Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
08TASHKENT6
2008-01-03 12:43:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Tashkent
Cable title:
PRESIDENT KARIMOV BEGINS TO RESHUFFLE CABINET IN
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C O N F I D E N T I A L TASHKENT 000006
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
DEPT FOR SCA/CEN
E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/03/2018
TAGS: PGOV UZ
SUBJECT: PRESIDENT KARIMOV BEGINS TO RESHUFFLE CABINET IN
UZBEKISTAN
Classified By: Poloff Steven Prohaska for reasons 1.4 (b, d).
C O N F I D E N T I A L TASHKENT 000006
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
DEPT FOR SCA/CEN
E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/03/2018
TAGS: PGOV UZ
SUBJECT: PRESIDENT KARIMOV BEGINS TO RESHUFFLE CABINET IN
UZBEKISTAN
Classified By: Poloff Steven Prohaska for reasons 1.4 (b, d).
1. (C) Summary: Official press reporting indicates that
President Karimov has appointed Rustam Azimov as First Deputy
Prime Minister and Minister of Finance and Ravshan
Mukhitdinov as Minister of Justice. Unofficial reporting
suggests that Karimov also has appointed a new Minister for
Higher Education and new Chief of the Information-Analytical
Department of the Cabinet of Ministers. The timing of this
partial Cabinet reshuffle is unusual given that the
government has not even announced the date of the
presidential inauguration, and it breaks with Karimov's
previous tradition of submitting a list with an entirely new
Cabinet composition to the Oliy Majlis for approval. Further
appointments and dismissals are possible in the near future.
End summary.
2. (C) Official press reporting indicates that as of January
3, President Karimov has appointed at least two new senior
officials: Rustam Azimov as First Deputy Prime Minister and
Minister of Finance - Chief of the Economic Section and
Foreign Economic Relations, according to "Narodnoye Slovo"
and "Pravda Vostoka," and Ravshan Abdulatifovich Mukhitdinov
as Minister of Justice, according to "Huquq." Unofficial
reporting from the independent website uzmetronom.com
suggests that Karimov has appointed other officials including
Azimjon Parpiev as Minister for Higher Education (the
previous Minister, Rustam Kasimov, has remained Deputy Prime
Minister) and S. Bekenov as Chief of the
Information-Analytical Department of the Cabinet of Ministers.
Comment:
--------------
3. (C) Official confirmation of new appointments to the
Cabinet now is highly unusual, given that the Central
Election Commission has not yet released the final vote count
for the presidential election and the date of the
presidential inauguration has not yet been set. Embassy
contacts, including the Acting Head of MFA's Americas
Department Mamajanov in a January 3 conversation with
Ambassador, have told us that no reshuffle would take place
until sometime after President Karimov is sworn in for his
new term. The announcement of new appointments now also
breaks with Karimov's previous tradition of submitting a list
on the composition of an entirely new Cabinet to the Oliy
Majlis after his previous elections. It is unclear why
Karimov has made this change, but his moves will be watched
carefully as many in the elite here expect the beginnings of
a transition/succession scenario to take shape during this
term. It is possible that further reshuffling will take
place in the weeks to come, and we can probably expect
dismissals and reappointments of hokims (mayors or governors)
soon.
4. (C) Azimov's star is rising. Being appointed first among
deputy ministers will only fuel additional speculation that
Azimov may eventually succeed Karimov.
NORLAND
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
DEPT FOR SCA/CEN
E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/03/2018
TAGS: PGOV UZ
SUBJECT: PRESIDENT KARIMOV BEGINS TO RESHUFFLE CABINET IN
UZBEKISTAN
Classified By: Poloff Steven Prohaska for reasons 1.4 (b, d).
1. (C) Summary: Official press reporting indicates that
President Karimov has appointed Rustam Azimov as First Deputy
Prime Minister and Minister of Finance and Ravshan
Mukhitdinov as Minister of Justice. Unofficial reporting
suggests that Karimov also has appointed a new Minister for
Higher Education and new Chief of the Information-Analytical
Department of the Cabinet of Ministers. The timing of this
partial Cabinet reshuffle is unusual given that the
government has not even announced the date of the
presidential inauguration, and it breaks with Karimov's
previous tradition of submitting a list with an entirely new
Cabinet composition to the Oliy Majlis for approval. Further
appointments and dismissals are possible in the near future.
End summary.
2. (C) Official press reporting indicates that as of January
3, President Karimov has appointed at least two new senior
officials: Rustam Azimov as First Deputy Prime Minister and
Minister of Finance - Chief of the Economic Section and
Foreign Economic Relations, according to "Narodnoye Slovo"
and "Pravda Vostoka," and Ravshan Abdulatifovich Mukhitdinov
as Minister of Justice, according to "Huquq." Unofficial
reporting from the independent website uzmetronom.com
suggests that Karimov has appointed other officials including
Azimjon Parpiev as Minister for Higher Education (the
previous Minister, Rustam Kasimov, has remained Deputy Prime
Minister) and S. Bekenov as Chief of the
Information-Analytical Department of the Cabinet of Ministers.
Comment:
--------------
3. (C) Official confirmation of new appointments to the
Cabinet now is highly unusual, given that the Central
Election Commission has not yet released the final vote count
for the presidential election and the date of the
presidential inauguration has not yet been set. Embassy
contacts, including the Acting Head of MFA's Americas
Department Mamajanov in a January 3 conversation with
Ambassador, have told us that no reshuffle would take place
until sometime after President Karimov is sworn in for his
new term. The announcement of new appointments now also
breaks with Karimov's previous tradition of submitting a list
on the composition of an entirely new Cabinet to the Oliy
Majlis after his previous elections. It is unclear why
Karimov has made this change, but his moves will be watched
carefully as many in the elite here expect the beginnings of
a transition/succession scenario to take shape during this
term. It is possible that further reshuffling will take
place in the weeks to come, and we can probably expect
dismissals and reappointments of hokims (mayors or governors)
soon.
4. (C) Azimov's star is rising. Being appointed first among
deputy ministers will only fuel additional speculation that
Azimov may eventually succeed Karimov.
NORLAND