(C) KUDOS FOR REPORTING ON NEW RUSSIAN

C O N F I D E N T I A L STATE 013583

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/16/2035
TAGS: PINR PREL RS UZ
SUBJECT: (C) KUDOS FOR REPORTING ON NEW RUSSIAN
AMBASSADOR TO UZBEKISTAN (C-RE0-00109)

REF: TASHKENT 000021

Classified By: ELISSA G. PITTERLE, DIRECTOR, INR/OPS


1. (C) WASHINGTON ANALYSTS ARE PLEASED TO COMMEND POST FOR
NOTABLE BIOGRAPHIC REPORTING. INFORMATION FROM POST IS A KEY
RESOURCE FOR BIOGRAPHIC REPORTS WE PREPARE FOR SENIOR
POLICYMAKERS. BELOW WE HIGHLIGHT ESPECIALLY VALUABLE ASPECTS
OF POST'S REPORTING.


2. (C) REFTEL PROVIDES EXTREMELY VALUABLE INSIGHT ON THE
NEW RUSSIAN AMBASSADOR TYURDENEV'S APPROACH TO FORMAL
NEGOTIATIONS THAT IS NOT FOUND IN OTHER SOURCES OF
INFORMATION. WE REGULARLY CITE SUCH INFORMATION IN BIOGRAPHIC
REPORTS FOR U.S. OFFICIALS WHO ARE PREPARING FOR FORMAL
DISCUSSIONS WITH A RUSSIAN OFFICIAL. BECAUSE U.S. OFFICIALS
NEED TO KNOW IF THEIR INTERLOCUTORS REQUIRE AN INTERPRETER,
WE STRIVE TO INCLUDE INFORMATION ON THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE
ABILITY OF RUSSIAN OFFICIALS AND WHETHER THEY ARE CONVERSANT
IN ANY OTHER LANGUAGES. WE GREATLY APPRECIATED REFTEL FOR
ADDRESSING TYURDENEV'S NEGOTIATING STYLE AND LANGUAGE SKILLS,
ESPECIALLY HIS DECISION TO CONDUCT THE MEETING IN ENGLISH,
AND POST'S COMMENT ON HIS AT TIMES PATERNALISTIC VIEWS ABOUT
CENTRAL ASIA.


3. (C) WE GREATLY APPRECIATE POST PROVIDING A RUSSIAN
OFFICIAL'S CURRICULUM VITAE WHEN AVAILABLE. IT HELPS US FILL
GAPS AND VERIFY INFORMATION FROM OTHER SOURCES. EQUALLY
IMPORTANT IS CONTEXTUAL INFORMATION THAT EXPLAINS HOW A
PERSON ACHIEVED THE POSITIONS THAT HE OR SHE DID, SUCH AS
THROUGH PERSONAL SKILL OR POLITICAL TIES. WHILE WE KNEW OF
THE AMBASSADOR'S PREVIOUS POSTING IN BRAZIL, WE APPRECIATE
THE ADDITIONAL DETAILS ABOUT HIS PAST EXPERIENCE INVOLVING
CIS AFFAIRS.
CLINTON