LONG-AWAITED MEETING WITH DEFENSE MINISTER

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 TASHKENT 001865

SIPDIS

NOFORN
SIPDIS

DEPT FOR SCA/CEN

E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/26/2017
TAGS: MARR MASS MCAP PREL PGOV PINR UZ
SUBJECT: LONG-AWAITED MEETING WITH DEFENSE MINISTER

REF: TASHKENT 1855

Classified By: CLASSIFIED BY DEFENSE ATTACHE LTC J. HARTMAN FOR REASONS
1.4 (B, D).


1. (C) SUMMARY: On 16 October 2007, the Ambassador, the
Defense Attache (DATT),Defense Attache Office (DAO)
Operations Coordinator (OPSCO) and DAO FSN, met with the
Minister of Defense Ruslan Mirzayev. This is the first time
that Mirzayev himself has received U.S. representatives since
January 2006. This visit was significant as part of the
re-establishment of the Uzbek MOD's relationship with the
U.S. Government, as well as demonstrating Mirzayev's
full-time return to his duties as Minister. For the past two
years, contact between the MOD and USG has been maintained at
more junior levels and for ceremonial purposes. Mirzayev
reportedly suffered a heart attack in May 2007 and was not
seen in public until August 31, 2007. DATT contacts
explained that rumors of Mirzayev's impending retirement and
replacement continue within the Uzbek Government (reftel).
End summary.


2. (C) Mirzayev was well-prepared for welcoming the
Ambassador, stressing Uzbekistan's appreciation for past
cooperation with the USG. Mirzayev began by thanking, at
great length, the U.S. for its military cooperation with
Uzbekistan throughout the 1990s when Uzbekistan was
establishing the Uzbek Armed Forces and the Ministry of
Defense (MOD). Specifically, he thanked the U.S. for its
help establishing the NCO Corps and academies, all the
programs conducted with the Ministry of Emergency Situations
(MES),and other programs and training, including search and
rescue operations and non-proliferation of weapons and
radiological matter. He noted that the bilateral
relationship peaked during when the U.S. had a presence at
the Karshi-Khanabad airbase. He expressed interest in
renewed cooperation "in order to meet the unrealized
potential of our cooperation."


3. (C) Deputy Defense Minister Colonel Rustam Niyazov
attended the meeting, though uncharacteristically was not in
uniform. Izmat Faizullaev, the U.S. Desk Officer from the
MFA, also attended the meeting, along with Mirzayev's
personal assistant and MOD's Desk Officer for the Americas.
Notably absent was Colonel Farkhod Rustamov, the MOD Chief of
International Military Cooperation. Faizullaev's attendance
is the second time in a row at a U.S.-Uzbek MOD official
discussion. (Comment: Faizullaev's attendance is welcomed by
the USDAO, as it ensures better MOD-MFA coordination. In
earlier meetings, MOD stalled on issues, claiming to require
consultation with the MFA. Previously, it was common
practice for an MFA official to attend meetings between
senior MOD and USG officials. End comment.)

AIRBASES
--------------


4. (C) Responding to a question about access by U.S. members
of the NATO International Staff or ISAF to the German-Uzbek
Airbase in Termez, Mirzayev said Uzbekistan was ready for
other nations, including the U.S., to join the "framework" of
agreements that it shared bilaterally with Germany on the air
bridge at Termez and rail transit across Uzbekistan.
However, he added cryptically that such agreements must be
part of Uzbek legislation. Mirzayev claimed that two years
ago the GOU offered the same to NATO, but the issue went
unresolved. On the specific U.S. request for the transit of
official visitors through Termez with the ISAF Commander and
for USDAO access to the Termez Airbase, Mirzayev thought such
simply needed to be coordinated with the German Government
and the GOU. Faizullaev contacted Polchief later that day
and expressed optimism that this could be arranged.


5. (C) Later in this discussion, Mirzayev stressed the
Uzbeks' appreciation that the U.S. always complied with the
rules and lived up to its obligations when the U.S. used
Karshi-Khanabad Airbase. (Comment: When asked about
Mirzayev's remarks, the German Defense Attache in Tashkent
commented that German authority at Termez is not as powerful
as Mirzayev claims. The German Attache said the last time he
was at the base, he was delayed more than a half hour at the
gate by Uzbek authorities because the German diplomatic

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vehicle he was in had not been properly cleared by the Uzbek
authorities to enter the base. End comment.)

USCENTCOM VISIT
--------------


6. (C) The Ambassador mentioned the possibility of a visit at
some point by the Commander of USCENTCOM, which had been
broached informally with the MFA. Surprisingly, Mirzayev
stated that he was unaware of the possible visit. Niyazov
did not react to this subject.

HUMAN RIGHTS
--------------


7. (C) The Ambassador touched on human rights during his
comments. Mirzayev, prepared to respond to the topic,
immediately countered with "We believe that we have made
enough progress in human rights" and that Uzbekistan's
advancement in this area was "unprecedented" over the last 15
years. He stressed that the most important human right was
security, noting that walking the streets of Tashkent was
safer than walking the streets of Almaty and many places in
Europe. Mirzayev stressed that it was an important human
right to be able to go outside your house. Mirzayev
dismissed international reports on human rights, pointing out
that some incorrectly (sic) rank Afghanistan higher than
Uzbekistan.

THE UZBEK ARMED FORCES
--------------


8. (C) Mirzayev hailed Uzbekistan's efforts against abusive
hazing in the MOD, especially compared with the Russian Armed
Forces. Mirzayev claimed the Uzbek Armed Forces have not had
a desertion in three years, noting that conscripts fill only
30 percent of the slots within the Uzbek Armed Forces and
competition is fierce. He explained the Armed Forces
established a goal around 2004-2005 to move completely to a
volunteer armed forces and that the GOU's plan is progressing
well. The minimum pay for conscripts, he pointed out, was 50
USD per month and for initial contract servicemen it was 100
USD per month. (The average monthly salary in Uzbekistan is
around 50 USD.) After the mandatory one year of military
service, conscripts are permitted to leave or apply to
re-enlist, but face tough competition.


9. (C) Comment: DATT contacts corroborated these statements,
pointing out that parents now pay bribes to get their sons
into the military for conscript service and that conscripts
are also paying bribes to be eligible to sign contracts at
the end of their mandatory service. This is due to poor
economic opportunities in Uzbekistan, the relatively high
minimum pay standards and comparatively good working
conditions in the Uzbek Armed Forces. End comment.
AFGHANISTAN
--------------


10. (C) The Ambassador re-stated the U.S. invitation for the
MOD to send delegations to visit the Manas and Bagram
Airbases in early 2008; Mirzayev did not respond or even
acknowledge the topic, although the MOD showed interest in
the idea in August 2007. Mirzayev changed the topic to his
KGB service in the mid-1980s in Mazar-e Sharif, General
Dostum, and past discussions with U.S. General Tommy Franks
about northern Afghanistan. Mirzayev lamented the
difficulties in forming a unified Afghan. He stressed
Uzbekistan's potential interest in commercial opportunities
in Afghanistan. (DATT noted that at one point, Mirzayev made
an interesting admission that he had personally witnessed
some of the bombardment of the Mazar-e Sharif area of
northern Afghanistan in fall 2001.)


11. (C) Comment: As with the lack of response to the U.S.
Ambassador concerning the invitations to Manas and Bagram,
Mirzayev also chose not to speak further about General Dostum
even when prompted, although he acknowledged the Ambassador's
reference to Dostum as someone who had helped the Coalition
topple the Taliban. Mirzayev is believed to have a personal
relationship with Dostum and was one of the facilitators of
U.S. discussions with Dostum in 2001. End comment.


TASHKENT 00001865 003 OF 003



12. (C) Mirzayev ended the meeting by stressing the GOU's
desire to improve bilateral relations. He said the GOU "does
not love large security organizations" and instead is more
comfortable working within bilateral arrangements based on
mutual respect.

MIRZAYEV'S HEALTH
--------------


13. (C) Mirzayev was eloquent, lively and jovial at times,
and moved around well, although he coughed often during the
discussions. The DATT and DAO FSN noted that he had grayed
remarkably, had circles under his eyes and had lost weight
since early 2006. DATT and DAO FSN noted that Mirzayev
looked far older than his age of 42. Mirzayev is believed to
have suffered a heart attack in May 2007. He was out of
public view from mid-May to very late August and worked just
part-time for much of September although he did lead a
delegation to Pakistan.


14. (C) DATT contacts have stated that rumors persist at both
the MOD and the MES that General-Major Berdiyev will soon
replace Mirzayev. When questioned about how these rumors had
continued for two months, the contacts pointed out that it
took four months for Mirzayev to officially replace former
Minister of Defense Kodir Gulamov in November 2005, even
after Gulamov was dismissed in July 2005. The contact added
that the matter was now in the hands of the Oylis Majlis, the
Uzbek "rubber-stamp" parliament, which seldom convenes.
NORLAND