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C O N F I D E N T I A L STATE 104488 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/30/2018 
TAGS: ASEC NATO PHUM KDEM PREL KMAR AF RS UZ
SUBJECT: UNDER SECRETARY BURNS' MEETING WITH UZBEKISTAN 
FOREIGN MINISTER NOROV 
 
Classified By: Under Secretary William Burns for Reasons 1.4 
(B) and (D). 
 
 ¶1.  (C)  Under Secretary Burns met with Uzbek Foreign 
Minister Vladimir Norov on September 26 in New York on the 
margins of the UN General Assembly.  Norov told Burns that 
the Government of Uzbekistan was satisfied with the U.S.-Uzbek 
relationship, and hoped the relationship would grow in a 
balanced 
way.  The discussion focused on stability in Afghanistan, 
human 
rights and the Russia/Georgia conflict.  Under Secretary 
Burns 
welcomed Uzbek offers of support on Afghanistan and 
recognized 
Tashkent's refusal to support Russian recognition of Abkhazia 
and South Ossetia.  On human rights, Under Secretary Burns 
reminded Norov that our focus on this issue would likely 
continue during and after the presidential transition in the 
U.S., and urged him to finalize negotiations and agree to sign 
an agreement on Religious Freedom. 
 
¶2.  (SBU)  Meeting Participants 
 
Uzbekistan Foreign Minister Vladimir Norov 
Uzbekistan Ambassador to the United States Abdulaziz 
Kamilov 
Embassy of Uzbekistan First Secretary Eldor Aripov 
 
Under Secretary William Burns 
SCA Deputy Assistant Secretary George Krol 
SCA/CEN Desk Officer Brian Roraff (notetaker). 
 
¶3.  (C)  Norov began the meeting by telling Under 
Secretary Burns that he believed the U.S.-Uzbek 
relationship was improving and that the Government of 
Uzbekistan was ready and open for cooperation under the 
U.S.-Uzbekistan Strategic Framework Agreement of 2002. 
Uzbekistan wanted a balanced relationship that 
advanced our cooperation in the military, economic, 
humanitarian, and human rights spheres.  He thanked 
the United States for assistance provided in the 
aftermath of the explosion at the Kagan ammunition dump. 
 
¶4.  (C)  Norov then pointed out that Uzbekistan and the 
United States shared an interest in a stable Afghanistan. 
In Afghanistan, regional security, terrorism, narcotics 
and organized crime all come together.  Norov said the 
situation in Afghanistan was deteriorating, and that 
President Karimov himself offered Uzbekistan as a transit 
corridor for non-lethal supplies to NATO at the April 
NATO summit in Bucharest.  In fact, a NATO delegation 
was currently in Tashkent negotiating the transit 
agreement for the supply route.  Norov also 
highlighted President Karimov's proposal of a 6 3 
"contact group" to discuss the worsening 
situation in Afghanistan. 
 
¶5.  (C)  According to Norov, Uzbekistan was working to 
connect Afghanistan with the world.  He discussed an Uzbek 
effort to connect the southern Uzbek city of Hairatan with 
Mazar-e Sharif in Afghanistan by rail.  From Hairatan, a 
series of transport links would cross Central Asia to the 
Caspian, on to Baku, through the Caucasus to Turkey.  He 
briefed the EU on this proposal at the September 17 
EU-Central Asia Security Forum in Paris, but was 
disappointed when the EU gave it a lukewarm reception. 
He intimated that Uzbekistan was trying to link 
Afghanistan to the West, which was in the EU and United 
States' interest, and pointed out that Russia and China 
were trying to wield their influence in the region through 
the Collective Security Treaty Organization and the 
Shanghai Cooperation Organization. 
 
¶6.  (C)  Norov concluded his opening remarks by addressing 
democratization.  He told Under Secretary Burns that 
Uzbekistan was making progress, creating the institutional 
and legal framework for progress in this area.  To 
illustrate his point, he mentioned new Uzbek laws on 
habeas corpus, trafficking in persons and child labor. 
 
¶7.  (C)  Under Secretary Burns told Norov that the United 
States shared his concerns on Afghanistan welcomed 
Uzbekistan's efforts to support stability in the region. 
He acknowledged President Karimov's offer of 
assistance on Afghanistan at the NATO Bucharest summit and 
noted there were a number of international mechanisms 
Uzbekistan could participate in to help the situation. 
It was important that Uzbekistan's efforts complement 
existing mechanisms for coordination in Afghanistan. 
Turning to human rights, Under Secretary Burns urged steps 
to improve the general situation; it was in Uzbekistan's 
interest to do so.  He reminded Norov that human rights 
in Uzbekistan would likely remain an area of serious 
concern and focus under a new U.S. presidential 
administration.  Burns then urged Norov to complete 
negotiations on a binding U.S.-Uzbek agreement that 
would outline steps Uzbekistan could take to shed its 
status as a Country of Particular Concern. 
(Note:  Negotiations on this agreement have 
stalled in recent weeks.  End Note.) 
 
¶8.  (C)  Turning to Georgia, Under Secretary Burns 
noted that U.S. and Russian differences over the 
situation were considerable.  Russia had violated 
principles the United States would continue to 
staunchly defend, including territorial integrity 
and peaceful resolution of disputes.  Georgian President 
Mikhail Saakashvili had made mistakes, but Russia's 
response had been disproportionate.  The United States 
appreciated Uzbekistan's refusal to recognize Russian 
claims of South Ossetian and Abkhazian independence. 
 
¶9.  (C)  Norov reiterated that Uzbekistan did not approve 
of Russian or Georgian aggression.  Russian officials asked 
members of the Collective Security Treaty Organization at 
their recent meeting in Moscow to support Russia's Georgia 
policy, but Uzbekistan resisted.  Uzbekistan did not 
recognize 
Kosovo, either.  In fact, President Karimov recently 
reaffirmed 
Uzbekistan's support of the principle of territorial 
integrity 
on a recent trip to Baku.  Norov thought Russian actions 
could 
cause problems in Dagestan and Chechnya, in the north 
Caucasus. 
Uzbekistan expected more Pressure from Moscow, but Uzbek 
officials would not succumb or "act like Belarus," which was 
trying to trade its support to Moscow for lower gas prices. 
Norov warned that other countries, such as Kyrgyzstan, would 
find it more difficult to resist Russian pressure. 
Kyrgyzstan 
struggled through a tough winter last year, and its economy 
continued to deteriorate. 
 
¶10.  (C)  Under Secretary Burns again pointed to the 
important 
stand Uzbekistan took on Abkhazian and South Ossetian 
recognition.  Burns reminded Norov that even in the 1990s, 
when Chechnya complicated the U.S.-Russia relationship, 
the United States always stood for the principle of 
territorial 
integrity.  He then emphasized to Norov our other mutual 
interests in a stable Afghanistan and progress on human 
rights, 
noting that progress in all these areas was important to us. 
These priorities likely would remain very important under a 
new 
U.S. presidential administration. 
 
¶11.  (C)  Norov pointed to Uzbekistan's abolition of the death 
penalty (effective January 1, 2008) as evidence of progress 
on 
human rights.  He said that Uzbekistan would move "step by 
step" 
to improve human rights, beginning with improving legislation 
and institutions.  Uzbekistan desired wide cooperation in all 
of its bilateral relationships, he said, and pointed to U.S.- 
Uzbek economic cooperation through the Trade and Investment 
Framework Agreement (TIFA) and the U.S.-Uzbekistan Chamber of 
Commerce as evidence of this. 
 
¶12.  (C)  The meeting concluded on religious freedom, with 
Norov telling Under Secretary Burns that Uzbekistan was 
trying to encourage an "enlightened," moderate Islam. 
Accordingto Norov, members of all religious faiths were 
able to work without problems in Uzbekistan.  He added that 
religious groups had both rights andobligations, a reference 
to Uzbek concern overpossible extremism.  Uzbekistan is 
open to dialogue on the issue,according to Norov, and 
although there were differences on religious freedom the 
Uzbek side found their discussions with Ambassador-at-Large 
for Religious Freedom John Hanford to be productive. 
RICE