UZBEKISTAN'S CAUTIOUS RESPONSE TO ZIMBABWE EVENTS

C O N F I D E N T I A L TASHKENT 000482 SIPDIS SIPDIS DEPT FOR SCA/CEN AND DRL E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/26/2017 TAGS: PREL PHUM ZI UZ SUBJECT: UZBEKISTAN'S CAUTIOUS RESPONSE TO ZIMBABWE EVENTS REF: A. STATE 34009 ¶B. 06 TASHKENT 2036 Classified By: AMB. JON R. PURNELL, FOR REASONS 1.4 (B, D) ¶1. (C) On March 26, Poloff delivered ref A demarche to Ismat Fayzullayev, Director for U.S. Affairs at the Foreign Ministry's Americas Department. Fayzullayev assured Poloff that he would relay the information to the appropriate officials. He stated that Uzbekistan is a "small country" with few diplomatic ties to Africa. Nevertheless, he expressed the hope that "international pressure will lead to change" in Zimbabwe. He noted in particular Uzbekistan's desire to participate in the 2010 World Cup in South Africa and hoped that unrest would not affect the tournament. Fayzullayev used the opportunity to encourage Poloff to read Uzbekistan's response to our latest Human Rights Report, as well as responses from the governments of China, Russia, and Brazil. ¶2. (C) Comment: Post expects no substantive response from the Uzbeks. Fayzullayev's comment about limited Uzbek diplomatic ties to Africa is ironic, considering that the African Union was a key constituency which Uzbek delegates targeted at the most recent UN General Assembly in their efforts to defeat a Third Committee resolution on Uzbekistan's human rights record (ref B). It is likely that Uzbekistan regards Zimbabwe as a natural ally in its effort to portray human rights criticism as unwarranted interference in internal affairs. However, raising the issue of Zimbabwe's attacks on human rights serves to remind Uzbek officials that the United States cares about such problems throughout the world. PURNELL