charge d'affairs Lagus
noted the Swedish International Development Agency is
considering humanitarian assistance for Tajik prisons. De Gucht
suggested OSCE Dushanbe could become the coordination point for
prison assistance.
HOAGLAND