TAJIKISTAN: FOREIGN MINISTER AGREES TO TRY TO HELP RESOLVE

S E C R E T SECTION 01 OF 02 DUSHANBE 000669

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

STATE FORSCA/CEN, DRL

E.O. 12958: DECL: 4/12/2016
TAGS: PREL PGOV PHUM PROP PTER ECON KAWC RS TI
SUBJECT: TAJIKISTAN: FOREIGN MINISTER AGREES TO TRY TO HELP RESOLVE
OUTSTANDING DETAINEE ISSUE

REF: DUSHANBE 0465

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



DETAINEE ISSUE


1. (S) Foreign Minister Talbak Nazarov agreed to designate a
government point of contact to help resolve the issue of
transferring Tajik citizens from Guantanamo to Tajikistan
(reftel). In a 40-minute meeting April 6, Nazarov listened
carefully as the Ambassador explained the assurances necessary,
including post-return access by the United States or a third
party, for the United States to release a detainee. Nazarov
agreed to be helpful but gave a heads-up that it could take some
time, since the access requirement would need interagency
coordination. Though it was clear he was not fully serious,
Nazarov commented that Tajikistan did not necessarily want
"those kinds of people" back. Since they were detained most
likely in Afghanistan, they likely had at least some kind of
affiliation with extremist elements.

CEMENT FOR THE BRIDGE AND SANCTITY OF CONTRACTS


2. (C) Nazarov listened with concern about the renewed shortage
of cement for the U.S.-funded bridge construction site at
Nizhniy Pyanzh. The Ambassador noted that Presidential Economic
Advisor Davlatov had to intervene in February for the
state-owned cement company to resume its contractual deliveries
to the bridge site, and that the company was now seeking to
increase the price of cement by 50 percent, despite the
contract. Nazarov volunteered that the Tajik government well
understands the sanctity of contracts because the Turkish
construction company building Dushanbe's new water park in 2004
tried to increase the price by $4 million, and then finally
absconded with $1 million in city government funds, leaving the
water park site a raw and gaping embarrassment. The Ambassador
gave Nazarov a copy of the current contract with Tojik Cement.

STILL LOOKING FOR DEBT RELIEF


3. (C) Regarding the upcoming visit of a delegation of top
Tajik decision-makers and others who are influential to
Washington for the World Bank/IMF meetings, Nazarov said
President Rahmonov had asked him to query the Ambassador whether
a formal request for meetings with U.S officials was needed.
The Ambassador assured Nazarov the meetings would be arranged
with his verbal request. Nazarov indicated the delegation would
again raise the issue of debt relief.

"FASCISM IN RUSSIA"


4. (C) In the context of a discussion of recent articles
published in the Russian press about U.S. "designs" on
Tajikistan and an inflammatory but likely faked kompromat
interview with RusAl head Oleg Deripaska, Nazarov observed
soberly that today's Russia seems almost fascist. "I lived
there for ten years, and they were never like that," he
remarked. "I never noticed such hatred and xenophobia as there
is now." He noted the recent visit to China by Russian
President Putin indicated that Russia "changed its friends
easily." (COMMENT: Despite Moscow's increasing bear-hug,
thoughtful Tajiks, like the foreign minister, remain cautious
about Russia. Skinheads and other criminals who murder Tajiks
in Russia and then get off relatively lightly continue to evoke

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both dismay and outrage in Tajikistan. END COMMENT.)


5. (SBU) On the way out, Nazarov joked that local media
coverage of the Ambassador was usually good, and frequent. "You
must be doing a good job," he smiled.
HOAGLAND