Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
08STATE104519
2008-09-30 21:35:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Secretary of State
Cable title:  

UNDER SECRETARY BURNS' MEETING WITH TAJIKISTAN

Tags:  PREL ASEC PHUM KDEM PMAR PK AF TI 
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C O N F I D E N T I A L STATE 104519 

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/26/2018
TAGS: PREL ASEC PHUM KDEM PMAR PK AF TI
SUBJECT: UNDER SECRETARY BURNS' MEETING WITH TAJIKISTAN
PRESIDENT RAHMON

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 104519

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/26/2018
TAGS: PREL ASEC PHUM KDEM PMAR PK AF TI
SUBJECT: UNDER SECRETARY BURNS' MEETING WITH TAJIKISTAN
PRESIDENT RAHMON

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


1. (C) In a forty minute meeting on September 25, Tajikistan
President Emomali Rahmon and Under Secretary William Burns
discussed the U.S.-Tajik relationship and Rahmon's views on
issues facing South and Central Asia. Rahmon expressed
concern
over the situation in Afghanistan stressing that, in the end,
Afghan stability depends on Pakistan. On the Russia/Georgia
conflict, Rahmon noted Russian pressure, but assured Under
Secretary Burns Tajikistan would stand firm on territorial
integrity. Stability was a theme that underlay his
discussion
not only about Afghanistan, but also narcotics trafficking,
civil society organizations and reform in general. He claimed
Tajikistan is building its democratic, secular society based
on its own customs and traditions -- and at its own pace.


2. (SBU) Meeting Participants:

Emomali Rahmon, President of Tajikistan
Presidential Adviser Erkin Rahmatulloev
Ambassador to the United States Abdujabbor Shirinov
Tajik Permanent Representative to the United Nations
Sirojiddin Aslov

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


3. (C) President Rahmon began the meeting by thanking
the United States for our security assistance to Tajikistan,
as well as our efforts to bring stability to Afghanistan.
He characterized the U.S.-Tajik relationship as strong. He
then asked about the status of Tajikistan's USD 20 million
request for wheat seed, noting that the United States has
not decided the final form the assistance will take.


4. (C) Rahmon then delved into issues facing Tajikistan,
starting with Afghanistan, which he described as a
complicated
situation. He said that stability in Afghanistan was
important to Tajikistan because it lies between Tajikistan
and Pakistan, and therefore the sea and world markets.
Tajikistan is supporting Afghan stability: it has agreed to
sell electricity to Afghanistan, five bridges link the two
countries, and Tajikistan is helping connect the region,

building a road network that connects the region from
Kazakhstan through Afghanistan to Pakistan. However,
the problem of narcotics and narcotics trafficking is a
serious problem facing the region.


5. (C) Rahmon addressed the coming winter, which he said
would be worse than last year's. Water shortages have
caused a drop of 30 per cent in Tajikistan's hydroelectric
capacity this year, which has resulted in only sixteen hours
of electricity a day to the capital Dushanbe. He noted that
60 percent of water flowing through Central Asia originates
in Tajikistan, but Tajikistan only uses 5-7 percent.
Uzbekistan, on the other hand, uses over 50 percent of the
water in the region.


6. (C) He ended his introduction by telling Under Secretary
Burns that Tajikistan is ready to cooperate on the wide range
of issues that make up the U.S.-Tajik relationship,
concluding
with a pitch for more U.S. trade and investment.


7. (C) Under Secretary Burns told Rahmon the United States
has a strong interest in stability in Afghanistan, and
therefore we value our security relationship with Tajikistan,
including on counternarcotics. He followed up on the theme
of U.S. investment in Tajikistan, telling Rahmon that we want
to be helpful, but that Tajikistan could help itself attract
investment by cooperating with the International Monetary
Fund and repaying its loans. Rahmon responded by pledging
to continue cooperation with the Fund.


8. (C) Under Secretary Burns then asked Rahmon how he saw
the situation in Afghanistan developing. Rahmon replied
simply that stability in Afghanistan depended on stabilizing
Pakistan. The homeland of the Taliban, he said, is Pakistan
not Afghanistan, and the Taliban must be eliminated there.
He said that the United States should strengthen its presence
in Afghanistan while at the same time helping stabilize
Pakistan. The United States should not separate stability
in Afghanistan and Pakistan.


9. (C) Under Secretary Burns asked Rahmon for his impression
of Pakistani President Asif Zardari. Rahmon responded that
Zardari was a good businessman, but that in politics he
simply
traded on the reputation of his late wife, Benazir Bhutto.
Unlike Bhutto, Zardari will not be able to keep Nawaz Sharif
in check, which is worrisome because Sharif has extremist
roclivities. Nevertheless, countries must deal with Zardari,
and at least he is not a military general, dependent on the
military and security services like Musharraf.


10. (C) Moving to Georgia, Under Secretary Burns noted that
Tajikistan did not recognize Abkhazia and South Ossetia and
asked Rahmon for his view on the situation. Rahmon started
by characterizing the recent summit of the Shanghai
Cooperation Organization as "tough" due to Russian pressure.
He said that President Saakashvili did not think before
invading South Ossetia, and could not understand why
Saakashvili would have fallen for Russian provocations.
Saakashvili was simply impatient and unprepared. Rahmon
said that poor relations between the United States and
Russia put Tajikistan in a difficult position and that no
one will benefit from a conflict between Moscow and
Washington. He called for "cooler heads," calmer rhetoric
and objective analysis of the situation in order to avoid a
"world catastrophe."


11. (C) Under Secretary Burns turned to civil society and
urged Rahmon to recognize the role nongovernmental
organizations and the role they can play in improving Tajik
society. U.S. and EU nongovernmental organizations can help
Tajikistan, especially a nongovernmental organization like
Mercy Corps, which helped Tajikistan through the rough
winter last year.


12. (C) Rahmon responded by noting Tajik progress in civil
society since 2002: where there used to be 800 civil
society organizations, there are now 3,000; the number of
television channels has increased from one to ten; there
are now 1,000 newspapers in Tajikistan. Rahmon pointed to
security as a main concern of his government, arguing that
the government must deal not only with Western nongovernmental
organizations, but also Islamic ones. While he appreciated
the work of nongovernmental organizations connected to the
European Union and the United States, nonetheless, he was
concerned about "Muslim funds" that operate in Tajikistan,
commenting that they could present security concerns to
Tajikistan. Again, he noted the tragic civil war Tajikistan
endured as an experience that influences Tajikistan's
attitude
toward nongovernmental organizations.


13. (C) In conclusion, Rahmon assured Under Secretary Burns
that Tajikistan is building its society to be neither Islamic
nor Communist, but rather a democratic, law abiding secular
society based on Tajik customs and traditions. He noted he
had sent his experts to the United States and to Europe to
learn from other societies. He proclaimed "I myself am a
democrat," but said Tajikistan cannot move hastily on reform.

When the Soviet Union collapsed, he said, the Tajik people
were not prepared and the country fell into five years of
civil war causing over one million refugees. Tajikistan,
he stressed, will move "step by step" to change the living
standards and mentality of the people. Above all, Rahmon
stressed Tajikistan needs time: "Do not force change on us
-- we need time."
RICE