VZCZCXRO1703
PP RUEHIK RUEHPOD RUEHYG
DE RUEHNT #0786/01 1901102
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 081102Z JUL 08
FM AMEMBASSY TASHKENT
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 9956
INFO RUEHZG/NATO EU COLLECTIVE
RUEHAH/AMEMBASSY ASHGABAT 4131
RUEHTA/AMEMBASSY ASTANA 0344
RUEHEK/AMEMBASSY BISHKEK 4746
RUEHLM/AMEMBASSY COLOMBO 0611
RUEHKA/AMEMBASSY DHAKA 0470
RUEHDBU/AMEMBASSY DUSHANBE 0628
RUEHIL/AMEMBASSY ISLAMABAD 4337
RUEHBUL/AMEMBASSY KABUL 2629
RUEHKT/AMEMBASSY KATHMANDU 0650
RUEHMO/AMEMBASSY MOSCOW 7489
RUEHNE/AMEMBASSY NEW DELHI 1286
RUEHVEN/USMISSION USOSCE 2600
RHEFDIA/DIA WASHDC
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHINGTON DC 0196
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC 0045

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 TASHKENT 000786 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
EUR/ACE FOR RICK STODDARD AND DEAN FISCHER 
ASTANA FOR ALMATY/USAID 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV PREL PHUM EAID PINR UZ
SUBJECT: UZBEKISTAN: INSTITUTE FOR NEW DEMOCRACIES FINALLY 
RECEIVES REGISTRATION 
 
REF: TASHKENT 303 
 
SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED -- PLEASE PROTECT ACCORDINGLY 
 
¶1. (SBU) Summary:  The Ministry of Justice chose the symbolic 
date of July 4 to announce the formal registration of the 
USAID-supported Institute for New Democracies (IND) in 
Uzbekistan.  Although IND has successfully functioned in a 
difficult environment for the past two years without 
registration, the conferring of official status is a major 
symbolic gesture by the Government of Uzbekistan that could 
pave the way for additional American NGO involvement in the 
civil society sphere.  IND will now be able to officially 
organize and attend events without the help of "local 
sponsors," although it will also be subject to the stringent 
banking requirements that affect all registered entities in 
Uzbekistan.  Along with the Government of Uzbekistan's 
strongest contingent of Fourth of July guests in recent 
memory, the registration of IND suggests the door is open to 
accelerate the pace of reengagement.  End summary. 
 
IND Finally Registered 
---------------------- 
 
¶2. (SBU) Mjusa Sever, Director of the IND office in Tashkent, 
received formal registration documents at a July 4 meeting 
with Akram Nematov, the Ministry of Justice's Head of 
International Relations and Acting Head of the Registration 
Department.  Nematov remarked that IND is the first U.S. 
organization to be formally registered in several years, and 
he specifically noted the symbolism of doing so on the Fourth 
of July as a means of expressing congratulations to the U.S. 
on its Independence Day.  The registration document has an 
unlimited time period and authorizes IND "to assist in 
implementing democratic reforms through education, policy 
research, and practical assistance to government institutions 
and civil society."  Nematov also told Sever that other 
organizations such as the American Bar Association - Rule of 
Law Initiative (ABA-ROLI) are "welcome to apply" for 
registration as well.  (Bio note:  The 32-year old Nematov is 
the son of First Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ilkhom 
Nematov.  Sever said his recently augmented portfolio was a 
positive sign, as was the appointment of the English-speaking 
Gulchehra Obilova as a deputy in the Registration Department, 
who previously worked for Freedom House and attended graduate 
school on a U.S. exchange program.  End bio note.) 
 
What Will be Different? 
----------------------- 
 
¶3. (SBU) IND, with USAID funding assistance, has successfully 
operated in Uzbekistan for the past two years without formal 
registration, and recently co-sponsored a significant 
international conference on law enforcement and human rights 
(reftel).  Now that it is officially registered, IND will 
have the ability to officially conduct events on its own 
without "local sponsors," which are generally 
quasi-governmental organizations or think tanks.  IND will 
also now enjoy the freedom to meet with Government of 
Uzbekistan officials and other entities.  As Sever told 
poloff, "people are now allowed to talk to us."  IND will 
conduct its first official function on July 10-11 when it 
hosts a workshop to discuss the new habeas corpus law, which 
will be followed by additional USAID-supported trainings in 
the provinces.  Sever envisions that IND can also make strong 
contributions in religious freedom and in penitentiary reform. 
 
¶4. (SBU) There are still some bureaucratic issues for IND to 
work through.  The organization must apply for its official 
stamp from the Ministry of Internal Affairs, and there is a 
separate process (also involving the Ministry of Justice) to 
 
TASHKENT 00000786  002 OF 002 
 
 
officially register the organization's logo.  In the 
meantime, IND will refrain from using its logo, especially 
since this was previously used as a basis for accusing 
non-governmental organizations of breaking rules in 
Uzbekistan.  As a registered entity, IND is now prohibited 
from cash operations and must begin making all transactions 
through one of the two state-authorized banks -- the National 
Bank of Uzbekistan or Asaka Bank.  (Note:  Stringent banking 
requirements affect all entities in Uzbekistan, but previous 
experience demonstrates that foreign non-governmental 
organizations are particularly susceptible to official 
scrutiny based on banking practices.  We have heard from NGOs 
recently that banking is still an issue but is improving 
somewhat.  End note.) 
 
Comment: 
-------- 
 
¶5. (SBU) Sever had indicated for several months that 
accreditation for IND would be forthcoming, and the 
Government of Uzbekistan may have held off on finalizing the 
paperwork until assessing how bilateral relations were 
shaping up from its perspective.  It's no coincidence that 
the certificate was presented to the American NGO on the 
Fourth of July, just hours after a 50-strong contingent of 
Uzbek officials turned up for our Fourth of July event. 
Officials on hand included First Deputy Prime Minister 
Azimov, Foreign Minister Norov, Minister of Foreign Economic 
Relations Ganiev, and the Speakers of both chambers of 
parliament -- one of our longtime local staff said it was the 
largest turnout he'd ever seen.  The signals are clear that 
the Government of Uzbekistan wants better relations, and it 
is even willing to tolerate civil society-focused 
non-governmental organizations -- if they stay on the marked 
trail. 
 
NORLAND