Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
07TASHKENT1823
2007-10-22 10:10:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Tashkent
Cable title:  

OSCE FORMALLY INVITED TO OBSERVE UZBEK

Tags:  PREL PGOV OSCE UZ 
pdf how-to read a cable
VZCZCXRO5802
RR RUEHDBU
DE RUEHNT #1823 2951010
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
R 221010Z OCT 07
FM AMEMBASSY TASHKENT
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 8634
INFO RUEHAH/AMEMBASSY ASHGABAT 3371
RUEHTA/AMEMBASSY ASTANA 9574
RUEHEK/AMEMBASSY BISHKEK 3987
RUEHDBU/AMEMBASSY DUSHANBE 3850
RUEHUNV/USMISSION UNVIE VIENNA 0059
RHEFDIA/DIA WASHDC
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHINGTON DC
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC
RUEHBS/USEU BRUSSELS
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK
RUEHGV/USMISSION GENEVA 0836
RUEHVEN/USMISSION USOSCE 2081
C O N F I D E N T I A L TASHKENT 001823 

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

USMISSION VIENNA FOR ELIZABETH KAUFMAN

E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/22/2017
TAGS: PREL PGOV OSCE UZ
SUBJECT: OSCE FORMALLY INVITED TO OBSERVE UZBEK
PRESIDENTIAL ELECTIONS


Classified By: Poloff Tim Buckley for reasons 1.4 (B, D)

C O N F I D E N T I A L TASHKENT 001823

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

USMISSION VIENNA FOR ELIZABETH KAUFMAN

E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/22/2017
TAGS: PREL PGOV OSCE UZ
SUBJECT: OSCE FORMALLY INVITED TO OBSERVE UZBEK
PRESIDENTIAL ELECTIONS


Classified By: Poloff Tim Buckley for reasons 1.4 (B, D)


1. (C) On October 22 OSCE Charge d'Affaires Bernard Rouault
paid a courtesy call on Ambassador to introduce himself and
elicit advice on OSCE activities during this "delicate"
pre-election phase. Rouault noted that OSCE expects a
renewed mandate from the GOU by December 20, and at a meeting
last week MFA International Organizations Chief Ilkhom
Zakirov told him "not to worry about it, everything should be
fine." Rouault suggested the GOU may have been waiting for
the EU's decision on lifting sanctions before considering the
renewal of OSCE's mandate.


2. (C) Rouault confirmed that on October 19 OSCE received a
formal invitation from the GOU to observe the upcoming
elections (copy of Uzbek formal request e-mailed to desk and
U.S. Mission Vienna). OSCE's Office for Democratic
Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) will now organize a
needs assessment visit to Uzbekistan to decide on the format
and scope of its election observation activities. The OSCE
Project Coordination Office (PCO) in Tashkent is coordinating
technical aspects of the visit, including visas, and expects
the assessment team in the first week of November. Rouault
noted that the GOU refused to invite ODIHR for the past six
years, so this is "a small but positive step." Nonetheless,
he added that "we need to think about the last two years,"
during which the OSCE mission was downgraded to a PCO and
numerous project proposals were ignored and some projects
were cancelled (especially in the human dimension). Rouault
suggested that the confrontational approach adopted by some
OSCE members needed to be re-thought if OSCE was to
contribute effectively to long-term reform in Uzbekistan.


3. (C) The Ambassador noted it is still uncertain what scope
of OSCE election observations the GOU has in mind. He also
cited recent access difficulties for U.S. diplomats traveling
around Uzbekistan that could foreshadow problems for
observers. Rouault agreed with the Ambassador that it is
important to rebuild some of the confidence and trust that
was lost in the wake of the 2005 Andijon events, when
President Karimov interpreted western demands for
accountability as calls for regime change.


4. (C) Comment: Although Karimov has not yet formally
accepted his party's nomination for President, the outcome of
the election is a foregone conclusion. It would not be
surprising if OSCE concludes that the elections were
contrived, in which case a large-scale effort merely to
confirm this would not be worthwhile. The OSCE observation
effort should therefore be modest. A major OSCE observer
mission could also lend credence to an election that the
international community is not taking seriously. End comment.

NORLAND