VZCZCXRO7935
PP RUEHDBU
DE RUEHNT #0971/01 1370026
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
P 170026Z MAY 07
FM AMEMBASSY TASHKENT
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 7860
INFO RUEHAH/AMEMBASSY ASHGABAT 3036
RUEHTA/AMEMBASSY ASTANA 9164
RUEHEK/AMEMBASSY BISHKEK 3640
RUEHDBU/AMEMBASSY DUSHANBE 3504
RUEHKV/AMEMBASSY KYIV 0005
RUEHBS/USEU BRUSSELS

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 TASHKENT 000971 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR SCA/CEN 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/17/2017 
TAGS: PREL PRGOV ECON PINR UP UZ
SUBJECT: YANUKOVYCH'S TASHKENT VISIT MARKS GRADUAL PROGRESS 
IN UKRAINE-UZBEK RELATIONS 
 
Classified By: CLASSIFIED BY CDA BRAD HANSON FOR REASONS 1.4 (B, D). 
 
¶1. (C) Summary: The Ukrainian Ambassador discussed with 
Charge and Poloff the recent visit to Tashkent of Ukrainian 
Prime Minister Viktor Yanukovych.  He characterized the 
Ukraine-Uzbekistan relationship as complicated, particularly 
since the Orange Revolution, and said that Ukraine is 
approaching the Uzbeks with pragmatism and a healthy dose of 
patience.  Yanukovych's visit was brief, but covered many 
issues, mostly economic.  Trade turnover between the two 
countries continues to grow, and Ukraine is particularly 
interested in helping Uzbekistan become an independent actor 
in the oil, gas, and energy market, in order to help Ukraine 
diversify its own pool of suppliers.  According to the 
Ambassador, Ukrainian cultural and educational programs 
continue unhindered.  End summary. 
 
¶2. (C) On May 4, Charge and Poloff met with Ukrainian 
Ambassador Vyacheslav Pokhvalsky following the April 25-26 
visit of Ukrainian Prime Minister Viktor Yanukovych to 
Tashkent.  Pokhvalsky noted that Ukraine and Uzbekistan have 
had a strategic partnership dating from Leonid Kuchma's 
presidency; however, in the past year it has been hard to 
characterize it as such.  The last visit by a Ukrainian Prime 
Minister was in June 2004.  There was a sharp decline in 
dialogue between the two countries following the Orange 
Revolution; now, he said, the two countries are trying to 
"resurrect a normal relationship."  He said that President 
Karimov has had a standing invitation to visit Kyiv for the 
past five years, and the invitation was re-extended by PM 
Yanukovich, but Karimov has not yet accepted. 
 
¶3. (C) The Ukraine-Uzbekistan relationship is complicated, 
Pokhvalsky said, and Yanukovych's visit represented gradual 
progress.  The Ukrainian Government views the relationship in 
a pragmatic light, and the list of topics of 
discussion--which included most prominently cooperation in 
the oil, gas, and power sectors--reflected that mood.  During 
the visit, agreement was reportedly reached on establishing a 
Ukrainian Center of Business Cooperation, as well as various 
agreements on trade of industrial goods.  The Ukrainian 
Political Counselor provided a list of ongoing joint 
scientific projects, which included such ventures as the 
development and application of solar power technology and 
drinking water purification processes. 
 
¶4. (C) Pokhvalsky said that mutual economic interests are 
broad.  Trade turnover between the two countries was 
approximately $640 million in 2006, up from $315 million in 
the prior year.  He said that Ukraine is now seeking to 
diversify its sources of natural gas, and to that end is 
working to help Uzbekistan become a more independent actor in 
the world market.  He noted that a delegation from the 
Ukrainian national oil and gas company plans to visit 
Uzbekistan in the near future for geological survey work.  He 
noted that Ukraine is also a major importer of automobiles 
and farm equipment assembled in Uzbekistan, and Ukraine is 
cooperating with Tashkent's Chkalov Aircraft Plant (TAPOiCh) 
on production of Antonov An-70 and An-148 airplanes. 
 
¶5. (C) Pokhvalsky said that an estimated 100,000 ethnic 
Ukrainians live in Uzbekistan, and Ukrainians have lived in 
the region for over 200 years.  In addition, approximately 
50,000 Crimean Tartars remain of the much larger population 
that once lived here.  Some prominent figures in Uzbekistan 
politics and business are Ukrainian, including Navoi mining 
boss Nikolai Kuchersky, who graduated from the Dnipropetrovsk 
Mining Institute.  Pokhvalsky stated that eight Ukrainian 
cultural centers operate in Uzbekistan, two of which are in 
Tashkent.  Pokhvalsky said that none has complained of 
harassment by the authorities, and he has encouraged the 
centers to operate even more openly.  He said that hundreds 
of Uzbek students study in Ukrainian educational institutions 
each year through programs that continue unhindered. 
 
¶6. (C) Comment: Complications in Ukraine's relationship with 
Uzbekistan are not surprising.  The Government of Uzbekistan 
considers Ukraine's Orange Revolution to have been the 
product of a U.S.-led plot, which has since been turned 
against Uzbekistan.  Ambassador Pokhvalsky clearly 
understands this.  He is a seasoned diplomat, and a political 
appointee who previously served as a provincial governor in 
Ukraine.  He also understands that, given Uzbekistan's 
political environment, progress in relations will take time 
 
TASHKENT 00000971  002 OF 002 
 
 
and patient effort. 
HANSON