UZBEKISTAN URGED TO SEND HIGH-LEVEL PARTICIPATION

C O N F I D E N T I A L TASHKENT 000968 SIPDIS SIPDIS DEPARTMENT FOR SCA/CEN, S/CT, AND EUR/RPM E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/16/2017 TAGS: PREL PTER OSCE UZ SUBJECT: UZBEKISTAN URGED TO SEND HIGH-LEVEL PARTICIPATION TO OSCE CT CONFERENCE REF: STATE 62142 Classified By: CDA Brad Hanson for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d). ¶1. (C) Poloff delivered reftel demarche May 16 to MFA U.S. Division Chief Ismat Fayzullaev. Fayzullaev said that he would pass the information to appropriate authorities. ¶2. (C) Post attempted to coordinate delivery of a joint demarche with the Russian Embassy. However, the Russians told us that there is a large trade delegation in town for the annual oil and gas exposition and that, as a result, they were unable to deliver the invitation in person. We understand that the Russian Embassy delivered the invitation by diplomatic note the week of May 14. ¶3. (C) OSCE Ambassador Jenca informed Charge May 16 that he had also delivered the invitation to this important CT conference to MFA International Organizations Chief Ilkhom Zakirov, urging they attend, and has gotten no response. Jenca remarked that the Uzbek modus operandi is to decide and notify the OSCE at the last minute of their attendance/non-attendance. HANSON