Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
08TASHKENT769
2008-07-02 11:52:00
UNCLASSIFIED
Embassy Tashkent
Cable title:  

UZBEK PARLIAMENT RATIFIES UNITED NATIONS TIP

Tags:  PGOV PREL PHUM UNCRIME KWMN KCRM UZ 
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ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 021152Z JUL 08
FM AMEMBASSY TASHKENT
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 9929
INFO RUEHZG/NATO EU COLLECTIVE
RUEHAH/AMEMBASSY ASHGABAT 4115
RUEHTA/AMEMBASSY ASTANA 0328
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RUEHLM/AMEMBASSY COLOMBO 0595
RUEHKA/AMEMBASSY DHAKA 0462
RUEHDBU/AMEMBASSY DUSHANBE 0612
RUEHIL/AMEMBASSY ISLAMABAD 4321
RUEHBUL/AMEMBASSY KABUL 2613
RUEHKT/AMEMBASSY KATHMANDU 0634
RUEHMO/AMEMBASSY MOSCOW 7482
RUEHNE/AMEMBASSY NEW DELHI 1270
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 0314
RUEHGV/USMISSION GENEVA 1296
RUEHVEN/USMISSION USOSCE 2582
RHEFDIA/DIA WASHDC
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHINGTON DC 0178
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC 0027
UNCLAS TASHKENT 000769 

SIPDIS

DEPT FOR G/TIP MEGAN HALL; INL FOR ANDREW BUHLER

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PREL PHUM UNCRIME KWMN KCRM UZ
SUBJECT: UZBEK PARLIAMENT RATIFIES UNITED NATIONS TIP
PROTOCOL

REF: TASHKENT 462

UNCLAS TASHKENT 000769

SIPDIS

DEPT FOR G/TIP MEGAN HALL; INL FOR ANDREW BUHLER

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PREL PHUM UNCRIME KWMN KCRM UZ
SUBJECT: UZBEK PARLIAMENT RATIFIES UNITED NATIONS TIP
PROTOCOL

REF: TASHKENT 462


1. (U) On June 23 the lower house of the Uzbek Parliament
(Oliy Majlis) adopted a draft law on ratification of the
November 2000 United Nations Protocol on Trafficking in
Persons (TIP). The Senate followed suit just four days
later, on June 27, thereby completing the Parliamentary steps
and paving the way for President Karimov to sign the
ratification into law.


2. (U) While Uzbekistan signed the UN Protocol in June 2001,
it had not made an effort to ratify it until now. This
suggests the Government of Uzbekistan is comfortable with its
recent counter-TIP progress (which was recognized with an
improved rating to the Tier 2 Watchlist this year) and is
ready to accept international obligations. Our recently
published 2008 TIP Report specifically noted Uzbekistan had
not adopted this UN Protocol, and it is an especially
positive development that the Uzbek Government exercised
initiative without waiting to be prodded to take further
action.


3. (U) Nodira Karimova, Director of the main anti-trafficking
NGO "Istiqbolli Avlod," believes the GOU was encouraged by
its improved ranking this year and is seeking to build on it.
The GOU is confident that its recently adopted comprehensive
anti-TIP law (reftel) addresses many of the requirements of
the UN Protocol, while forthcoming steps include a National
Action Plan (which is reportedly complete and ready to be
adopted shortly) and long-sought criminal code amendments
which are expected to strengthen punishments against
traffickers (presently under discussion in the lower house of
the Parliament).

Comment:
--------------


4. (U) As we hoped, the improved rating for Uzbekistan in the
2008 TIP Report seems to have generated goodwill on an
important human rights issue. Ratification of this UN
Protocol was a welcome surprise; nonetheless, we will
continue to closely monitor the Government of Uzbekistan's
implementation of its new law. We believe the Government of
Uzbekistan would not have committed itself to these new
international obligations by ratifying the UN Protocol unless
it was serious about following through, so we expect more
good news in the coming months.

NORLAND