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

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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