VZCZCXYZ0003
RR RUEHWEB

DE RUEHDBU #0002/01 0021149
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 021149Z JAN 08
FM AMEMBASSY DUSHANBE
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 0061
INFO RUEHEK/AMEMBASSY BISHKEK 0003
RUEHAH/AMEMBASSY ASHGABAT 0003
RUEHTA/AMEMBASSY ASTANA 0003
RUEHNT/AMEMBASSY TASHKENT 0003
RUEHMO/AMEMBASSY MOSCOW 0003
RUEHBUL/AMEMBASSY KABUL 0009

UNCLAS DUSHANBE 000002 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
SENSITIVE 
 
STATE FOR SCA/CEN 
 
E.O. 12958:  N/A 
TAGS: EAID PGOV PREL TI
SUBJECT:  DEPUTY FOREIGN MINISTER REQUESTS HELP TO REBUILD TAJIK 
NATIONAL MEDICAL UNIVERSITY 
 
¶1.  (SBU) Summary:  Tajik Deputy Foreign Minister Kasimov summoned 
donor country representatives December 27 to request assistance for 
rebuilding the National Medical University, which had burnt to the 
ground the day before.  Kasimov stated that primary responsibility 
for the emergency response rests with the Tajik government, and 
acknowledged that spending on lavish presidential show projects has 
contributed to growing donor fatigue.  Kasimov also discussed 
progress on operations at the U.S.-built Tajik-Afghan bridge and 
offered advice on conducting future exchanges with the Tajik 
Parliament.  End summary. 
 
 
National Medical University - Tajiks Request Help 
--------------------------------------------- ---- 
 
¶2.  (SBU) Electric heaters, ancient wiring, and an alarmingly poor 
response from firefighters contributed to the total destruction of 
the main building of the Tajik Medical University on December 26. 
One of the oldest government buildings in this relatively young 
capital, the Tajik Medical University graced the city's main 
tree-lined boulevard and was situated close to the Chinese Embassy 
and the governmental dacha complex, and only a few hundred meters 
from the main fire department.  The interior of the building was 
totally destroyed.  However, authorities were able to save only the 
contents of the university's library and archives.  There were no 
casualties.  Multiple witnesses reported that the fire brigade was 
extremely slow to respond and when it finally arrived on site had no 
ability to pump water onto the burning building.  One rumor was that 
the hydrants near the campus had all been paved over during one of 
the road renovations in front of the governmental dacha compound. 
Firefighters remained at the scene overnight watching the fire 
consume the building. 
 
¶3.  (SBU) With smoke still rising from the ashes, the government 
took quick steps to organize a response to the fire.  A press 
release the following morning announced the opening of a bank 
account to accept contributions toward rebuilding the university 
campus, and President Rahmon instructed the ministries of health and 
foreign affairs to reach out to donor missions.  Contacts in 
academic institutions have reported that "voluntary contributions" 
will be taken from their paychecks to help fund the recovery. 
 
¶4.  (U) Deputy Foreign Minister Kasimov summoned the deputy chief of 
mission and USAID country director on December 27 to ask what U.S. 
assistance might be forthcoming.  He met separately with 
representatives of other donor countries and multilateral 
institutions.  Kasimov had few details about the number of students 
and staff displaced by the fire and noted he was more concerned 
about the impact on Tajikistan's health sector than about the actual 
physical building.  By December 28, post had received the Health 
Ministry's more detailed list of needs.  Post offered to assess the 
needs and determine whether U.S. assistance could usefully 
contribute to the emergency response. 
 
¶5.  (SBU) In order to manage expectations, we informed Kasimov that 
a cash contribution to the government's emergency account, or U.S. 
financing of a reconstruction project would not be possible. 
However, we would look into whether our ongoing programs might be 
configured to help minimize the impact on the country's health 
sector.  Kasimov agreed the government itself would have to take on 
Qsector.  Kasimov agreed the government itself would have to take on 
the main task of rebuilding, but said any donor help would speed the 
recovery.  We informed Kasimov rather bluntly that donors were 
growing weary of the government passing the hat for contributions 
for "priority" projects while President Rahmon continues to waste 
funding on ostentatious show projects such as the new gold-domed 
presidential palace.  When the medical university was first built in 
the late 1930s, it was one of the very first government buildings, 
along with the Pedagogical University, to be constructed in the 
capital (then Stalinabad) -- demonstrating that health and education 
were government priorities.  Those should still be top priorities 
for the Tajik government, just as they are for our U.S. assistance 
programs. 
 
¶6.  (SBU) Comment: Kasimov took note of our points on donor fatigue, 
although he is unlikely to pass along our suggestion to divert 
funding from the presidential palace in order to rebuild the medical 
campus.  The mandatory contributions from the already poorly paid 
university faculty and staff could cause some public discontent, 
although past government decrees -- e.g., dictating dress codes for 
students -- tended to receive unanimous support (at least publicly) 
from university staff.  End comment. 
 
Dealing with Parliament on Exchanges 
------------------------------------ 
 
¶7.  (SBU) We also used the meeting with Deputy Foreign Minister 
Kasimov to inform him about problems encountered during the recent 
Open World exchange program involving a group of four Tajik 
parliamentarians.  The Tajik members of parliament skipped scheduled 
events, pressured the organizers to allow more time for shopping and 
sight-seeing, and were caught consuming large quantities of alcohol 
on the flight over and at a fast food restaurant in Utah.  Kasimov 
said that he had not received a report on this exchange from Tajik 
Ambassador Shirinov in Washington and advised the Embassy to meet 
with the Speaker of Parliament to discuss these issues.  He agreed 
that exchange programs should not be used as rewards or boondoggles 
for Tajik officials. 
 
 
Tajik-Afghan Bridge 
------------------- 
 
 
¶8.  (U) Kasimov raised the issue of the Tajik-Afghan bridge, noting 
that commercial operations have been expanding since the initial 
vehicles were allowed across the bridge in November.  He reminded us 
that security issues remain a chief concern on the Tajik side. 
(Note: Kasimov played a critical role in convincing the State 
Committee on National Security, which oversees the Tajik Border 
Guards, to acquiesce to the initial commercial operations on the 
bridge.)  We provided a status report on continued construction 
activities at the bridge site and plans for equipping and training 
the border guards and customs officials posted at Nizhniy Pyanj. 
 
JACOBSON