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RR RUEHAST RUEHBI RUEHCI RUEHLH RUEHLN RUEHPW RUEHVK RUEHYG
DE RUEHEK #0094/01 0290934
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 290934Z JAN 08
FM AMEMBASSY BISHKEK
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 0591
INFO RUCNCIS/CIS COLLECTIVE
RUCNCLS/ALL SOUTH AND CENTRAL ASIA COLLECTIVE
RUEAWJA/DEPT OF JUSTICE WASHDC
RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING 2406
RHEFDIA/DIA WASHDC
RUEKJCS/OSD WASHDC
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC
RUEKJCS/JOINT STAFF WASHDC
RUEHGV/USMISSION GENEVA 0826
RUEHVEN/USMISSION USOSCE 2812
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 2196
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RUEHBS/USEU BRUSSELS
RUEHLMC/MILLENNIUM CHALLENGE CORP
RUMICEA/USCENTCOM INTEL CEN MACDILL AFB FL

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 BISHKEK 000094 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSTIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR G/TIP: MHALL 
DEPT FOR SCA/CEN: DGEHRENBECK 
DEPT FOR DRL/NESCA: RWALDSTEIN 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: KCRM SMIG KWMN PGOV PREL PHUM KG XH ZK ZJ
SUBJECT: Kyrgyzstan Hosts TIP Roundtable for CIS Countries 
 
Ref:  Bishkek 36 
 
BISHKEK 00000094  001.2 OF 002 
 
 
¶1. (U) Summary: On December 13-14, 2007, the Kyrgyz State Committee 
on Migration and Employment with the OSCE hosted a regional round 
table entitled "Combating Trafficking in Human Beings in Central 
Asia: State Policies, Dynamics and Ways Forward." Participants 
included representatives from both NGOs and government officials 
from the majority of Commonwealth of Independent (CIS) member 
nations. The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), OSCE 
and other international organizations were also present and were 
featured speakers. Each delegation spoke on topics ranging from 
their own country's experiences with TIP to what successful anti-TIP 
measures they had implemented. NGOs specifically focused on the 
importance of civil society in combating trafficking in persons 
(TIP) and how government efforts can complement those of NGOs in the 
three P's of TIP:  Prevention, Prosecution and Protection. End 
Summary. 
 
¶2. (U) On December 13-14, 2007, Kyrgyzstan hosted a regional 
roundtable on Combating Trafficking in Persons. Organized by the 
OSCE, the Kyrgyz State Committee of Migration and Employment (SCME), 
the UNODC, and the United Nations Global Initiative to Fight Human 
Trafficking (UN GIFT), the roundtable featured delegations from 
Belarus, the European Commission, the International Labor 
Organization (ILO), Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Russia, 
Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, UNICEF, and Uzbekistan. 
Delegations included government officials from ministries that 
encounter TIP, such as the Ministries of Interior, Migration or 
Prosecutor's Offices, and representatives from various NGOs. 
 
¶3. (U) All parties present expressed agreement on the importance of 
combating TIP and ensuring that victims have adequate protection and 
assistance. Speakers from the OSCE emphasized that TIP is not just a 
human rights issue but also a national security threat due to its 
ties to organized crime and illegal migration. While each 
participating country had specific problems with TIP, certain tools, 
such as hotlines, information centers for intending migrants, 
shelters for victims, and effective legislation for prosecuting 
traffickers, appear to be universally used by either governments or 
NGOs in preventing TIP and assisting victims. Recommendations were 
made to the delegations concerning establishment of temporary 
resident status for victims, appropriate training for law 
enforcement officials to ensure that victims are not further 
criminalized in the process of combating TIP. While it may be 
expedient to quickly facilitate repatriation of a TIP victim to 
their country of origin, it was stated that successful prosecution 
depends on accurate gathering of evidence which victims are unlikely 
to provide if they perceive themselves vulnerable to reprisals from 
traffickers or further prosecution for their illegal status. 
 
¶4. (U) UNGIFT is sponsoring a follow-up forum in February 2008 in 
Vienna to address the root causes of trafficking, the social and 
economic impacts, and the actions necessary to eradicate it. The 
organizers are specifically inviting destination countries, such as 
the United Arab Emirates, to participate and learn from TIP origin 
countries such as those in Central Asia and the CIS. 
 
¶5. (SBU) Comment: Following a series of anti-TIP programs in 
Kyrgyzstan in late 2007 (Reftel), the December anti-TIP conference 
brought together a number of regional experts to share experiences 
and discuss how effectively to combat the problem and assist 
victims. Informally, many of the participants stated that this event 
was a good introductory platform from which to proceed with regional 
cooperation. One of the liveliest portions of the conference was a 
heated debate concerning the role of NGOs and civil society in 
combating TIP.  A Belorussian delegate accused NGOs of "trying to 
control" their governments and stated that working with NGOs was 
ineffective and time wasting. The OSCE rep then pointed out that 40% 
of TIP victims are discovered through NGOs, and the Ukrainian NGO La 
Strada's representative calmly replied that NGOs have a right as 
 
BISHKEK 00000094  002.2 OF 002 
 
 
stakeholders in the country to ensure the government is acting in 
the interests of its people. 
 
Yovanovitch