EMBASSY BISHKEK RESPONSE TO TOBACCO ACTIVITY

UNCLAS BISHKEK 000026 SIPDIS SIPDIS DEPT FOR SCA/CEN (GEHRENBECK),EB/TPP/ABT (HUDAK/WINTON) E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: EAGR ATRD ECON KG SUBJECT: EMBASSY BISHKEK RESPONSE TO TOBACCO ACTIVITY REQUEST REF: STATE 957 ¶1. Post has searched available records dating back to January 2004 for any tobacco-related documentation described in reftel. Post located one item, described in paragraph 2. ¶2. On October 13, 2005, the Ambassador sent a letter to the President of the Kyrgyz Republic, Kurmanbek Bakiyev, regarding a commercial dispute involving Dimon International, a U.S. company, which, at the time, was involved in the purchase and curing of Kyrgyz tobacco. Earlier in 2005, the Kyrgyz government had declared Dimon a monopoly, and attempted to impose a central pricing mechanism on the firm. The Ambassador's letter relayed to President Bakiyev the impact this decision would have on foreign investment in the Kyrgyz Republic. The Embassy took no further action regarding this case. ¶3. Post will forward a scanned copy of this letter by e-mail to EB and SCA/CEN. Post has not located any other tobacco-related materials. YOVANOVITCH