OSCE FACES AN UPHILL BATTLE TO KEEP ITS PRESENCE

C O N F I D E N T I A L TASHKENT 000302 SIPDIS SIPDIS DEPT FOR EUR/CACEN, SA E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/08/2016 TAGS: PREL OSCE PGOV ECON EAID UZ SUBJECT: OSCE FACES AN UPHILL BATTLE TO KEEP ITS PRESENCE CLASSIFIED BY AMB. JON R. PURNELL FOR REASONS 1.4 (B, D). ¶1. (C) Summary: OSCE Ambassador Jenca told the Ambassador that the GOU continues to review the Tashkent CenterQs mandate. Jenca expects a change for the worse, perhaps even a proposed decrease in OSCE international staff, when the current mandate expires in June. OSCE officers are facing accreditation delays and refusals and the government has yet to hand over any Andijon trial-related documents. He is flexible on any mandate language, but wants to work to continue in all three OSCE dimensions and wants to keep the international staff of four. End summary. ¶2. (C) On February 7, OSCE Ambassador Miroslav Jenca told the Ambassador that he expects the GOU to redefine the OSCE Tashkent Center mandate by the time the current agreement expires in June. Jenca said, however, at this point it is unclear exactly what the GOU-altered mandate would encompass and what the future of the OSCE in Uzbekistan would look like. The GOU has not given the OSCE any specific proposals, saying instead that it is still looking into the issue. Jenca opined that the GOU might use the OSCE mission in Ukraine, with only two officers, as a model. Jenca said he was flexible as to mandate words, as long as the mission could continue its operations in all three OSCE dimensions - political/military, human and economic. He said he would also fight hard to retain all four international staff positions. Only as a last resort would Jenca consider lowering the number of international staff. ¶3. (C) Incoming First Deputy Foreign Nematov had told Ambassador Jenca that the OSCEQs political/military officer, a Moldovan citizen, would receive accreditation. Nematov, however, handed over the European portfolio to newly-arrived Deputy Minister Mustafaev. Despite Jenca having carefully laid the groundwork with Nematov, the political/military officerQs accreditation was denied, and he will soon by leaving. (Note: The political/military officer had previously served in Georgia. End note.) However, on February 7, the OSCE political/economic officer, an American citizen, heard that her accreditation has been renewed, though she has yet to receive official notification. ¶4. (C) Ambassador Jenca expressed his frustration on trying to get any cooperation from the GOU on the Andijon investigation. He said the GOU would not even answer simple questions, such as whether there would more trials on Andijon-related charges. GOU officers had promised the OSCE Secretary General access to Andijon investigation materials once the trials ended. Not surprisingly, the OSCE has yet to see any documents. In communications with the OSCE, the MFA implied that the Parliament is still investigating. Both ambassadors agreed that the Uzbeks likely have no information to share, as the MFA has also stated that all information was made public in the form of courtroom confessions. PURNELL