UZBEKISTAN AGREES TO EXTEND CTR AGREEMENT, FREEZES

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 TASHKENT 000622 SIPDIS SENSITIVE DEPARTMENT FOR SCA/CEN, DTRA FOR CALI/BYRD E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: KTIA KNNP PARM UZ SUBJECT: UZBEKISTAN AGREES TO EXTEND CTR AGREEMENT, FREEZES ACTIVITY UNTIL IMPLEMENTATION ISSUES ARE ADDRESSED ¶1. (SBU) On June 4, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Uzbekistan delivered a diplomatic note to Post with its response on extension of the CTR Umbrella Agreement for an additional seven years. The text implies that CTR activities in country should resume once the Government of Uzbekistan's (GOU) implementation concerns are addressed. This is also an opportunity for us to try to address some of our own implementation concerns. Post has communicated with the GOU on this issue in a series of diplomatic notes and meetings between October 2007 and June 4, 2008. The GOU indicated in diplomatic notes in January and April that it would agree to extend the agreement upon the U.S. accepting a draft protocol amending several of the agreement's articles. Post has indicated to the GOU that changes to the agreement itself are unacceptable to the United States Government, but we have indicated our willingness to develop a separate implementing arrangement addressing the GOU's procedural concerns. It appears we now need to send a team out here from Washington to negotiate such an arrangement. ¶2. (SBU) Post's unofficial translation of the GOU's June 4 diplomatic note is as follows: The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Uzbekistan presents its compliments to the Embassy of the United States of America in Tashkent, and in reference to the Embassy's note No. 709/08, dated June 4, 2008, has the honor to inform that the Uzbek side agrees to extend the Agreement Between the Government of the Republic of Uzbekistan and the Government of the United States of America Concerning Cooperation in the Area of the Promotion of Defense Relations and the Prevention of Proliferation of Weapons of Mass Destruction, dated June 5, 2001 (hereinafter referred to as Main Agreement),for an additional seven years, to June 5, 2015, as was proposed by the U.S. side. At the same time, the Ministry proceeds with the understanding that the implementation of the Main Agreement shall commence on the date of signing of an Implementing Agreement (Arrangement) to the Main Agreement. In this Implementing Agreement (Arrangement),both sides shall establish the following order of implementation of the certain provisions of the Main Agreement: Paragraph I, Article V - Travel in the territory of the Republic of Uzbekistan of government employees and contracting organizations' personnel shall require written approval from the Executive Agent of the Government of the Republic of Uzbekistan. Article IX - Civilian employees of the Government of the United States of America shall be present in the territory of the Republic of Uzbekistan for activities related to the Main Agreement in accordance with the laws of the Republic of Uzbekistan. Paragraph II, Article X - Import into, export out of and use in the Republic of Uzbekistan of any equipment, supplies, materials, technology, training, and services required to implement the Main Agreement shall require prior approval of the Executive Agent of the Government of the Republic of TASHKENT 00000622 002 OF 002 Uzbekistan. Article XII - Audit and examination of the use of any equipment, supplies, materials, technology, training, and services provided in accordance with the Main Agreement, at sites of their location or use shall require written approval from the Executive Agent of the Government of the Republic of Uzbekistan. The Ministry avails itself of this opportunity to renew to the Embassy the assurances of its highest consideration. Tashkent, June 4, 2008 NORLAND