RED CROSS INSISTS ON DIALOGUE BEFORE RESTARTING

C O N F I D E N T I A L TASHKENT 002150

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/21/2017
TAGS: PHUM PREL PGOV UZ
SUBJECT: RED CROSS INSISTS ON DIALOGUE BEFORE RESTARTING
PRISON VISITS

REF: TASHKENT 2066

Classified By: Ambassador Richard Norland for reasons 1.4 (B) and (D)


1. (C) Summary: Ambassador met on December 14 with
International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) Head of
Regional Delegation in Central Asia Yves Giovannoni and
Country Director Rafaello Muller. They noted the GOU seems
eager for ICRC to restart prison visits immediately, but has
made no movement towards meeting ICRC's core demand --to
conduct serious dialogue based on the findings of previous
rounds of visits. Giovannoni emphasized that, after seven
frustrating years working in Uzbekistan, ICRC is adamant that
the GOU take its previous recommendations seriously before
conducting new prison visits. Giovannoni again expressed his
deep appreciation for post's advocacy but said ICRC will not
participate in any joint meetings with GOU and U.S.
diplomats, since this is contrary to its SOP and could
jeopardize its neutrality. We expect meetings between ICRC
and GOU will resume in January, and we will need to keep
pushing both sides to find a solution that permits effective
prison visits aimed at stopping torture and abuse. End
summary.

Uzbeks Offer Prison Visits
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2. (C) The Ambassador met on December 14 with Giovannoni and
Muller to follow up on the latest developments between ICRC
and the GOU. Giovannoni reported that FM Norov personally
discussed the issue of prison visit access with the ICRC Vice
President on the margins of the recent UN-sponsored
Conference on International Cooperation for Preventive
Diplomacy in Ashgabat. Echoing other high level GOU
officials in the Ministry of Internal Affairs (MVD),Norov
urged visits to restart "tomorrow" and promised unlimited
access to prisons. He was reportedly very friendly and the
ICRC Vice President noted he "was very keen on constructing a
relationship." Giovannoni noted that Ambassador Norland's
November 20 meeting with President Karimov had apparently had
some affect in galvanizing MFA on this issue.

Seven Years and Still No Dialogue
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3. (C) However, Giovannoni noted that ICRC "does not take
these offers at face value." The ICRC representatives
recounted that, while prison visits were suspended only in
December 2004, ICRC's dissatisfaction and frustration with
the GOU dates to 2000, when the agreement was signed. ICRC
submitted its most recent report with recommendations in
summer 2006 and has still not received any feedback, nor has
the GOU agreed to any substantive dialogue. An attempt to
restart prison visits in May 2007 fell apart in mutual
acrimony and distrust. Giovannoni reiterated that "the
dialogue is just not there, and we first need to establish
this." The GOU says the ball is in ICRC's court in
restarting prison visits, but the ICRC's stance is that
"visits themselves are not enough." Rather, ICRC wants the
GOU "to take our recommendations seriously."

We'll Meet On Our Own, Thank You
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4. (C) In response to the Ambassador's strong advocacy for
the ICRC and human rights in general, the MFA contacted post
about arranging a meeting between MFA, MVD, ICRC, and
emboffs. This further demonstrates the GOU's eagerness for
ICRC to conduct visits as soon as possible. However, upon
hearing this from the Ambassador, Giovannoni immediately said
ICRC will decline any meeting with the GOU that includes
diplomats from individual states parties, which he said could
jeopardize the organization's political neutrality. As noted
in reftel, the ICRC now enjoys easier access to GOU officials
as a result of post's proactive advocacy, but ICRC is adamant

about using this opportunity to secure "guarantees on
modality commitments and follow-up" activities from the GOU.
Giovannoni expressed ICRC's appreciation for the Embassy's
strong continued support.

Comment
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5. (C) The ICRC representatives said their organization had
been patient for many difficult years, and we believe its
hardline stance is understandable. It wants to leverage this
long-awaited opportunity to hold the GOU's feet to the fire
on establishing a meaningful prison assessment program and at
the same time avoid being used as an expedient pawn to shore
up Uzbekistan's image on human rights. That said, unless
meetings take place, this opportunity may be lost. We will
continue to urge both sides to engage productively, once the
ICRC country rep returns from his Christmas holiday in
mid-January.

NORLAND