UZBEK-RUSSIAN LABOR MIGRATION AGREEMENTS: DETAILS

C O N F I D E N T I A L TASHKENT 001302

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

DEPARTMENT FOR SCA/CEN, G/TIP, AND DRL

E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/16/2017
TAGS: PREL PHUM PINR RF UZ
SUBJECT: UZBEK-RUSSIAN LABOR MIGRATION AGREEMENTS: DETAILS
NOT INCLUDED

REF: TASHKENT 438 (NOTAL)

Classified By: CDA Brad Hanson for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).


1. (C) Russia and Uzbekistan signed three bilateral labor
migration agreements during the July 3-4 visit to Tashkent of
Russian First Deputy Prime Minister Sergei Ivanov. Russian
Ambassador Farit Mukhametshin told the Charge July 12 that
the agreements are meant primarily to legalize the status of
Uzbeks working in Russia. The agreements protect the rights
of the migrant labor force, while allowing the Russian
government to resolve taxation, social, and legal issues
associated with Uzbeks migrant labor. Mukhametshin said that
agreements envision a way for Uzbek migrants currently in
Russian illegally to legalize their status, which probably
would involve a process through the Uzbek Ministry of
Internal Affairs and Ministry of Labor, and creates a
standard process for "repatriating" (i.e., deporting) future
illegal aliens from Russia. The Russian Ambassador said,
however, that the agreements provide a framework only and
that most of the details, including implementing legislation
and regulations, remain to be worked out.


2. (C) Mukhametshin estimated that approximately one million
Uzbeks work in Russian each year, sending about $1.5 billion
back to Uzbekistan. He said that the number of Uzbeks
wishing to work in Russia seems to be increasing. The Russian
Embassy's Consular Section sees about 200 people a day,
although a very small number of these people end up going to
Russia legally. Mukhametshin admitted the Russian economy
needs laborers, but said that relatively few Uzbeks have the
qualifications necessary to do anything but unskilled labor.
Russian press reports indicate that Uzbekistan the third
largest supplier of foreign labor to Russia, after Ukraine
and Kazakhstan.


3. (C) The Russian Ambassador was quick to point out that the
agreements also will benefit Russian businesses in
Uzbekistan, particularly Lukoil and Gazprom, which tend to
bring experts from Russia to fill key positions. He
estimated these two companies alone need 1500 skilled
Russians to work in Uzbekistan.


4. (C) Comment: There is little doubt that the impetus behind
the agreements is the need to regulate, or control, the
number of Uzbeks working in Russia. These agreements should
be a step forward, as they will convey some sort of official
status to the large number of Uzbek labor migrants in Russia,
and, if appropriate implementation mechanisms are worked out
and adhered to, should help to reduce abuses, reining in
unscrupulous migrant labor contractors, and thus helping
alleviate the trafficking-in-persons problem in both Russia
and Uzbekistan.
HANSON