UZBEKS ASK FOR SUBSTANCE ON SWG AND PETRAEUS VISIT

C O N F I D E N T I A L TASHKENT 000093 SIPDIS SENSITIVE E.O. 12958: DECL: 2020/02/23 TAGS: PREL MASS UZ SUBJECT: UZBEKS ASK FOR SUBSTANCE ON SWG AND PETRAEUS VISIT REF: 10 STATE 15680; A. TASHKENT 19 B. TASHKENT 45 CLASSIFIED BY: Nicholas Berliner, Pol-Econ Chief; REASON: 1.4A, B, D Special Working Group -------------- ¶1. (C) Post delivered reftel points on the Special Working Group (SWG) to MFA Americas Director Bakhtiyor Ibragimov on February 23. Ibragimov welcomed the news of the SWG's proposed visit, but suggested that the March 1-5 dates are probably too early for the GOU to fully prepare. The MFA will consult and propose dates. On the content, Ibragimov reiterated the point that the GOU expects the SWG to be able to engage at an expert level to define how Uzbekistan's military-technical needs match specific U.S. systems and capabilities. He noted that, in addition to FMF, the GOU is open to outright purchases. Gen. Petraeus Visit -------------- ¶2. (C) Ibragimov noted that the visit of General Petraeus to Uzbekistan (planned for March 10-11) may have to come before the SWG, given the short time frame. Then, conveying a conversation with FM Norov, he said that in order to secure a meeting with President Karimov for General Petraeus, it would be important to know what "new" business would be raised. He said that simply another exchange of views on Afghanistan or the status of NDN would not necessarily be suitably substantive to justify a presidential meeting. Comment -------------- ¶3. (C) This discussion was a further indication of impatience on the part of the GOU to move forward on its priorities on the bilateral agenda. It will be important that the SWG be able to engage in the kind of substantive discussion the Uzbeks expect, although they realize that nobody will be able to make commitments while in Tashkent. Showing sincerity on this issue will help prepare the ground for possible requests for enhancements to NDN. NORLAND