Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
08STATE104488
2008-09-30 20:37:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Secretary of State
Cable title:  

UNDER SECRETARY BURNS' MEETING WITH UZBEKISTAN

Tags:  ASEC NATO PHUM KDEM PREL KMAR AF RS UZ 
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C O N F I D E N T I A L STATE 104488 

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/30/2018
TAGS: ASEC NATO PHUM KDEM PREL KMAR AF RS UZ
SUBJECT: UNDER SECRETARY BURNS' MEETING WITH UZBEKISTAN
FOREIGN MINISTER NOROV

Classified By: Under Secretary William Burns for Reasons 1.4
(B) and (D).

C O N F I D E N T I A L STATE 104488

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/30/2018
TAGS: ASEC NATO PHUM KDEM PREL KMAR AF RS UZ
SUBJECT: UNDER SECRETARY BURNS' MEETING WITH UZBEKISTAN
FOREIGN MINISTER NOROV

Classified By: Under Secretary William Burns for Reasons 1.4
(B) and (D).


1. (C) Under Secretary Burns met with Uzbek Foreign
Minister Vladimir Norov on September 26 in New York on the
margins of the UN General Assembly. Norov told Burns that
the Government of Uzbekistan was satisfied with the U.S.-Uzbek
relationship, and hoped the relationship would grow in a
balanced
way. The discussion focused on stability in Afghanistan,
human
rights and the Russia/Georgia conflict. Under Secretary
Burns
welcomed Uzbek offers of support on Afghanistan and
recognized
Tashkent's refusal to support Russian recognition of Abkhazia
and South Ossetia. On human rights, Under Secretary Burns
reminded Norov that our focus on this issue would likely
continue during and after the presidential transition in the
U.S., and urged him to finalize negotiations and agree to sign
an agreement on Religious Freedom.


2. (SBU) Meeting Participants

Uzbekistan Foreign Minister Vladimir Norov
Uzbekistan Ambassador to the United States Abdulaziz
Kamilov
Embassy of Uzbekistan First Secretary Eldor Aripov

Under Secretary William Burns
SCA Deputy Assistant Secretary George Krol
SCA/CEN Desk Officer Brian Roraff (notetaker).


3. (C) Norov began the meeting by telling Under
Secretary Burns that he believed the U.S.-Uzbek
relationship was improving and that the Government of
Uzbekistan was ready and open for cooperation under the
U.S.-Uzbekistan Strategic Framework Agreement of 2002.
Uzbekistan wanted a balanced relationship that
advanced our cooperation in the military, economic,
humanitarian, and human rights spheres. He thanked
the United States for assistance provided in the
aftermath of the explosion at the Kagan ammunition dump.


4. (C) Norov then pointed out that Uzbekistan and the
United States shared an interest in a stable Afghanistan.
In Afghanistan, regional security, terrorism, narcotics
and organized crime all come together. Norov said the
situation in Afghanistan was deteriorating, and that

President Karimov himself offered Uzbekistan as a transit
corridor for non-lethal supplies to NATO at the April
NATO summit in Bucharest. In fact, a NATO delegation
was currently in Tashkent negotiating the transit
agreement for the supply route. Norov also
highlighted President Karimov's proposal of a 6 3
"contact group" to discuss the worsening
situation in Afghanistan.


5. (C) According to Norov, Uzbekistan was working to
connect Afghanistan with the world. He discussed an Uzbek
effort to connect the southern Uzbek city of Hairatan with
Mazar-e Sharif in Afghanistan by rail. From Hairatan, a
series of transport links would cross Central Asia to the
Caspian, on to Baku, through the Caucasus to Turkey. He
briefed the EU on this proposal at the September 17
EU-Central Asia Security Forum in Paris, but was
disappointed when the EU gave it a lukewarm reception.
He intimated that Uzbekistan was trying to link
Afghanistan to the West, which was in the EU and United
States' interest, and pointed out that Russia and China
were trying to wield their influence in the region through
the Collective Security Treaty Organization and the
Shanghai Cooperation Organization.


6. (C) Norov concluded his opening remarks by addressing
democratization. He told Under Secretary Burns that
Uzbekistan was making progress, creating the institutional
and legal framework for progress in this area. To
illustrate his point, he mentioned new Uzbek laws on
habeas corpus, trafficking in persons and child labor.


7. (C) Under Secretary Burns told Norov that the United
States shared his concerns on Afghanistan welcomed
Uzbekistan's efforts to support stability in the region.
He acknowledged President Karimov's offer of
assistance on Afghanistan at the NATO Bucharest summit and
noted there were a number of international mechanisms
Uzbekistan could participate in to help the situation.
It was important that Uzbekistan's efforts complement
existing mechanisms for coordination in Afghanistan.
Turning to human rights, Under Secretary Burns urged steps
to improve the general situation; it was in Uzbekistan's
interest to do so. He reminded Norov that human rights
in Uzbekistan would likely remain an area of serious
concern and focus under a new U.S. presidential
administration. Burns then urged Norov to complete
negotiations on a binding U.S.-Uzbek agreement that
would outline steps Uzbekistan could take to shed its
status as a Country of Particular Concern.
(Note: Negotiations on this agreement have
stalled in recent weeks. End Note.)


8. (C) Turning to Georgia, Under Secretary Burns
noted that U.S. and Russian differences over the
situation were considerable. Russia had violated
principles the United States would continue to
staunchly defend, including territorial integrity
and peaceful resolution of disputes. Georgian President
Mikhail Saakashvili had made mistakes, but Russia's
response had been disproportionate. The United States
appreciated Uzbekistan's refusal to recognize Russian
claims of South Ossetian and Abkhazian independence.


9. (C) Norov reiterated that Uzbekistan did not approve
of Russian or Georgian aggression. Russian officials asked
members of the Collective Security Treaty Organization at
their recent meeting in Moscow to support Russia's Georgia
policy, but Uzbekistan resisted. Uzbekistan did not
recognize
Kosovo, either. In fact, President Karimov recently
reaffirmed
Uzbekistan's support of the principle of territorial
integrity
on a recent trip to Baku. Norov thought Russian actions
could
cause problems in Dagestan and Chechnya, in the north
Caucasus.
Uzbekistan expected more Pressure from Moscow, but Uzbek
officials would not succumb or "act like Belarus," which was
trying to trade its support to Moscow for lower gas prices.
Norov warned that other countries, such as Kyrgyzstan, would
find it more difficult to resist Russian pressure.
Kyrgyzstan
struggled through a tough winter last year, and its economy
continued to deteriorate.


10. (C) Under Secretary Burns again pointed to the
important
stand Uzbekistan took on Abkhazian and South Ossetian
recognition. Burns reminded Norov that even in the 1990s,
when Chechnya complicated the U.S.-Russia relationship,
the United States always stood for the principle of
territorial
integrity. He then emphasized to Norov our other mutual
interests in a stable Afghanistan and progress on human
rights,
noting that progress in all these areas was important to us.
These priorities likely would remain very important under a
new
U.S. presidential administration.


11. (C) Norov pointed to Uzbekistan's abolition of the death
penalty (effective January 1, 2008) as evidence of progress
on
human rights. He said that Uzbekistan would move "step by
step"
to improve human rights, beginning with improving legislation
and institutions. Uzbekistan desired wide cooperation in all
of its bilateral relationships, he said, and pointed to U.S.-
Uzbek economic cooperation through the Trade and Investment
Framework Agreement (TIFA) and the U.S.-Uzbekistan Chamber of
Commerce as evidence of this.


12. (C) The meeting concluded on religious freedom, with
Norov telling Under Secretary Burns that Uzbekistan was
trying to encourage an "enlightened," moderate Islam.
Accordingto Norov, members of all religious faiths were
able to work without problems in Uzbekistan. He added that
religious groups had both rights andobligations, a reference
to Uzbek concern overpossible extremism. Uzbekistan is
open to dialogue on the issue,according to Norov, and
although there were differences on religious freedom the
Uzbek side found their discussions with Ambassador-at-Large
for Religious Freedom John Hanford to be productive.
RICE