Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
08TASHKENT641
2008-06-10 10:16:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Tashkent
Cable title:
FRENCH AMBASSADOR PURSUES KOUCHNER/RICE PULL-ASIDE
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C O N F I D E N T I A L TASHKENT 000641
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/10/2018
TAGS: PREL PGOV PHUM PINR FR UZ
SUBJECT: FRENCH AMBASSADOR PURSUES KOUCHNER/RICE PULL-ASIDE
WITH UZBEK FM NOROV IN PARIS
REF: TASHKENT 624
Classified By: Ambassador Richard B. Norland; reasons 1.4(b) and (d).
C O N F I D E N T I A L TASHKENT 000641
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/10/2018
TAGS: PREL PGOV PHUM PINR FR UZ
SUBJECT: FRENCH AMBASSADOR PURSUES KOUCHNER/RICE PULL-ASIDE
WITH UZBEK FM NOROV IN PARIS
REF: TASHKENT 624
Classified By: Ambassador Richard B. Norland; reasons 1.4(b) and (d).
1. (C) Summary. Praising Uzbek Foreign Minister Norov in
Paris for releasing political prisoner Mutabar Tojiboeva
could encourage the Uzbeks to do more of the same in coming
weeks. This in turn would facilitate efforts to cooperate
with Uzbekistan on ground transit of supplies to U.S. forces
in Afghanistan. End Summary.
2. (C) French Ambassador to Uzbekistan Hugues Pernet is
flying to Paris with Foreign Minister Vladimir Norov on June
10, hoping to parlay engagement on the margins of the June 12
Afghanistan donors conference into further progress on human
rights in the wake of the Uzbek government's June 2 decision
to release human rights activist Mutabar Tojiboeva.
Ambassador Pernet has broached with French Foreign Minister
Kouchner the idea of a joint pull-aside in which he and
Secretary Rice would take two minutes to tell Norov that
Tojiboeva's release was significant and should be followed by
release of the remaining 10 or 12 prominent human rights
activists currently incarcerated in Uzbekistan. Pernet
asked Ambassador Norland if the U.S. would join in this
effort.
3. (C) The French are convinced -- and we agree -- that
Tojiboeva's release is qualitatively different from earlier
releases of political prisoners in Uzbekistan. She is among
the most prominent and principled of those whom the Uzbeks
have sentenced to prison for their criticism of the
government and their support for human rights, particularly
given her refusal to sign a confession that might have
secured her release earlier. In releasing her now on medical
grounds, the government knew she would continue to publicly
criticize the political system and President Karimov -- and
she has not disappointed. For example, shortly after her
release, Tojiboyeva referred to Uzbek prisons as "islands of
torture" during an interview with Radio Free Europe.
4. (C) In our view, engaging Norov briefly in this fashion
could have a salutary effect on Uzbek thinking about how to
proceed in addressing Western concerns about human rights.
As Assistant Secretary Boucher told President Karimov here on
June 2 (reftel),we need to see still more progress on human
rights, including release of more political prisoners like
Tojiboyeva. Having this message reinforced by the Secretary
can only help. Producing progress on human rights can, in
turn, make it politically possible for us to cooperate with
Uzbekistan on efforts to lock in ground transit arrangements
in support of U.S. forces in Afghanistan, which will be the
subject of TRANSCOM General Schwarz' June 24-25 visit to
Uzbekistan.
NORLAND
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/10/2018
TAGS: PREL PGOV PHUM PINR FR UZ
SUBJECT: FRENCH AMBASSADOR PURSUES KOUCHNER/RICE PULL-ASIDE
WITH UZBEK FM NOROV IN PARIS
REF: TASHKENT 624
Classified By: Ambassador Richard B. Norland; reasons 1.4(b) and (d).
1. (C) Summary. Praising Uzbek Foreign Minister Norov in
Paris for releasing political prisoner Mutabar Tojiboeva
could encourage the Uzbeks to do more of the same in coming
weeks. This in turn would facilitate efforts to cooperate
with Uzbekistan on ground transit of supplies to U.S. forces
in Afghanistan. End Summary.
2. (C) French Ambassador to Uzbekistan Hugues Pernet is
flying to Paris with Foreign Minister Vladimir Norov on June
10, hoping to parlay engagement on the margins of the June 12
Afghanistan donors conference into further progress on human
rights in the wake of the Uzbek government's June 2 decision
to release human rights activist Mutabar Tojiboeva.
Ambassador Pernet has broached with French Foreign Minister
Kouchner the idea of a joint pull-aside in which he and
Secretary Rice would take two minutes to tell Norov that
Tojiboeva's release was significant and should be followed by
release of the remaining 10 or 12 prominent human rights
activists currently incarcerated in Uzbekistan. Pernet
asked Ambassador Norland if the U.S. would join in this
effort.
3. (C) The French are convinced -- and we agree -- that
Tojiboeva's release is qualitatively different from earlier
releases of political prisoners in Uzbekistan. She is among
the most prominent and principled of those whom the Uzbeks
have sentenced to prison for their criticism of the
government and their support for human rights, particularly
given her refusal to sign a confession that might have
secured her release earlier. In releasing her now on medical
grounds, the government knew she would continue to publicly
criticize the political system and President Karimov -- and
she has not disappointed. For example, shortly after her
release, Tojiboyeva referred to Uzbek prisons as "islands of
torture" during an interview with Radio Free Europe.
4. (C) In our view, engaging Norov briefly in this fashion
could have a salutary effect on Uzbek thinking about how to
proceed in addressing Western concerns about human rights.
As Assistant Secretary Boucher told President Karimov here on
June 2 (reftel),we need to see still more progress on human
rights, including release of more political prisoners like
Tojiboyeva. Having this message reinforced by the Secretary
can only help. Producing progress on human rights can, in
turn, make it politically possible for us to cooperate with
Uzbekistan on efforts to lock in ground transit arrangements
in support of U.S. forces in Afghanistan, which will be the
subject of TRANSCOM General Schwarz' June 24-25 visit to
Uzbekistan.
NORLAND