VZCZCXRO9695
RR RUEHLN RUEHVK RUEHYG
DE RUEHDBU #1155/01 2261231
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 141231Z AUG 07
FM AMEMBASSY DUSHANBE
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 0771
INFO RUCNCIS/CIS COLLECTIVE
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC
RUEHBUL/AMEMBASSY KABUL 2222
RUEHNE/AMEMBASSY NEW DELHI 2189
RUEHIL/AMEMBASSY ISLAMABAD 2227
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 1498
RUEHVEN/USMISSION USOSCE 2023
RUEHBS/USEU BRUSSELS 1252
RUEHDBU/AMEMBASSY DUSHANBE 2602

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 DUSHANBE 001155 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR SCA/CEN 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV PREL ECON TI
SUBJECT: TAJIKISTAN: SCENESETTER FOR ASSISTANT SECRETARY BOUCHER'S 
VISIT 
 
REF: A) DUSHANBE 1149; B) DUSHANBE 1130 
 
DUSHANBE 00001155  001.2 OF 002 
 
 
¶1.  (U)  Embassy Dushanbe welcomes Assistant Secretary Boucher 
and Senior Advisor Caitlin Hayden to Dushanbe for the Assistant 
Secretary's third visit to Tajikistan. 
 
SIPDIS 
 
¶2.  (U) By now, you have received two reftels describing the 
current environment in Tajikistan.  Ref B contains some generic 
talking points.  Below are some additional issues and suggested 
talking points we would like you to raise.  Your visit will come 
10 days after the Shanghai Cooperation Organization summit in 
Bishkek and two weeks after President Rahmon's trip to 
Azerbaijan.  President Nazarbayev of Kazakhstan is expected to 
visit in mid-September and Dushanbe will host a Collective 
Security Treaty Organization conference October 5, which is also 
Rahmon's birthday.  Your meeting with Rahmon will be a good 
opportunity to query him on these regional developments. 
 
TRILATERAL DISCUSSIONS: REGIONAL COOPERATION AND SECURITY 
 
¶3.  (SBU) Security and the Bridge:  As noted in Ref A, 
Tajikistan is behind the curve on planning to manage the bridge 
and related border security.  It will be months before the 
Tajiks are ready to deploy an appropriate border force.  After 
months of telling Ambassador "not to worry" about this issue, 
Foreign Minister Zarifi told Ambassador August 9, "We really 
don't have the knowledge or experience to set this up." 
 
-- Tajikistan and Afghanistan need to take the lead on operating 
the bridge.  We encourage Tajikistan and Afghanistan to work 
quickly towards integrating customs and immigration procedures, 
including properly training staff. 
 
-- U.S. assistance programs have already provided extensive 
training for border guards and customs officials (although the 
Border Guards have opted out of some recent training events). 
We are looking at ways to provide you with a border crossing 
expert specifically to train your staff on how to operate the 
new bridge crossing. 
 
-- Recently your government announced the decision not to allow 
Afghan border guards to train with their Tajik counterparts in 
Tajikistan.  You should seriously reconsider this decision, and 
permit Afghan staff to participate in U.S. and EU-funded border 
guard training programs.  Joint training and network-building is 
necessary for effective border management. 
 
-- We are looking into moving the construction bridge at 
Nizhny-Pyanj to Kokul and are checking with Central Command 
about the feasibility and costs of moving the construction 
bridge. 
 
¶4.  (SBU)  Hydropower and Energy:  You can expect the Tajiks to 
push, once again, for U.S. financing and construction of a 
billion-dollar hydroelectric station at Dostijhum.  This is of 
interest to Afghanistan as well, as the dam could also provide 
agricultural irrigation to northern Afghanistan. 
 
-- To the extent that your government is successful in 
negotiating an international standard power purchase agreement 
with Afghanistan, this would send a good signal to potential 
investors.  We would be happy if an American company would be 
interested in constructing the Dostijhum hydropower station, but 
the U.S. government does not direct American businesses where to 
invest or how to operate.  In order to attract American 
investment, you should work on improving the business climate. 
I am confident that private investment is more effective in the 
long term than state-run business. 
 
BILATERAL TALKS 
 
¶5.  (SBU)  Create a Welcoming Business Environment 
 
-- Private investors will make judgments about the business 
environment here based on economic opportunity and concrete 
government actions.  American businesses are concerned about 
government directives and perceived government attempts at 
controlling private business.  One example is Comsup.  Comsup is 
an American company that owns the firm Anzob.  Anzob received 
instructions from the government to sell its antimony production 
to another Tajik company at below market rates.  This kind of 
government interference in private business is not a good signal 
 
DUSHANBE 00001155  002.2 OF 002 
 
 
for other potential investors. 
 
¶6.  (SBU)  Respect Religious Freedom 
 
-- We are concerned about the draft law on religion and 
religious associations.  The Organization for Security and 
Cooperation in Europe as well as others report that the draft 
law may violate some international religious freedom standards. 
Additionally, I have heard reports of mosque closures and 
pressure on religious groups.  What can you tell me about these 
reports and the status of the draft law on religion? 
 
¶7.  (SBU)  Stop Harassment Towards Civil Society 
 
-- I am also concerned about the law on public associations that 
your government passed in May and its potential impact on civil 
society.  I hope that you can create an environment where 
nongovernmental organizations can operate freely. 
Nongovernmental organizations work hard in this country to 
promote democratic reform and economic growth.  They share your 
common goal of long-term stability and development.  Potential 
private U.S. investors also view a vibrant civil society as a 
positive factor when deciding to invest in a country. 
 
-- The last time we met in Dushanbe, I had hoped that you would 
be able to register National Democratic Institute and Internews 
Network.  The country directors of both organizations have not 
yet received long-term visas and Internews Network cannot 
implement its U.S.-funded community radio stations project. 
These actions have already reduced U.S. assistance and, more 
importantly, send a signal to the world that Tajikistan is not 
interested in cooperation in democratic development and a free 
media. 
 
¶8.  (U)  Embassy Dushanbe looks forward to your visit, and to 
the opening of the Tajik-Afghan Bridge. 
JACOBSON