BRITISH STUDY PROGRAMS MOVING FORWARD

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 TASHKENT 000881

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

DEPT FOR SCA/CEN AND DRL

E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/03/2016
TAGS: SOCI SCUL PGOV PREL PHUM UZ
SUBJECT: BRITISH STUDY PROGRAMS MOVING FORWARD

REF: A. A) DAO TASHKENT 290405Z MAR 06

B. B) 05 TASHKENT 2233

C. C) TASHKENT 808

D. D) TASHKENT 634

Classified By: AMB. JON R. PURNELL, FOR REASONS 1.4 (B, D).



1. (C) Summary: Despite an often rocky Uzbek-British
relationship, British sources in Tashkent indicate that the
GOU has not imposed direct obstacles to study programs in the
UK. A scholarship program jointly supported by the Foreign
and Commonwealth Office (FCO),Open Society Institute, and a
consortium of British universities awarded a dozen
scholarships for Masters degree programs in 2006. An MFA
official has been approved for graduate study in the UK under
the FCO-sponsored Chevening program. Several children of top
GOU officials are studying at Westminster International
University in Tashkent (WIUT),the only university in Central
Asia offering British qualifications. However, the British
Embassy's decision to shut its visa section has forced Uzbek
students to travel to Almaty, creating significant
inconvenience. In addition, the British Council has faced
some difficulties with English language programs, most
notably the cancellation of a training course for the
Ministry of Defense. End summary.


2. (C) Despite a strained Uzbek-British relationship, marked
most recently by the GOU's refusal to accredit a British
Defense attache (ref A),there are no apparent direct GOU
efforts to prevent students from studying in the UK. Sources
at the British Embassy, British Council, and a British
university in Tashkent told Poloff that study programs to the
United Kingdom are moving forward. A scholarship program
jointly sponsored by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office
(FCO),the Open Society Institute (OSI),and a consortium of
British Universities (Oxford, St. Andrews, Manchester, Essex)
will provide ten to twelve places for graduate study at
British universities this year. (Note: The British DCM
confided to Poloff that the GOU may not be fully aware of the
program, which is administered by OSI's Almaty office. End
note.) The FCO's Chevening scholarship program, providing
graduate education for young leaders and "future high
fliers," has selected two winners from among 400 applicants,
an MFA official and an American Bar Association-Central
European and Eurasian Law Initiative (ABA-CEELI) lawyer.
According to a British Embassy source, FM Ganiev's assistant,
Sardor Rustambaev (formerly a Third Secretary on the Americas
Desk),has received Ganiev's approval to participate in the
program.


3. (C) The British DCM indicated that approximately 2,000
Uzbek students study in the UK each year, the vast majority
on short-term English language programs paid for by
themselves, with many over-staying their visas to work. The
British Council's alumni coordinator added that there are
over 350 alumni of British government sponsored programs in
Uzbekistan. These include graduates of the
FCO/OSI/university consortium, Chevening program, and Umid
Foundation scholars. (Note: The Umid -- "Hope" -- Foundation
was created by President Karimov in 1997 to support the study
abroad of talented Uzbek youth. The Foundation provided
students with scholarships ranging from $35,000-100,000 to
study at North American and European universities in return
for committing to serve at least five years in the Uzbek
government. The Umid Foundation has since been replaced by
the Istedot -- "Talent" -- Foundation, which no longer offers
long-term overseas study grants - ref B.) End note.)


4. (C) The First Deputy Rector of Westminster International
University in Tashkent (WIUT),the only university in Central
Asia offering British qualifications, told Poloff that the
GOU has not discouraged students from enrolling or studying
in the UK. (Note: WIUT was established in 2002 through a
Cabinet of Ministers decree, in collaboration with the
London-based University of Westminster and the Umid
Foundation. It offers Bachelors degrees in business,
economics and law. Most of the teaching staff are Uzbek
citizens educated in the UK, Europe, or the United States.
End note.) However, pressures on civil society over the past
year, including in the educational sector (ref C),have
compelled the First Deputy Rector to conduct regular risk
assessments. Under an intergovernmental agreement between
the GOU and British government, WIUT does not report to the

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GOU except for statistical data to the Tashkent Hokimiyat and
Ministry of Economy; the First Deputy Rector is only
accountable to the Vice Chancellor at Westminster University
in London.


5. (C) WIUT's First Deputy Rector told Poloff that several
children of top GOU officials study at the University
including First Deputy Prime Minister Azimov's daughter,
Foreign Minister Ganiev's son, the Tashkent Hokim's son, and
a Presidential Adviser's son. (Note: These relationships, as
well as WIUT's emphasis on business and economics, may help
explain WIUT's good standing. End note.) The First Deputy
Rector added that several senior University officials are
National Security Service officers. The Senior Rector,
Abdujabar Akhetov, is a former head of the National Security
Service (NSS) Ferghana Valley branch. (Note: Akhetov has
spent the past few weeks in Andijon under the guise of
"supervising local elections," but in fact is most likely
making sure that the first anniversary of the violence in
Andijon passes smoothly. End note.)


6. (C) While commercially driven, WIUT received $3.5 million
in Umid funding. This provides forty scholarships per field
of study each year, in return for students working five years
in the public sector. Less than a quarter of WIUT's six
hundred students pay tuition fees. (Note: The University has
to re-pay scholarship funds for any student who fails to
return from a study or work program abroad. End note.)
WIUT's First Deputy Rector noted that while the $4,800 annual
tuition fees are high by local standards, they are still much
lower than the cost of studying in the United Kingdom.
According to the First Deputy Rector, President Karimov
enjoys the bragging rights of having an international-quality
educational institution in Tashkent. During his October 2005
visit to Malaysia for example, President Karimov reportedly
boasted that Uzbekistan has a university meeting
international standards. (Note: Around ten percent of WIUT's
student body is international, largely from other Central
Asian states. End note.) WIUT's First Deputy Rector also
told Poloff that he welcomes the competition posed by the
recent Presidential decree providing for the opening of a
Moscow State University branch in Tashkent (ref D).


7. (C) British Council representatives told us that their
in-country English language training programs have faced some
difficulties. In February for example, the Ministry of
Defense cancelled a British Council-administered English
language train-the-trainers program. The MFA has also asked
the British Council to provide advance notification of
programs and events, including lists of participants. In
addition, British Council English language consultants have
experienced delays in receiving Uzbek visas, although none
have been refused. (Note: Delays in Uzbek visa issuance
seems to be a widespread problem for many diplomatic missions
and international organizations. End note.)


8. (C) The British Council's deputy director told Poloff
that, other than the high cost of tuition fees and living
expenses, the major obstacle faced by students wanting to
study in the United Kingdom is obtaining British visas. He
noted that the British Consul is reticent to issue visas to
any student who might over-stay. Furthermore, in December
2005 the British Embassy stopped processing visa
applications, except emergency medical visas, after the GOU
removed its security barriers from in front of the British
Embassy. (Note: In late 2005 the GOU began removing concrete
security barriers from all diplomatic missions in Tashkent,
including the U.S. Embassy, citing aesthetic and
traffic/pedestrian flow concerns. End note.) Students must
now travel to Almaty for visa interviews and processing,
creating inconvenience and additional travel costs. (Note:
The GOU has not shown any sign of restoring the security
barriers to embassies in Tashkent. As a result, the British
Embassy's visa section will remain shut for the foreseeable
future. End note.)


9. (C) Comment: British educational programs have been less
affected by Uzbekistan's growing isolation than our own
educational programs. While the British Council has
experienced some problems with in-country English language
training programs, and students have faced greater hurdles in
obtaining British visas, there do not seem to be direct GOU
obstacles preventing students from studying in the United
Kingdom. As a British diplomat noted recently, the GOU

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considers the British Government merely an irritant, while
perceiving USG-sponsored programs as a destabilizing threat.

PURNELL