STALEMATE CONTINUES ON ICRC PRISON VISITS IN

C O N F I D E N T I A L TASHKENT 000223 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/19/2018 TAGS: PHUM PGOV PREL UZ SUBJECT: STALEMATE CONTINUES ON ICRC PRISON VISITS IN UZBEKISTAN REF: A. TASHKENT 104 ¶B. 07 TASHKENT 2150 ¶C. 07 TASHKENT 2066 ¶D. 07 TASHKENT 2006 ¶E. 07 TASHKENT 1753 Classified By: Poloff Tim Buckley for reasons 1.4 (B) and (D) ¶1. (C) Rafaello Muller, Country Director of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) in Uzbekistan, told poloff that, while lines of communication remain open, there is still no progress in "achieving a dialogue" with the Government of Uzbekistan regarding previously submitted prison monitoring reports. The ICRC is adamant about discussing previous findings with the Government of Uzbekistan before initiating any new round of prison visits. The Government of Uzbekistan dismisses these requests, saying that ICRC is welcome to resume prison visits at any time and accusing ICRC of stalling. This stalemate between the two sides has persisted for months (reftels),and it appears that no breakthrough is imminent. NORLAND