VZCZCXRO1723
PP RUEHDBU
DE RUEHNT #0799/01 1140310
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
P 240310Z APR 06
FM AMEMBASSY TASHKENT
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 5604
INFO RUEHTA/AMEMBASSY ALMATY 7824
RUEHAH/AMEMBASSY ASHGABAT 1916
RUEHEK/AMEMBASSY BISHKEK 2439
RUEHDBU/AMEMBASSY DUSHANBE 2342
RUEHIL/AMEMBASSY ISLAMABAD 3459
RUEHBUL/AMEMBASSY KABUL 1424
RUEHNE/AMEMBASSY NEW DELHI 0469

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 TASHKENT 000799 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR SCA/CEN 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/20/2016 
TAGS: PGOV PREL UZ IN
SUBJECT: INDIAN EMBASSY'S LOW EXPECTATIONS FOR PM VISIT 
APRIL 25-26 
 
REF: A. A) 05 TASHKENT 3347 
 
     ¶B. B) TASHKENT 699 
 
Classified By: CLASSIFIED BY DCM BRAD HANSON FOR REASONS 1.4 (B, D). 
 
¶1. (C) Summary: Indian PM Manmohan Singh will officially 
visit Tashkent on April 25-26 to talk with President Karimov 
and lay a wreath at the National World War II Memorial. 
According to Indian DCM B.M. Vinod Kumar, the GOI's 
expectations are very low for the visit, as this trip seems 
primarily to reciprocate Karimov's 2005 and three earlier 
visits to Delhi.  The Uzbeks have made it known that they 
would like to sign new bilateral agreements-- without 
suggesting any up to now--rather than work on implementing 
existing ones.  The Indians intend to raise business and visa 
concerns, as well as possibly offer expanded English language 
programs and training in public administration and good 
governance.  Kumar stressed that democracy will also be 
raised, recognizing the GOU will likely use this visit in its 
continued PR campaign to highlight engagement with the 
world's largest democracy.  The PM does not plan to lobby the 
"little guy" Karimov on India's desire to become a full 
member of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO).  End 
summary. 
 
¶2. (C) Indian Prime Minister Singh will make an official 
visit to Tashkent on April 25 and 26, according to  Indian 
DCM B.M. Vinod Kumar.  President Karimov has visited India 
four times since 1991, the last time in 2005.  Kumar told DCM 
that the Uzbeks have long been pressuring India for a 
reciprocal visit, as an Indian Prime Minister has not visited 
Uzbekistan since 1993.  As Singh will be visiting Germany, he 
decided to transit on his return to Delhi and squeeze in some 
official meetings. The Trade and Commerce Minister will be 
with Singh in Germany, and may accompany the PM to Tashkent 
as well, although that has not been decided definitely. 
Kumar does not expect any Indian businessmen to accompany the 
PM.  Singh is scheduled to lay a wreath at the National 
Memorial (honoring casualties of World War II and the Stalin 
era), meet with Karimov and other senior-level officials and 
attend a social function before returning to India on the 
evening of April 26.  According to Kumar, the Indian Embassy 
is frustrated with the GOU, as it has yet to make concrete 
decisions about the official schedule.  Kumar said that these 
decisions are all sent to the top, which significantly delays 
planning. 
 
¶3.  (C) When the DCM asked Kumar what the Indian government 
hoped to accomplish during the visit, Kumar laughed and said 
his own Foreign Ministry was asking him the same question. 
He indicated that India's expectations for the visit are very 
low.  He said that democracy will definitely be an item for 
discussion, as will economic ties and visas.  Kumar said that 
Uzbekistan and India have signed 55 bilateral agreements, 
though few have been implemented.  He said that the GOI wants 
to use the visit to work on implementation, especially of 
those agreements between their respective Chamber of 
Commerces (ref A) and on visa liberalization to facilitate 
business travel.  However, Kumar said, the Uzbeks seem far 
more interested in signing new agreements, though they have 
yet to suggest any.  Kumar does not expect the leaders to 
sign any new defense or economic agreements during the visit. 
 Kumar also told the DCM he doubts Indian Airlines will 
resume its flights to Tashkent.  Uzbek Air currently runs 
nearly daily flights from London, through Tashkent, to New 
Delhi or Amritsar and back.  According to Kumar, the seats on 
this inexpensive flight are mostly filled by ethnic Indians 
residing in the UK and Canada. 
 
¶4. (C) Asked whether the PM would raise democracy and human 
rights issues, Kumar said Indian officials always bring up 
democracy, stressing the need in Uzbekistan to develop 
democratic institutions.  For some years India has been 
assisting in this effort by trying to build up 
institution-to-institution ties and offering public 
administration and good governance training in India.  Kumar 
hinted the PM may offer expanded training opportunities in 
this area, as well as in English.  The Indian side would 
prefer to send Indian English teachers to Uzbekistan as the 
most cost-effective way to teach the most Uzbeks, but the GOU 
prefers to send individual Uzbeks to India to study English. 
Kumar commented negatively on the English skills of some 
recent Uzbek military officers sent to India for training. 
 
TASHKENT 00000799  002 OF 002 
 
 
 
¶5. (C) DCM queried Kumar whether the PM would raise with 
Karimov India's desire to become a full member of the SCO. 
Kumar laughed and said "no" that India at the right time 
would approach Russia and China.  When the two big guys are 
on board, he said, the "little guys" like Karimov will get on 
board, too. 
 
¶6. (C) Comment:  It seems the Indian government has no real 
agenda for the Uzbekistan trip, other than to respond to a 
long-standing Uzbek request for an Indian PM to visit.  The 
Indian Embassy is well aware that the Uzbeks will likely spin 
this visit to show Karimov embracing democracy by meeting 
with the leader of the largest democracy in the world.  We 
will see if Karimov tells Singh that Western-style democracy 
violates the moral purity of Uzbeks (ref B), as he said when 
he recently visited South Korea. 
PURNELL