NDI IN TAJIKISTAN: A GLIMMER OF HOPE?

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 DUSHANBE 000433 SIPDIS SIPDIS STATE FOR SCA/CEN, DRL E.O. 12958: DECL: 3/29/2027 TAGS: PGOV PREL PHUM KDEM TI SUBJECT: NDI IN TAJIKISTAN: A GLIMMER OF HOPE? REF: A) 06 DUSHANBE 804 B) 06 DUSHANBE 1425 CLASSIFIED BY: Tracey Ann Jacobson, Ambassador, U.S. Embassy, Dushanbe, State. REASON: 1.4 (b) ¶1. (C) Summary: After getting the cold shoulder from the Ministry of Justice, National Democratic Institute (NDI) received an encouraging sign from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Deputy Foreign Minister Saidmuddin Yatimov suggested that a visa for National Democratic Institute Tajikistan Director-designate Harry Bader "should not be a problem." Yatimov did not specify whether it would be a work visa, which means National Democratic Institute could still encounter the catch-22 that Tajikistan will not issue a work visa unless someone is working for a registered organization-and the Ministry of Justice has given no indication it will register the organization any time soon. However, even the possibility of a visa for an American director represents a small step forward and post will continue to work with Bader through the application process. End Summary. POUNDING THE PAVEMENT ¶2. (C) Back in Tajikistan March 26-29 to make another run at the Tajik government on registering National Democratic Institute, Senior Advisor Laura Jewett and National Democratic Institute Ukraine Program Officer (and Tajikistan director-designate) Harry Bader tried to make the rounds of government ministries with limited success. The Minister of Interior Mahmadnazar Solehov met with Jewett, Bader and the Ambassador March 27, but had little response other than to thank the organization for its openness and support of Tajikistan. ¶3. (C) Minister of Justice Bakhtiar Khudoerov refused to meet with National Democratic Institute or allow any of his deputies to represent him. In her long-awaited courtesy call March 28 (more than three months after he assumed his post),the Ambassador pressed Khudoerov five times for an opportunity for National Democratic Institute to meet with someone at the Ministry of Justice, to no avail. In response to the argument that National Democratic Institute closing its doors would be a black mark on Tajikistan's reputation, Khudoerov noted that 90 international non-governmental organizations, including 35 from the United States, were active in Tajikistan. The minister shrugged off the Ambassador's point that National Democratic ;Institute was a well-respected organization operating across the former Soviet Union, including in Russia and Uzbekistan, and it garnered special attention in Washington and in the U.S. congress. YOU'RE KIDDING, RIGHT? ¶4. (C) Standing in for Foreign Minister Zaripov, who was attending an European Union-sponsored ministerial meeting in Almaty, Yatimov told Bader, PolOff and Senior Advisor Laura Jewett March 28 that although the Ministry of Justice controlled the registration process, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs could provide support by issuing a visa for Bader to come to Tajikistan. He stated that both he and Minister Zaripov-the former Ambassador to Washington-understood the importance of building civil society and the role non-governmental organizations could play in helping Tajikistan achieve security. Yatimov encouraged Bader to apply for his visa. ¶5. (C) Yatimov explained that in anticipation of the meeting, he had contacted the Ministry of Justice about the registration issue, but was unable to get a "real answer" as to why National Democratic Institute could not register. He said the Ministry of Justice had been ready to register National Democratic Institute, but then the charges against acting director Nurul Rakhimbekov (reftel A) and his hasty departure in April 2006 called into question the "morality" of the organization's leadership and activities. Yatimov repeated many of the government accusations made against Rakhimbekov-misuse of DUSHANBE 00000433 002 OF 002 vehicles, sleeping with minors and/or prostitutes - and noted that National Democratic Institute must be careful to respect the laws of a country, and not appear "immoral." Yatimov said he would meet with the Ministry of Justice in a week to try to get a more clear answer about the registration issue. GOOD NEWS~ ¶6. (C) Yatimov acknowledged that if National Democratic Institute was to stop working in Tajikistan, it would "create a negative image" about the country and those investments would not come to a country perceived as "not democratic." "We cannot move forward the goals of our foreign policy without organizations like yours." BAD NEWS~ ¶7. (C) However, he cautioned Jewett and Bader that non-governmental organizations "must not play with the stability of Tajikistan" by encouraging Islamic fundamentalism, "like the Islamic Renaissance Party." He warned them to be "very careful" about creating an opposition, or "working against the law." Jewett and Bader noted that National Democratic Institute worked with all parties to support pluralism, but would certainly respect the law. A SMALL BREAKTHROUGH ¶7. (C) Comment: Yatimov proved surprisingly well-informed and engaged on National Democratic Institute's cause and the long-term implications for democratic stability and attracting Western investment. His inability to get a satisfactory answer from the Ministry of Justice indicates that more than technical reasons stand behind the refusal to register the organization, and gives further evidence to suspicions that the Tajik government is split ideologically on how to handle non-governmental organizations in general, and National Democratic Institute in particular. Yatimov's comments about the Islamic Renaissance Party suggest that although the Tajik government understands the pressure to embrace democracy, there is a great deal of discomfort with allowing certain parties to operate. ¶8. (C) If the Ministry of Foreign Affairs does issue a work visa, it will be a remarkable -and hard-won - opportunity for National Democratic Institute to re-establish itself and work towards full registration with the Ministry of Justice. It is possible, however, that because National Democratic Institute is not a registered organization, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs cannot issue a work visa and will only issue a visitor visa. This was the fate of the last American director who departed in 2005 and could render it impossible for Bader to conduct any work activity, leaving National Democratic Institute in the exact limbo it is in now. ¶7. (C) The wild card, and possible trump card, remains the State Committee on National Security, aka "the KGB." Rakhimbekov maintained that the then-Ministry of Security held him for four days, asked nothing about the charges, but repeatedly questioned him about National Democratic Institute's activities. The security authorities remain spooked by the "color revolutions" in Ukraine and Georgia, and the constant unrest in Kyrgyzstan, and may do everything in their power to ensure that U.S.-funded democracy-focused organizations cannot function in Tajikistan. End Comment. JACOBSON