VZCZCXRO2375
PP RUEHLN RUEHVK RUEHYG
DE RUEHDBU #0766/01 1141134
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P R 241134Z APR 06
FM AMEMBASSY DUSHANBE
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 7323
INFO RUCNCIS/CIS COLLECTIVE
RHEHAAA/NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL WASHINGTON DC
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC
RHEFDIA/DIA WASHINGTON DC
RUEHAK/AMEMBASSY ANKARA 1571
RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING 1581
RUEHRL/AMEMBASSY BERLIN 1555
RUEHIL/AMEMBASSY ISLAMABAD 1550
RUEHBUL/AMEMBASSY KABUL 1504
RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON 1510
RUEHNE/AMEMBASSY NEW DELHI 1495
RUEHFR/AMEMBASSY PARIS 1384
RUEHKO/AMEMBASSY TOKYO 1328
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHINGTON DC
RUEKJCS/JOINT STAFF WASHDC
RHMFISS/HQ USEUCOM VAIHINGEN GE
RHMFISS/HQ USCENTCOM MACDILL AFB FL
RUEHNO/USMISSION USNATO 1543
RUEHVEN/USMISSION USOSCE 1582
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 1112
RUEHBS/USEU BRUSSELS 0899
RUEHDBU/AMEMBASSY DUSHANBE 8535

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 DUSHANBE 000766 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR SCA/CEN, ECA, DRL 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV PREL PHUM SCUL KISL KIRF KPAO IR TI
SUBJECT: PRESIDENTIAL ADVISOR AND AMBASSADOR DISCUSS ISLAM, DRAFT 
RELIGION LAW, IRANIAN HIJAB 
 
REF: A. A) DUSHANBE 0720 
 
     ¶B. B) DUSHANBE 0670 
 
DUSHANBE 00000766  001.2 OF 002 
 
 
¶1.  (U) Sensitive but unclassified.  Please handle accordingly. 
Not for public Internet. 
 
¶2.  (SBU) SUMMARY.  The Ambassador met with Karomatullo Olimov, 
Presidential Advisor on Social Development and Public Contacts, 
April 21 at Olimov's request for a wide-ranging discussion of 
Islam and the role of religion in a secular state.  The meeting 
followed the visit of U.S. Speaker Ahmed Younis (ref B), and 
provided an excellent opportunity to discuss Islam and Tajik 
government policy.  When asked about the government's new draft 
law on religion, Olimov firmly stated he saw no need to fix 
something that wasn't broken.  END SUMMARY. 
 
¶3.  (SBU) Olimov asked for the Ambassador's advice how to engage 
Islam in secular Tajikistan.  He reminded the Ambassador of the 
hearty applause the United States received during President 
Rahmonov's April 20 speech to parliament, and reiterated that 
Tajiks respect the work and the opinion of the United States and 
its Ambassador on a variety of issues.  He said he had been 
impressed by Ahmed Younis' statements that moderate Islam plays 
a constructive role with government and society in America.  He 
said he wished there had been time in Younis' schedule for a 
long conversation with him about his experience in the United 
States and his impressions of Tajikistan. 
 
¶4.  (SBU) The Ambassador told Olimov that Tajikistan had been 
the highlight of Younis' trip to Central Asia that had also 
included stops in Turkmenistan and Kyrgyzstan.  He recounted 
Younis's impression that he had found the most sophisticated 
understanding of Islam in Tajikistan, and that his experience 
leading Friday prayers at the central mosque in Dushanbe had 
been the highlight of his entire trip. 
 
¶5.  (SBU) When Olimov asked for an opinion on how to confront 
extremism, the Ambassador noted a paradox:  strong government 
pressure to prevent extremism too often has the opposite effect 
and causes it to grow.  The Ambassador suggested engaging to the 
extent possible those the government suspects of extremism.  He 
acknowledged this is not easy and not always successful, but is 
better than throwing people in prison for their beliefs, no 
matter how strongly we disagree with those beliefs.  He noted 
that USAID, at the request of the President's Strategic Research 
Center, will help facilitate a regional conference in Dushanbe 
early in June on the role of traditional Islam in Central Asian 
society. 
 
¶6.  (SBU) When asked his opinion on the new draft law on 
religious institutions proposed by the Committee on Religious 
Affairs (ref A), Olimov replied firmly that he did not see the 
need for a new law on religion and religious institutions.  He 
added, "What's wrong with the current law?  What problems has it 
caused?"  The Ambassador agreed completely, and suggested that 
the least government regulation of religious life is often the 
best. 
 
¶7.  (SBU) In discussing the Tajik government's ban on hijabs in 
public schools, Olimov distinguished between traditional Tajik 
headscarves and Iranian-style hijabs.  He defended the 
government's October 2005 decision to ban true hijab in Tajik 
schools.  He said the government debated the issue thoroughly, 
and concluded a secular society could not approve 
foreign-inspired religious symbols in public education 
facilities.  He reminded the Ambassador that the headscarves 
seen on city streets and in Tajik villages are considered more 
traditional and cultural than religious, and firmly 
 
DUSHANBE 00000766  002.2 OF 002 
 
 
distinguished them from Iranian-inspired hijabs. 
 
¶8.  (SBU) COMMENT.  This meeting was another dividend of Ahmed 
Younis's successful visit to Tajikistan, and illustrates once 
again the great value of public diplomacy speakers.  Olimov's 
negative comments on the draft religion law suggest it may not 
have full Presidential support.  His emphasis that the hijab is 
an Iranian import that has to be banned once again illustrates 
the Tajik government's continuing caution about Iran - economic 
investment, yes; religion and politics, no.  END COMMENT. 
HOAGLAND