UZBEKISTAN: SENIOR GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS OFFER THE

C O N F I D E N T I A L TASHKENT 000441 SIPDIS SIPDIS DEPT FOR SCA/CEN E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/16/2018 TAGS: PREL PGOV PINR PHUM SOCI ECON UZ SUBJECT: UZBEKISTAN: SENIOR GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS OFFER THE U.S. A WARM WELCOME, BUT LITTLE CHANGE IN SUBSTANCE - PART I Classified By: Poloff Steven Prohaska for reasons 1.4 (b, d). ¶1. (C) Summary: Acting Deputy Assistant Secretary of State (A/DAS) Pamela Spratlen, Ambassador Norland and Emboffs participated in a series of meetings with high-ranking Government of Uzbekistan (GOU) officials March 28-31 in Tashkent and Bukhara. GOU authorities agreed to all requested meetings and seriously discussed a wide range of issues from security to the economy and human rights. They were cautious, however, about renewing bilateral cooperation with the United States. GOU officials sought U.S. recognition for recent reforms on child labor and trafficking in persons, but expressed frustration about perceived "double standards" when compared with neighboring states. GOU officials defended sluggish progress on democracy and human rights with an oft-repeated sentiment that Uzbekistan must overcome its Soviet legacy through gradual change to minimize potential threats to domestic stability. End summary. Meeting with Parliament Speaker Tashmukhamedova -------------- -- ¶2. (C) On March 28, Acting Deputy Assistant Secretary (A/DAS) Pamela Spratlen, accompanied by the Ambassador and DCM, met with Speaker of the Parliament's Legislative Chamber (lower house) Dilorom Tashmukhamedova at the Oliy Majlis. The new speaker "ran" against President Karimov in the December election. She is Uzbekistan's first woman speaker. She greeted the U.S. visitors warmly, and introduced three of her colleagues: Parliamentary Deputy Zahidulla Munavvarov; Parliamentary Deputy Abdurakhmov; and Ismat Fayzullaev of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Americas Desk. In a polished brief, Tashmukhamedova spoke of the role of the parliament, the five "political parties" and her legislative agenda. ¶3. (C) Tashmukhamedova said that today Parliament is a central institution of authority, and the past three years have witnessed legal, democratic, and human rights reforms as well as further development of the economy. She asserted that political parties play an important role in Uzbekistan and have authority, and parties have been working with the electorate and public institutions such as the mahallas (neighborhoods). She claimed that unlike other Central Asian countries, Uzbekistan has achieved real breakthroughs: Uzbekistan's Parliament has passed International Labor Office (ILO) conventions 138 (Minimum Age for Employment) and 182 (Elimination of Worst Forms of Child Labor),and the proportion of women in Parliament has risen steadily. Fifteen percent of Uzbekistan's Senate consists of women, and the number of women in high-ranking government posts will only increase, she remarked. ¶4. (C) In response to questions on human rights, Tashmukhamedova claimed that protecting human rights is one of Uzbekistan's strategic goals, and the government is working for the interests of its people. Human rights in her conception included issues like trafficking in persons and child labor violations, not the traditional issues of civil rights, open media and political liberties. She said trafficking is a problem not just in Uzbekistan, but in Europe and the United States. The Government of Uzbekistan is working to make punishments for trafficking more severe, and this year Parliament approved a law on combating the trafficking of persons, she stated. ¶5. (C) Turning to child labor and agriculture, Tashmukhamedova claimed that agriculture was 100 percent privatized. Students gathered cotton during the Soviet era, but this is no longer the case, she said. She noted that 40 percent of the population consists of children and 60 percent of the population is under the age of 30. Tashmukhamedova said that according to the Uzbek mentality, children are supposed to help parents, and there is a tradition of families working together to gather cotton. She then seemed to backtrack from her earlier statement by admitting that students may work, but do so privately--not at the government's direction. Noting that cotton is such a valuable product, and that it could only be harvested between the end of September and the beginning of November, she said it was no wonder that people worked hard to gather it. Returning to the conventions on child labor, Tashmukhamedova said that today the Senate would approve these, and in one month the President would sign them. Parliament works closely with UNICEF, she continued. ¶6. (C) The Deputy Chief of Mission remarked that Uzbekistan's parliamentary elections are slated for next year, and asked whether any changes to the election law are in the works. Tashmukhamedova noted that political parties can develop initiatives on the subject of election law, and she expressed interest in meeting more often to exchange views on this issue. Comment: -------------- ¶7. (C) Though the Oliy Majlis has no meaningful independence from executive power in Uzbekistan, Tashmukhamedova was well-prepared and seemed genuinely proud of her political party's record and the institution's plans. Her sunny view of the influence of political parties in Uzbekistan does not mesh with our observations. She did not shy from a discussion of democracy and human rights, though her approach left out key themes and issues. She expressed the desire to understand the U.S. legislative process better and was interested in further contact with the Embassy, which we welcomed. As a young legislator with a future, we should watch how she moves forward as she may be able to eke out some progress on issues of mutual interest within the limited space for maneuver she and her colleagues have. ¶8. (U) A/DAS Spratlen has cleared this message. NORLAND