SPEAKER OF PARLIAMENT FIGHTS FOR CONTROL OF OPEN WORLD

UNCLAS DUSHANBE 001412 SIPDIS SIPDIS DEPT FOR SCA/PPD AND SCA/CEN E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PREL KPAO TI SUBJECT: SPEAKER OF PARLIAMENT FIGHTS FOR CONTROL OF OPEN WORLD PROGRAM ¶1. SUMMARY: Deputy Chief of Mission and Cultural Affairs Officer met with Speaker of Parliament Sadullo Hairuloyev October 2 to ask him to consent to the participation of four members of the Tajik Parliament in the Open World program. Hairuloyev initially provided several reasons why the participants, who were chosen by an Embassy committee per Open World program criteria, could not travel and attempted to insert his own choices. However, he eventually permitted three from our list to travel as scheduled, or up to four if the exchange could be postponed for a period. Hairuloyev also indicated he may allow future parliamentary groups to participate in USG-sponsored exchanges and programs. END SUMMARY ¶2. Hairuloyev brought to the meeting his own list of eight parliamentarians, only two of whom were on the Embassy's list. He said he is concerned with sensitivities in Parliament about who travels abroad and wants to avoid a "scandal" in case some members get to travel more than once before others get their first chance. We explained to Hairuloyev that Embassy exchange programs were not designed to be used as fringe benefits for members of parliament. ¶3. Pointing to the Embassy's list of applicants, he said various candidates were either sick, had previously traveled to the United States, or need to remain in Dushanbe to work on next year's budget. He then repeatedly attempted to insert candidates from his own list. We explained that the list of candidates was selected by a panel of American officers from the Embassy following Open World guidelines. Hairuloyev acknowledged this but kept asserting his prerogative to decide who among the members of Parliament could travel abroad. ¶4. Hairuloyev did say that he would be open to parliamentary travel in the future and participation in other embassy programs, as long as Embassy officials inform him in advance whom they have chosen. As for the Open World exchange under question, Hairuloyev finally agreed to three of our candidates, and suggested that if the exchange were postponed until November, a fourth parliamentarian from our list could also attend. Note: The Embassy has bounced these two options off Open World staff: sending three parliamentarians as scheduled or postponing the visit in order to fill out the group. Open World prefers to postpone the visit until November. End note. ¶5. Hairuloyev was generally aware of and amenable to U.S. assistance activities in Tajikistan. He noted the recent press reports about the renovation of a historic madrassa under the Ambassador's Cultural Preservation Fund and the opening of the U.S.-build bridge at Nizhniy Pyanj. Alluding to Iranian and Chinese influence in Tajikistan, he said it was a good thing that the United States built the bridge, and expressed surprise when he learned that Tajik border forces hadn't yet allowed the bridge to open. ¶6. COMMENT: Hairuloyev seems to view USG-sponsored exchange programs as rewards, despite our insistence that they are in fact working exchanges. At one point he mentioned that he has not been selected to travel himself, implying that he would be a good candidate. Post will take steps to maintain its decision making role, but will involve Hairuloyev and other parliamentarians more in the initial design of future exchanges. We have already explained to Open World staff that direct communications with high ranking government officials would be better coming from the embassy directly rather than from Open World's local implementing partner, American Councils. We hope that after this initial bump in the road, the way is set for expanding our work with the Tajik Parliament in several program areas. END COMMENT JACOBSON