ICRC PLANS TO DEMARCHE KARIMOV

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 TASHKENT 001448

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DEPT FOR SCA/CEN AND DRL

E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/09/2017
TAGS: PREL PHUM PGOV ICRC UZ TI
SUBJECT: ICRC PLANS TO DEMARCHE KARIMOV

REF: TASHKENT 1258 (NOTAL)

Classified By: CDA BRAD HANSON FOR REASONS 1.4 (B, D).


1. (C) Summary: On August 8, International Committee of the
Red Cross (ICRC) Regional Delegation for Central Asia Head
told poloff that ICRC has received no response from the
Government on restarting its prison monitoring program since
their last abortive attempt in May and is now considering
delivering a demarche on the subject directly to President
Karimov. The ICRC is also considering delivering a demarche
to the President of Tajikistan. In addition, a new ICRC
Central Asia Regional Delegation Head will take over in
September and the ICRC's request to attend the Shanghai
Cooperation Organization (SCO) conference in Bishkek as an
observer was rejected. The Delegation Head said he would not
be surprised if the Government requested the ICRC to restart
its prison monitoring program shortly before the EU
reconvenes in mid-October to review sanctions against
Uzbekistan. While we understand ICRC's frustration at the
lack of response from the Uzbek Ministries, we are doubtful
that the Government will allow a demarche of the President to
go forward, or at least not until after the expected
presidential elections in December. End summary.


2. (C) On August 8, during a week-long visit to Tashkent,
International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) Regional
Delegation for Central Asia Head Edmond Corthesy told poloff
that the ICRC has received no response from the Government on
restarting its prison monitoring program since their last
abortive attempt in May. According to him, the ICRC has
exhausted its attempts at dialogue through the Ministries,
who do not have the authority to make a decision on
restarting the prison monitoring program, and now must
approach the Government at the highest possible level. While
back in Geneva at ICRC headquarters, Corthesy will discuss
delivering a presidential demarche to Karimov. The ICRC is
also considering the same approach with Tajikistan. Corthesy
did not know when the demarche may be delivered, but
suggested that it might occur early in 2008.


3. (C) Corthesy said that he would make a final two-week
trip to Tashkent on September 2 with his successor, Yves
Giavannoni, who has worked extensively before in Latin
America. Corthesy noted that ICRC was looking forward to the
arrival of Ambassador Richard Norland in Tashkent, as his
ICRC colleagues in Afghanistan reported having developed a
good working relationship with him. In addition, Corthesy
said that ICRC requested observer status at the Shanghai
Cooperation Organization (SCO) meeting in Bishkek, but was
told that there was not enough room at the location where the
summit was being held to accommodate additional observers.


4. (C) ICRC's prison monitoring program in Uzbekistan, which
began after a formal agreement was signed between the
Government and ICRC in 2001, was suspended in December 2004
after Uzbek officials failed to facilitate monitoring
according to ICRC's worldwide modalities. On May 21, ICRC
attempted to restart its prison monitoring program with a
week-long visit to a Tashkent prison, but called off the
visit after a few hours once it became clear that prison
authorities would not allow unfettered access to all
prisoners (reftel). Corthesy believes that the Government's
decision to allow the May visit was a clear attempt at
winning favor with European governments in the lead up to
their decision the same month on renewing sanctions against
Uzbekistan. He would not be surprised if the Uzbek
government contacted ICRC about restarting its program
roughly three weeks before the EU reconvenes in mid-October
to review sanctions again. According to Corthesy, the ICRC
resented being treated as a political bargaining chip by both
the Europeans and the Uzbek government.


5. (C) Comment: The ICRC's frustration at the lack of
dialogue with the Ministries is understandable, and Corthesy
is correct in asserting that the only person capable of
making a decision on restarting prison monitoring is
President Karimov. But we are doubtful that any request to
directly demarche the President will be accepted. Rather
than a flat out rejection, the ICRC's demarche request is
likely to go unanswered or the Government will find many

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convenient reasons why it must be indefinitely delayed. Even
if the demarche eventually goes forward, it is unlikely to
happen before the expected presidential elections in December.
HANSON