UNDER SECRETARY BURNS' MEETING WITH UZBEKISTAN

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