DEEP FREEZE (LITERALLY) PERSISTS IN UZBEKISTAN

C O N F I D E N T I A L TASHKENT 000081 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/22/2018 TAGS: PGOV ECON ENRG UZ SUBJECT: DEEP FREEZE (LITERALLY) PERSISTS IN UZBEKISTAN REF: ASHGABAT 45 Classified By: Poloff Tim Buckley for reasons 1.4 (B) and (D) ¶1. (SBU) Unusually cold, sub-zero temperatures persist throughout Central Asia (reftel) and, while most people in Tashkent report barely adequate heat in their homes, there are press reports indicating that up to 300 people protested insufficient heating gas in Ferghana (uznews.net). This follows reports last week of small protests in Samarqand region, and approximately 100 people reportedly rallied in Jizzakh region on January 18. The GOU said that officials have been instructed to do everything possible to ensure people can stay warm, which could even have some impact on scheduling meetings for an upcoming delegation from the Department. ¶2. (C) Poloff traveled overland through frozen Bukhara and Samarqand last week and found these tourist centers virtually shut down. On top of low gas pressure, the historic Bukhara old city was suffering a power outage, foiling efforts to stay warm with electric heaters. (Note: Fortunately, power was restored before poloff retired to bed in a chilly hotel room. End note.) Even stores in the newer, Soviet-built section of the city were closed and the streets deserted. The few interlocutors poloff spoke with nonchalantly blamed Mother Nature rather than the government for the chill as well as frequent power disruptions. Some Tashkent officials clearly seek to put a good face on the situation, denying to the Ambassador that serious problems exist. What is clear is that this unusually long spell -- almost one month of below freezing temperatures -- is taking its toll on aging infrastructure. NORLAND