Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06TASHKENT888
2006-05-04 13:24:00
SECRET
Embassy Tashkent
Cable title:
(S) UZBEK AMBASSADOR TO CHINA FEARS RECALL
how-toVZCZCXRO4917 PP RUEHDBU DE RUEHNT #0888 1241324 ZNY SSSSS ZZH ZDS P 041324Z MAY 06 FM AMEMBASSY TASHKENT TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 5694 INFO RUEHTA/AMEMBASSY ALMATY PRIORITY 7875 RUEHAH/AMEMBASSY ASHGABAT PRIORITY 1954 RUEHEK/AMEMBASSY BISHKEK PRIORITY 2483 RUEHDBU/AMEMBASSY DUSHANBE PRIORITY 2384 RUEHBUL/AMEMBASSY KABUL PRIORITY 1454 RUEHMO/AMEMBASSY MOSCOW PRIORITY 6640 RUEHUM/AMEMBASSY ULAANBAATAR PRIORITY 0026 RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY RUCPDOC/DEPT OF COMMERCE WASHDC PRIORITY RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING PRIORITY 0981
S E C R E T TASHKENT 000888
SIPDIS
C O R R E C T E D C O P Y - ADDED ADDRESSEE
SIPDIS
DEPT FOR SCA/CEN, EAP
E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/04/2016
TAGS: PREL PGOV PHUM PINR CH UZ
SUBJECT: (S) UZBEK AMBASSADOR TO CHINA FEARS RECALL
REF: A. A) TASHKENT 654
B. B) TASHKENT 37
C. C) TASHKENT 465
D. D) TASHKENT 712
Classified By: AMB. JON R. PURNELL, FOR REASONS 1.4 (B, D)
S E C R E T TASHKENT 000888
SIPDIS
C O R R E C T E D C O P Y - ADDED ADDRESSEE
SIPDIS
DEPT FOR SCA/CEN, EAP
E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/04/2016
TAGS: PREL PGOV PHUM PINR CH UZ
SUBJECT: (S) UZBEK AMBASSADOR TO CHINA FEARS RECALL
REF: A. A) TASHKENT 654
B. B) TASHKENT 37
C. C) TASHKENT 465
D. D) TASHKENT 712
Classified By: AMB. JON R. PURNELL, FOR REASONS 1.4 (B, D)
1. (S) Summary: Uzbekistan's Ambassador to China, Sabirjon
Yusupov, told an Embassy contact visiting China that he fears
being recalled. Yusupov said that President Karimov is
dissatisfied with his performance, and considering replacing
him with former Primer Minister Utkir Sultanov. He
speculated that President Karimov is disappointed with the
quality, scale, and rate of Chinese investment. Senior GOU
officials reportedly have been angered by the failure of
Chinese firms to follow through on investment commitments,
and their tendency to provide sub-standard goods and
services. End summary.
2. (S) A contact with close ties to the GOU leadership told
Poloff that Uzbekistan's Ambassador to China, Sabirjon
Yusupov, fears he will be recalled. Ambassador Yusupov told
the contact during a recent visit to China that he had heard
through multiple sources that President Karimov was
dissatisfied with his performance. (Note: The contact is a
long-standing friend of Ambassador Yusupov, and formerly
worked with him at the Tashkent District Hokimiyat. End
note.) According to Yusupov, Cabinet of Ministers Adviser
Utkir Sultanov is rumored to be his likely replacement.
(Note: Sultanov, a former Prime Minister, was removed from
his position as Deputy Prime Minister on April 3 (Ref A).
End note.)
3. (S) Yusupov speculated that President Karimov may resent
his ties to former Minister of Internal Affairs Zokir
Almatov, who resigned in December 2005 (Ref B). (Note:
According to the contact, Yusupov and Almatov are in-laws.
End note.) Furthermore, Yusupov said that Karimov may be
disappointed with the quality, scale and rate of Chinese
investment. During his May 2005 visit to China, Karimov
signed agreements providing for $1.5 billion of Chinese
investments, mainly in the telecommunications, energy,
chemical, and transportation sectors. However, according to
a separate contact at UzbekEnergo Joint Stock Company
(sometimes known as the "Ministry of Power, Industry, and
Electricity"),top GOU officials have been disappointed by
the failure of Chinese firms to follow through on investment
commitments, and their tendency to provide sub-standard goods
and services.
4. (C) Bio note: Yusupov was appointed Ambassador to China
in May 2003, and since May 2004 has served concurrently as
Ambassador to Mongolia. He is a former Deputy Prime Minister
(2002-2003),Chairman of the Board of the Uzbek Rural Farms
Machinery Leasing Joint Stock Company (2000-2002),and First
Deputy Minister of Agriculture (1997-1998).
5. (S) Comment: While keen to boost economic ties with
China, GOU officials do not take kindly to foreign investors
who try to make a quick buck by building substandard
infrastructure, or who skip town without completing
outstanding payments. The Uzbeks reserve these prerogatives
strictly for themselves. However, the GOU seems eager to
cover up such problems as relations with Beijing and Moscow
have become central to Karimov's post-Andijon foreign policy.
With regards to Yusupov, Karimov often reshuffles senior GOU
positions as well as diplomatic postings abroad (Ref D). The
reasons are rarely transparent.
PURNELL
SIPDIS
C O R R E C T E D C O P Y - ADDED ADDRESSEE
SIPDIS
DEPT FOR SCA/CEN, EAP
E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/04/2016
TAGS: PREL PGOV PHUM PINR CH UZ
SUBJECT: (S) UZBEK AMBASSADOR TO CHINA FEARS RECALL
REF: A. A) TASHKENT 654
B. B) TASHKENT 37
C. C) TASHKENT 465
D. D) TASHKENT 712
Classified By: AMB. JON R. PURNELL, FOR REASONS 1.4 (B, D)
1. (S) Summary: Uzbekistan's Ambassador to China, Sabirjon
Yusupov, told an Embassy contact visiting China that he fears
being recalled. Yusupov said that President Karimov is
dissatisfied with his performance, and considering replacing
him with former Primer Minister Utkir Sultanov. He
speculated that President Karimov is disappointed with the
quality, scale, and rate of Chinese investment. Senior GOU
officials reportedly have been angered by the failure of
Chinese firms to follow through on investment commitments,
and their tendency to provide sub-standard goods and
services. End summary.
2. (S) A contact with close ties to the GOU leadership told
Poloff that Uzbekistan's Ambassador to China, Sabirjon
Yusupov, fears he will be recalled. Ambassador Yusupov told
the contact during a recent visit to China that he had heard
through multiple sources that President Karimov was
dissatisfied with his performance. (Note: The contact is a
long-standing friend of Ambassador Yusupov, and formerly
worked with him at the Tashkent District Hokimiyat. End
note.) According to Yusupov, Cabinet of Ministers Adviser
Utkir Sultanov is rumored to be his likely replacement.
(Note: Sultanov, a former Prime Minister, was removed from
his position as Deputy Prime Minister on April 3 (Ref A).
End note.)
3. (S) Yusupov speculated that President Karimov may resent
his ties to former Minister of Internal Affairs Zokir
Almatov, who resigned in December 2005 (Ref B). (Note:
According to the contact, Yusupov and Almatov are in-laws.
End note.) Furthermore, Yusupov said that Karimov may be
disappointed with the quality, scale and rate of Chinese
investment. During his May 2005 visit to China, Karimov
signed agreements providing for $1.5 billion of Chinese
investments, mainly in the telecommunications, energy,
chemical, and transportation sectors. However, according to
a separate contact at UzbekEnergo Joint Stock Company
(sometimes known as the "Ministry of Power, Industry, and
Electricity"),top GOU officials have been disappointed by
the failure of Chinese firms to follow through on investment
commitments, and their tendency to provide sub-standard goods
and services.
4. (C) Bio note: Yusupov was appointed Ambassador to China
in May 2003, and since May 2004 has served concurrently as
Ambassador to Mongolia. He is a former Deputy Prime Minister
(2002-2003),Chairman of the Board of the Uzbek Rural Farms
Machinery Leasing Joint Stock Company (2000-2002),and First
Deputy Minister of Agriculture (1997-1998).
5. (S) Comment: While keen to boost economic ties with
China, GOU officials do not take kindly to foreign investors
who try to make a quick buck by building substandard
infrastructure, or who skip town without completing
outstanding payments. The Uzbeks reserve these prerogatives
strictly for themselves. However, the GOU seems eager to
cover up such problems as relations with Beijing and Moscow
have become central to Karimov's post-Andijon foreign policy.
With regards to Yusupov, Karimov often reshuffles senior GOU
positions as well as diplomatic postings abroad (Ref D). The
reasons are rarely transparent.
PURNELL