TAJIKISTAN: NDI IN WASHINGTON WANTS SHOWDOWN MEETING WITH

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 DUSHANBE 000836 SIPDIS SIPDIS STATE FOR SCA/CEN, EUR/ACE, DRL NSC FOR MERKEL E.O. 12958: DECL: 5/5/2016 TAGS: PREL PGOV PINR EAID KDEM TI SUBJECT: TAJIKISTAN: NDI IN WASHINGTON WANTS SHOWDOWN MEETING WITH PRESIDENT RAHMONOV REF: A) DUSHANBE 0817 B) DUSHANBE 0804 C) DUSHANBE 0781 CLASSIFIED BY: Richard E. Hoagland, Ambassador, EXEC, Embassy Dushanbe. REASON: 1.4 (b),(d) ¶1. (U) National Democratic Institute (NDI) President Ken Wallach and the Ambassador spoke by telephone May 5. Wallach thanked the Ambassador and Embassy Dushanbe for continuous support and advocacy for NDI. ¶2. (C) Wallach said he had spoken by telephone with Nurul Rakhimbekov, NDI's former Acting Director in Dushanbe, who had arrived safely back in his native Kazakhstan after having been detained for several days and then deported by Tajikistan's Ministry of Security. Wallach said Rakhimbekov maintained no entrapment had occurred, "because nothing had happened." The entire line of questioning during his several days of detention had focused solely on NDI's acitivities in Tajikistan, according to Rakhimbekov. When the interrogators brought in the teenaged girl to confront him, whom he had allegedly paid for a tryst, Rakhimbekov told Wallach he'd never seen her before in his life. (COMMENT: If the interrogators brought in the alleged "victim," it would seem that the line of questioning was not solely limited to NDI's program activities. END COMMENT.) ¶3. (C) The Ambassador responded he remained totally agnostic about the charge because he did not know the facts. He suggested there is evidence, in other channels, that MOS uses under-aged prostitutes in sting operations. Further, it is understandable human nature not to be fully forthcoming if one is caught in an embarrassing or compromising situation. Wallach said he took the point. ¶4. (C) The Ambassador averred he would be loath to see NDI closed in Tajikistan. He said he was pleased NDI in Washington was considering sending an AmCit staffer or two to maintain the office in the interim, because he would hate to see a red "closed" sign nailed to the door. Wallach concurred. But he added NDI would prefer the Government of Tajikistan simply close down NDI, if that's what it wants, instead of "playing these medieval games." The Ambassador sympathized, but pointed out governments in the region, Uzbekistan's excepted, seem to prefer harassment rather than decisive action so that they don't have to take direct responsibility for their decisions. ¶5. (C) Wallach proposed that either he or NDI Board Member former U.S. Congressman Sam Gejdenson travel to Dushanbe in late May or early June to meet with President Rahmonov to learn if he will guarantee NDI's registration and program activities, or if he wants it closed. NDI staffer Laura Jewett would arrive a few days earlier for due diligence supervision in the NDI office in Dushanbe. Until then, the NDI office will remain open, but will not conduct any program activities. NDI Washington will remain in regular contact with the local staff, and pay salaries and office rent via Western Union transfers. ¶6. (C) Wallach requested that SCA Assistant Secretary Boucher raise the on-going harassment of NDI when he meets with President Rahmonov and Foreign Minister Nazarov on May 8. Wallach said he would look to the response as an indication of how willing Rahmonov would be to make sure NDI can become registered and to guarantee the safety of the NDI staff. The Ambassador responded he would make sure A/S Boucher is fully briefed before his meetings. USAID Dushanbe and Embassy PolOff DUSHANBE 00000836 002 OF 002 will also maintain regular contact with NDI's local staff. HOAGLAND