MINISTRY OF INTERNAL AFFAIRS DISCUSSES

C O N F I D E N T I A L TASHKENT 000020

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

DEPT FOR SCA/CEN

E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/07/2018
TAGS: PTER PGOV PINS PREL MCAP SOCI UZ
SUBJECT: MINISTRY OF INTERNAL AFFAIRS DISCUSSES
COUNTERTERRORISM

Classified By: Poloff Steven Prohaska for reasons 1.4 (b, d).


1. (C) Summary: Poloff met with officials from the Ministry
of Internal Affairs (MVD) on December 4 to discuss
counterterrorism issues. After an overview of the history of
counterterrorism efforts in Uzbekistan, the officials
outlined the MVD's priorities and responded to Poloff's
questions, often avoiding specifics. They also cited the
Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO),Collective Security
Treaty Organization (CSTO),and Commonwealth of Independent
States (CIS) as being among Uzbekistan's key partners in
counterterrorism efforts. Officials appeared reluctant to
share specific information, and the meeting affirmed the
leading role of the National Security Service (NSS) in many
counterterrorism matters. End summary.


2. (C) Poloff met with officials from the Ministry of
Internal Affairs (MVD) on December 4 to discuss
counterterrorism issues. MVD officials present included
Dilshod Babajanov (ethnic Uzbek),Chief of the Ministry's
Counterterrorism Department; Lt. Col. Petrochenko (ethnic
Russian),Chief of the Department's Counterterrorism Section;
and Lt. Col. Mukhamedov (ethnic Tajik),Chief of the
Analytical Section.


3. (C) Reading from typed documents laid out in front of him
(standard MVD practice),Babajanov said that terrorism in
Uzbekistan first appeared in the 1990s, and that there was no
effective coordination of law enforcement bodies then due to
conflicting responsibilities among these. This situation had
improved, he remarked, thanks to the adoption of President
Karimov's "Law on the Struggle Against Terrorism" of December
15, 2001, which delineated responsibilities of the various
Ministries and outlined the main principles of their
counterterrorism efforts. Babajanov said that the GOU grants
amnesty annually for some prisoners convicted of involvement
with terrorism. He said that the Government of Uzbekistan's
(GOU's) counterterrorism efforts could threaten the rights of
the country's citizens, but it was implementing
measures--including the improvement of the legal system--to
protect human rights. The GOU relies heavily on mahalla
(neighborhood) committees to fight terrorism and to take
preventive measures in the provinces, he noted. The National
Security Service (NSS) coordinates the activity of law
enforcement bodies, and the results have not been bad--"it's
working," Babajanov said, knocking on his desk.


4. (C) Babajanov said the MVD is focusing on four primary
areas at the working level: cutting off terrorist finances;
reforming legislation; improving coordination with other law
enforcement bodies; and promoting joint efforts with the
Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO),Collective Security
Treaty Organization (CSTO),and other countries. In response
to a question about whether terrorist methods were changing,
Petrochenko initially dodged the question, then said that
terrorists were putting more effort into hiding their actions
from the authorities these days and were trying to pursue new
methods.


5. (C) When asked about which countries provide the most
counterterrorism assistance to Uzbekistan, Babajanov said
that all countries that face the threat of terrorism help.
He cited the SCO, CSTO, and Commonwealth of Independent
States in particular, but would not elaborate on the nature
of the assistance or differences in the level of assistance
provided by these countries. Babajanov suggested that Poloff
speak with MFA about this issue.


6. (C) In response to a question about which terrorist groups
were active in Uzbekistan, Petrochenko said he couldn't say,
but said that the number of extremist groups has declined
over the past ten years. (Comment: It is unclear whether he
meant he did not know or whether he was not allowed to
discuss it. End comment.) Lt. Col. Mukhamedov said that his

section was analyzing appropriate information each day and
was pursuing numerous methods to combat terrorism. As the
meeting ended, one MVD official who escorted Poloff out
advised him to meet with the NSS to discuss counterterrorism
further.


7. (C) Comment: Although the officials present were generally
friendly, the MVD's responses were vague. This could be due
both to MVD officers' having to receive approval from their
higher-ups on the substance of their remarks, as well as
MVD's relative lack of counterterrorism interaction with
Embassy staff in recent years. Nevertheless, the MVD is at
least willing to sit down with us to discuss these issues.
The meeting also reinforces our perception that the NSS has
the lead role in the GOU on counterterrorism matters.
NORLAND