OSCE OK IN TAJIKISTAN - AMBASSADOR FINLEY MEETS WITH TAJIK

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 DUSHANBE 000359

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS

STATE FOR SCA/CEN
STATE FOR EUR/RPM

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PREL PHUM KDEM TI
SUBJECT: OSCE OK IN TAJIKISTAN - AMBASSADOR FINLEY MEETS WITH TAJIK
FOREIGN MINISTER

REF: A) DUSHANBE 206, B) DUSHANBE 262

DUSHANBE 00000359 001.2 OF 002



1. (SBU) SUMMARY. During their meeting March 7 with Tajik
Foreign Minister Zaripov, U.S. Permanent Representative to the
Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE),
Ambassador Julie Finley, and Ambassador Jacobson discussed the
future of the OSCE in Tajikistan. The Tajik Permanent
Representative in Vienna has expressed dissatisfaction with the
work of the OSCE here, and the Foreign Minister has proposed to
downgrade the OSCE presence in Dushanbe to a project office (ref
A). However, during his meeting with Ambassador Finley, Zaripov
offered a more positive spin. He explained that the Tajik
government wants to retain the OSCE's programs in democracy and
human rights, but bring up to the same level a focus on economic
development issues. Zaripov also elaborated on his proposal
(ref A) to move a branch of the OSCE Economic Forum, currently
based in Prague, to Dushanbe. Ambassadors Finley and Jacobson
also pressed Zaripov on a draft law on associations that would
severely restrict the ability of non-governmental organizations
to operate in Tajikistan. END SUMMARY.


2. (SBU) Tajikistan is not anti-OSCE, Zaripov asserted,
remarking that "Tajikistan is very different from Uzbekistan."
He also said Tajikistan's views differed from "Putin's speech in
Germany," where Putin questioned the OSCE's effectiveness and
goals. On the contrary, the Foreign Ministry's aim is to
increase the OSCE's activity in Tajikistan by adding economic
programs to facilitate infrastructure development. Zaripov
argued that recent achievements in the country argue for the
Tajik government and OSCE to update the OSCE Center's mandate
which was established in 2002.


3. (SBU) Zaripov also requested that the OSCE create a
structure in Dushanbe to deal with regional economic and
environmental issues, especially water and energy, roads and
communications, and movement of people and goods across borders.
The unit would operate as a sub-structure to the
Economic/Environmental Forum in Prague, and would provide a
better vantage point for the OSCE to understand and address
regional economic issues. (Note: Zaripov walked this proposal
back from earlier Tajik requests to relocate the entire OSCE
Economic Forum to Dushanbe. End note.) Ambassadors Finley and
Jacobson both supported the idea of discussing this proposal
further. The Ambassadors also noted that they would like to see
the OSCE more involved in Afghanistan, working on border
security and training, and cross-border irrigation and water
issues.


4. (SBU) Ambassador Jacobson noted that a seriously flawed
draft law on public associations (ref B) passed the lower house
of parliament in the dark of night with no consultations with
the international community or Tajik civil society. She said
that Tajikistan has a history of respect for working with
non-governmental organizations, and that this law would be a
giant step backwards. (Note: Ambassador Jacobson reiterated
this point in the short press conference following the meeting,
prompting a frantic ministry official to signal that the
interview was over. End note.) Zaripov requested that the
Embassy submit its particular objections to the law in writing
to the government, which post did by diplomatic note on March 9.
(Note: Ambassador shared the note with European Union
Ambassadors March 12; they are planning to submit similar notes.
End note.)


5. (SBU) Zaripov raised and supported the issue of the Kazakh
chairmanship of the OSCE in 2009, arguing that today's newly

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configured OSCE, with more countries and partner nations east of
Vienna, should allow for Central Asian leadership. Ambassador
Finley replied that while the U.S. has an excellent relationship
with Kazakhstan, the OSCE is more than a political/military and
economic organization, and Kazakhstan's lack of progress on
human dimension issues prevents the United States from
supporting Kazakhstan's request. She noted that the U.S.
supports Kazakhstan's aspirations, and we continue to provide
Kazakhstan assistance so they can improve their performance on
political and human rights issues.


6. (SBU) COMMENT: The U.S. Ambassadors welcomed Zaripov's
assurances on the future of the OSCE in Tajikistan, although
others in the Tajik government may not share his positive
assessment of the OSCE's role, and Zaripov's remarks were
clearly pitched to his audience. While the OSCE Center has
stagnated here over the past year, due in part to absent or
unengaged leadership, Ambassador Finley pressed Zaripov for time
to give the newly arrived Charge and incoming Head of Center a
chance to turn things around. The OSCE can play a vital
development role here if it can focus on all three pillars of
the OSCE mandate. END COMMENT.
JACOBSON