Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06TASHKENT520
2006-03-20 08:41:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Tashkent
Cable title:
GOU ORDERS CLOSURE OF UNHCR
how-toVZCZCXRO4602 OO RUEHDBU DE RUEHNT #0520 0790841 ZNY CCCCC ZZH O 200841Z MAR 06 FM AMEMBASSY TASHKENT TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 5364 INFO RUCNCIS/CIS COLLECTIVE IMMEDIATE RUEHIL/AMEMBASSY ISLAMABAD IMMEDIATE 3440 RUEHBUL/AMEMBASSY KABUL IMMEDIATE 1337 RUEHGV/USMISSION GENEVA IMMEDIATE 0668 RUEHVEN/USMISSION USOSCE IMMEDIATE 1701 RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK IMMEDIATE 0063 RUEHBS/USEU BRUSSELS IMMEDIATE
C O N F I D E N T I A L TASHKENT 000520
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
DEPARTMENT FOR SCA/CEN, DRL, PRM
E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/20/2016
TAGS: PGOV PHUM PREF PREL UZ
SUBJECT: GOU ORDERS CLOSURE OF UNHCR
REF: A) TASHKENT 345 B) TASHKENT 430
Classified By: AMB. JON R. PURNELL, FOR REASONS 1.4 (B, D).
C O N F I D E N T I A L TASHKENT 000520
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
DEPARTMENT FOR SCA/CEN, DRL, PRM
E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/20/2016
TAGS: PGOV PHUM PREF PREL UZ
SUBJECT: GOU ORDERS CLOSURE OF UNHCR
REF: A) TASHKENT 345 B) TASHKENT 430
Classified By: AMB. JON R. PURNELL, FOR REASONS 1.4 (B, D).
1. (C) UNHCR Protection Officer Asako Nozawa told poloff that
the Uzbek mission in Geneva had delivered a note verbale to
UNHCR headquarters on March 17 giving the Tashkent office
thirty days to close. She added that the UN High
Commissioner for Refugees will not intervene, and that the
office will close as requested. The note stated that
UNHCR,s office was opened in 1993 to support Afghan and
Tajik refugees and that this mission is now complete. (Note:
Over 1800 Afghan refugees are still registered with UNHCR,s
office ) ref A. End note.)
2. (C) In light of the closure request, Nozawa has met with
visiting Department of Homeland Security officials to urge
them to expedite their processing of refugee applications.
(Note: Two Moscow-based DHS officials are visiting Tashkent
for three weeks to interview refugee applicants. End note.)
3. (C) Comment: UNHCR,s role in evacuating 450 Uzbeks from
Kyrgyzstan in summer 2005 angered the Uzbeks. The GOU has
also criticized UNHCR over its statements of concern for
Uzbeks refouled from neighboring countries and Ukraine (ref
B). UNHCR,s involvement in getting Imam Nazarov out of
Kazakhstan on March 15 may have been the last straw. This is
the first time that the GOU has asked a UN agency to leave.
It follows the GOU,s December 2005 order to UNHCR to close
its Termez sub-office, which, in turn, precipitated the
closure of the UNDP office in Termez.
PURNELL
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
DEPARTMENT FOR SCA/CEN, DRL, PRM
E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/20/2016
TAGS: PGOV PHUM PREF PREL UZ
SUBJECT: GOU ORDERS CLOSURE OF UNHCR
REF: A) TASHKENT 345 B) TASHKENT 430
Classified By: AMB. JON R. PURNELL, FOR REASONS 1.4 (B, D).
1. (C) UNHCR Protection Officer Asako Nozawa told poloff that
the Uzbek mission in Geneva had delivered a note verbale to
UNHCR headquarters on March 17 giving the Tashkent office
thirty days to close. She added that the UN High
Commissioner for Refugees will not intervene, and that the
office will close as requested. The note stated that
UNHCR,s office was opened in 1993 to support Afghan and
Tajik refugees and that this mission is now complete. (Note:
Over 1800 Afghan refugees are still registered with UNHCR,s
office ) ref A. End note.)
2. (C) In light of the closure request, Nozawa has met with
visiting Department of Homeland Security officials to urge
them to expedite their processing of refugee applications.
(Note: Two Moscow-based DHS officials are visiting Tashkent
for three weeks to interview refugee applicants. End note.)
3. (C) Comment: UNHCR,s role in evacuating 450 Uzbeks from
Kyrgyzstan in summer 2005 angered the Uzbeks. The GOU has
also criticized UNHCR over its statements of concern for
Uzbeks refouled from neighboring countries and Ukraine (ref
B). UNHCR,s involvement in getting Imam Nazarov out of
Kazakhstan on March 15 may have been the last straw. This is
the first time that the GOU has asked a UN agency to leave.
It follows the GOU,s December 2005 order to UNHCR to close
its Termez sub-office, which, in turn, precipitated the
closure of the UNDP office in Termez.
PURNELL