VZCZCXRO0093
PP RUEHLN RUEHVK RUEHYG
DE RUEHDBU #0745/01 1110436
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P R 210436Z APR 06
FM AMEMBASSY DUSHANBE
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 7290
INFO RUEHDBU/AMEMBASSY DUSHANBE 8497
RUCNCIS/CIS COLLECTIVE
RUEHNE/AMEMBASSY NEW DELHI 1484
RUEHBUL/AMEMBASSY KABUL 1488
RUEHIL/AMEMBASSY ISLAMABAD 1534
RUEHAK/AMEMBASSY ANKARA 1555
RUEHRL/AMEMBASSY BERLIN 1546
RUEHKO/AMEMBASSY TOKYO 1317
RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING 1570
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC
RHEFDIA/DIA WASHINGTON DC
RHEHAAA/NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL WASHINGTON DC
RUMICEA/USCENTCOM MACDILL AFB FL
RHMFISS/JOINT STAFF WASHINGTON DC
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 1101
RUEHBS/USEU BRUSSELS 0892
RUEHNO/USMISSION USNATO 1534
RULSDMK/DEPT OF TRANSPORTATION WASHINGTON DC
RUEATRS/DEPT OF TREASURY WASHINGTON DC

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 DUSHANBE 000745 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR SCA/CEN, EUR, EB, S/P 
NSC FOR MILLARD, MERKEL 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV PREL ENRG ECON EAID AF TI
SUBJECT: BADAKHSHAN TO BADAKHSHAN: TAJIKS REACHING ACROSS THE BORDER 
TO AFGHANS 
 
REF: 05 DUSHANBE 1553 
 
DUSHANBE 00000745  001.2 OF 002 
 
 
¶1.  (SBU) SUMMARY:  "We consider Afghanistan like our own." 
Ayubek Bekmurodov, Deputy to the Governor of Tajikistan's remote 
Gorno-Badakhshan autonomous region said his government was 
looking at ways to increase trade, the power supply, and food 
and humanitarian aid to the Afghan regions across the river. 
Bekmurodov said a significant barrier to integration was the 
Afghans' lack of passports.  The Tajiks hope to export 
electricity across the river, and can accelerate that process 
once transmission lines are installed to remote Afghan villages. 
 Integrating their trade and infrastructure could go a long way 
towards boosting the economies of these poor, isolated regions 
and thus help stabilize and secure the border.  END SUMMARY. 
 
¶2.  (SBU)  In an hour-long meeting at the government offices in 
Khorog April 19, Bekmurodov explained to PolOff and visiting 
Afghan Reconstruction Officers from Kabul, how Tajik authorities 
plan to establish a Free Trade Zone in Tajikistan's 
Gorno-Badakhshan Autonomous Oblast (GBAO), from its capital 
Khorog to Ishkashim.  Bridges connect the countries at both 
points, and already weekly markets near the crossings indicate 
the potential for increased commerce and trade.  The GBAO 
governor led a delegation to Afghanistan's Konduz and Takhar 
provinces in March, and is planning a trip to Faisobad in 
Afghanistan's Badakhshan province in early May.  Bekmurodov 
noted the two regions' fates are tied together. "If things go 
badly for them, they go badly for us.  We must help them."  In 
the winter, the Tajiks provided flour and food and some medical 
assistance. 
 
¶3.  (SBU)  Bekmurodov assessed that bureaucratic barriers 
prevent more integration between the regions.  Without 
identification, Afghans cannot cross easily into Tajikistan, and 
take advantage of the roads, telephones and other services.  He 
noted the need for a special Tajik internal visa for the GBAO 
region was another hassle, but predicted that would be abolished 
by the government soon. (COMMENT: This has been talked about for 
several years. END COMMENT.) 
 
¶4.  (SBU)  A second challenge is the climate and road 
conditions.  Using the two-lane paved Tajik road, instead of the 
donkey footpath on the Afghan side, would allow Afghans to 
travel to villages along the river faster.  However, those roads 
are not always clear.  According to Bekmurodov, GBAO had more 
than 800 avalanches this winter, many along the main road along 
the Pyanzh river border.  The tracks of the aging bulldozers 
clearing the avalanches rip up the asphalt on the newly paved 
parts of the road.  New bulldozers on wheels would clear the 
roads faster, but even a used Caterpillar costs upwards of 
$150,000. 
 
¶5.  (SBU)  According to Bekmurodov, the power situation in 
Khorog and the surrounding districts has improved markedly in 
the last year, since PamirEnergy brought online upgraded power 
stations in October 2005 (reftel).  Khorog now has electricity 
around the clock.  Bekmurudov noted that cost recovery had been 
a problem in that past, but customers were "learning" why they 
needed to pay their bills (septel).  Authorities were hoping to 
export up to one megawatt to villages directly across from 
Khorog this summer.  Proposed plans for a 100 MW power station 
100 km north of Khorog include selling power to Badakhshan, 
Takhar and Konduz provinces. 
 
¶6.  (SBU)  COMMENT:  Bekmurodov's interest and concern for 
Afghanistan were representative of comments from other officials 
and citizens of GBAO.  There is a great deal of empathy for 
their "brothers and sisters" across the river, and a growing 
effort to turn empathy into action and integration.  The Embassy 
will look for ways in which it can support these cross-border 
 
DUSHANBE 00000745  002.2 OF 002 
 
 
initiatives, particularly for infrastructure.  END COMMENT. 
 
¶7.  (SBU)  BIO NOTE:  Bekmurodov is a dynamic, young, former 
pilot with a biology degree who has temporarily left a lucrative 
tour business for government service.  His guided tours to hunt 
the rare Marco Polo sheep in eastern Tajikistan are rumored to 
cost $10,000 per sheep and attract high-end spenders.  Regarding 
his 18 months in the Governor's office, he asked, "What else can 
I do?"  Adding, "We need new ideas in the government."  He 
mentioned he had been to the United States numerous times to 
visit hunting clients.  The 24-year-old technical advisor at 
PamirEnergy praised Bekmurodov and the Governor's team, and 
noted the Governor had replaced "all the old bureaucrats with 
young people." 
 
 
 
SIGNATURE 
HOAGLAND