Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
09TASHKENT919
2009-06-05 12:57:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Tashkent
Cable title:  

Uzbekistan Gives Mixed Review of SCO Activities

Tags:  PREL ASEC ECIN PGOV ECON PINS PTER UZ 
pdf how-to read a cable
VZCZCXYZ0019
RR RUEHWEB

DE RUEHNT #0919/01 1561255
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
R 051257Z JUN 09
FM AMEMBASSY TASHKENT
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 0974
INFO ALL SOUTH AND CENTRAL ASIA COLLECTIVE
CIS COLLECTIVE
RHEFDIA/DIA WASHINGTON DC
RHEHAAA/NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL WASHINGTON DC
RHMFISS/HQ USCENTCOM MACDILL AFB FL
RHMFISS/USCENTCOM INTEL CEN MACDILL AFB FL
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHINGTON DC
RUEHHE/AMEMBASSY HELSINKI 0049
RUEHNT/AMEMBASSY TASHKENT
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHINGTON DC
C O N F I D E N T I A L TASHKENT 000919 

SIPDIS
DEPARTMENT FOR SCA/CEN
AMEMBASSY ASTANA PASS TO USOFFICE ALMATY
AMEMBASSY HELSINKI PASS TO AMCONSUL ST PETERSBURG
AMEMBASSY MOSCOW PASS TO AMCONSUL VLADIVOSTOK
AMEMBASSY MOSCOW PASS TO AMCONSUL YEKATERINBURG

E.O. 12958: DECL: 2019/06/05
TAGS: PREL ASEC ECIN PGOV ECON PINS PTER UZ
SUBJECT: Uzbekistan Gives Mixed Review of SCO Activities

REF: 08 TASHKENT 639; 08 TASHKENT 1061

CLASSIFIED BY: Steven Prohaska, Second Secretary, State, Pol-Econ;
REASON: 1.4(B),(D)

C O N F I D E N T I A L TASHKENT 000919

SIPDIS
DEPARTMENT FOR SCA/CEN
AMEMBASSY ASTANA PASS TO USOFFICE ALMATY
AMEMBASSY HELSINKI PASS TO AMCONSUL ST PETERSBURG
AMEMBASSY MOSCOW PASS TO AMCONSUL VLADIVOSTOK
AMEMBASSY MOSCOW PASS TO AMCONSUL YEKATERINBURG

E.O. 12958: DECL: 2019/06/05
TAGS: PREL ASEC ECIN PGOV ECON PINS PTER UZ
SUBJECT: Uzbekistan Gives Mixed Review of SCO Activities

REF: 08 TASHKENT 639; 08 TASHKENT 1061

CLASSIFIED BY: Steven Prohaska, Second Secretary, State, Pol-Econ;
REASON: 1.4(B),(D)


1. (C) Summary: During a discussion of Uzbekistan's views of the
Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) on June 3, a representative
of Uzbekistan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs affirmed that President
Karimov will attend the SCO heads of state summit in Yekaterinburg
June 15-16, immediately after which Uzbekistan will assume the
chairmanship of the organization for one year. Uzbekistan is
keeping the SCO at arm's-length on matters related to Afghanistan
and appears anxious to ensure that its views be taken into account
in all SCO decisions. The Government of Uzbekistan (GOU) still
sees value in the security and economic aspects of the
organization, but appears frustrated with other members' attempts
to expand the SCO, as the organization's new institutions and
initiatives drain resources away from areas that Uzbekistan deems
more worthwhile. End summary.




2. (C) On June 3, Poloff met with Uzbekistan's National Coordinator
for the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Afzal Artikov and
Second Secretary Muhammad Rashidov of the Ministry of Foreign
Affairs' Department for Cooperation with CIS, CSTO, and SCO
Structures to discuss Uzbekistan's policies with regard to the SCO.
Artikov remarked that it was an honor to be selected by Foreign
Minister Norov for the meeting and produced several typed sheets of
text that he read from periodically.



Views of SCO Afghanistan Conference, Role of SCO in Afghanistan

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--------------





3. (C) Referring to the March 27 SCO conference on Afghanistan in

Moscow, Artikov noted that the SCO had first raised the issue of an
Afghanistan conference in 2007. In 2008, Uzbekistan gave its
consent to holding such a conference, but played no part in
conference preparations, hosting, or even participating. It also
signed no documents that resulted from the conference. (Note: In a
March conversation between Embassy officials and Uzbekistan's
Foundation for Regional Policy (FRP)-a "think tank" with ties to
Uzbekistan's National Security Council-FRP representatives
explicitly ruled out the participation of representatives of the
SCO in a joint FRP-Marshall Center Afghanistan-themed conference to
take place June 17-19. End note.) Artikov asserted that issues
related to Afghanistan should be addressed via the "6 plus 3"
mechanism that President Karimov has previously called for or on a
bilateral basis between individual SCO members and Afghanistan,
rather than having the bloc itself cooperate with the country.
Uzbekistan sees some kind of role for the SCO-created "Contact
Group" in Afghanistan, however. This is a consultative body that
should address issues of interest to all SCO members and
Afghanistan, and move forward only on issues that all members of
the SCO reach consensus on supporting.



Uzbekistan to Assume SCO Chairmanship

-------------- --------------




4. (C) Artikov affirmed that President Karimov will participate in
the June 15-16 SCO heads of state summit in Yetaterinburg, Russia,
after which Uzbekistan will assume the chairmanship of the
organization for one year. He noted that the next SCO summit will
take place in Tashkent at a date to be determined in June 2010.
When asked what Uzbekistan hopes to accomplish under its
chairmanship, Artikov said that Uzbekistan's plans are still under

consideration and that he would receive instructions soon. He said
it was his understanding, based on statements from President
Karimov, that Uzbekistan's responsibilities as SCO chairman will
include implementing agreements, enhancing cooperation with
observer states, and increasing the authority of the SCO in the
region and the world.



SCO Should Focus on Security and Economic Cooperation

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-




5. (C) Uzbekistan thinks highly of the SCO and believes the
organization has great potential, Artikov stated. The SCO is an
authoritative international organization that helps to preserve
peace and stability, is open, and is not directed at other states
or organizations. Nevertheless, Uzbekistan believes that
development of the SCO into a military-political bloc is not
desirable, and in practically all military exercises, Uzbekistan
has participated only as an observer. (Note: We have heard similar
critical remarks about the military component of the SCO from many
GOU officials on many occasions in the past. End note.) Artikov
said that a fundamental principle the SCO adheres to in its
decision-making process is consensus-a factor that ensures equality
between member states. "Uzbekistan strictly follows this principle
and calls on others to observe it," he asserted. Artikov said that
the SCO should focus on its top priorities: security (and cited
counterterrorism, counterextremism, and counternarcotics as being
key elements of this) and economic cooperation (particularly
improving socio-economic conditions in each SCO member state).
Uzbekistan is hoping that cooperation with the organization can
help Uzbekistan realize its goals, including attracting further
foreign direct investment, establishing joint ventures, producing
consumer goods, and receiving high-tech equipment.



Extraneous Institutions, Poorly Prepared Initiatives

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6. (C) Artikov complained that Uzbekistan opposes a number of
poorly prepared SCO initiatives that weaken the effectiveness of
the organization. Uzbekistan wants the SCO to hold expert working
group meetings and to clearly outline anticipated results prior to
proposing initiatives. He also said it was unacceptable for the
SCO to develop so many new structures, like charter bodies,
parliamentary assemblies, inter-academy councils, a
counternarcotics center, an Emergency Situations Center, an Energy
Club, and various educational structures. The proliferation of
these new institutions distributes resources too widely and
distracts the SCO from its main priorities, he continued.
Uzbekistan wants to avoid the creation of new institutions with
unclear tasks and goals and non-priority issues should instead be
addressed on a bilateral basis.



SCO Partners

--------------




7. (C) This year, SCO has considered making Belarus and Sri Lanka
partners of the SCO, Artikov continued. The organization has three
categories for countries affiliated with it: full members,
observers, and partners. Artikov explained that only members are
decision makers, while observers are limited to observing processes

and making statements, and partners cooperate with the SCO on
particular issues determined by special memoranda concluded between
the partner state and the organization. The partner category is a
new initiative, and the SCO will sign special memoranda with
Belarus and Sri Lanka after the official decision is made on these
states becoming partners.



Vague Comments on RATS

--------------




8. (C) Artikov described the SCO's Regional Antiterrorist Structure
(RATS) as a valid platform for uniting the efforts of the SCO's
special services and conducting joint actions. Uzbekistan will
retain the chairmanship of RATS, which it has held since September
2008, until September 2009. The chairmanship will then rotate to
Kazakhstan. When asked about the program of cooperation in
combating terrorism between 2010 and 2012, Artikov vaguely alluded
to fighting the "three evils" of terrorism, separatism, and
extremism, neutralizing terrorist activities, combating terrorist
financing, and promoting counterterrorism cooperation between
special services and law enforcement bodies and with observer
states and other international organizations.



Comment:

--------------




9. (C) Though Uzbekistan remains interested in the potential to
derive security and economic benefits from cooperation within the
framework of the SCO, it appears to have becoming increasingly
frustrated (or increasingly willing to express such
dissatisfaction) with the organization's expansion into areas that
Uzbekistan considers to be inappropriate or of relatively little
importance. During this meeting, Artikov was far more critical of
new SCO structures than other GOU officials have been in previous
interactions with us. Artikov's call for the SCO to focus on
security and economic cooperation tracks with recent comments that
Uzbekistan's Ambassador to Russia Ilhom Nematov has made in the
Russian press. Artikov and Rashidov also appear interested in
hearing about how the U.S. views the SCO and its activities in the
future.
NORLAND