VZCZCXRO2077
RR RUEHDBU RUEHIK RUEHLN RUEHPOD RUEHSK RUEHSL RUEHVK RUEHYG
DE RUEHNT #1011/01 1691055
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 181057Z JUN 09
FM AMEMBASSY TASHKENT
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 1026
INFO CIS COLLECTIVE
NATO EU COLLECTIVE
RHEFDIA/DIA WASHINGTON DC
RHEHAAA/NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL WASHINGTON DC
RHMFISS/CJCS WASHINGTON DC
RHMFIUU/CDR USCENTCOM MACDILL AFB FL
RHMFIUU/DEPT OF JUSTICE WASHINGTON DC
RUEABND/DEA HQS WASHINGTON DC
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHINGTON DC
RUEHAK/AMEMBASSY ANKARA 0066
RUEHBUL/AMEMBASSY KABUL 0092
RUEHIL/AMEMBASSY ISLAMABAD 0271
RUEHNE/AMEMBASSY NEW DELHI 0259
RUEHNT/AMEMBASSY TASHKENT
RUEHVEN/USMISSION USOSCE 0241
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHINGTON DC

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 TASHKENT 001011 
 
SIPDIS 
ANKARA FOR DEA CHRIS MELINK 
DEPARTMENT FOR INL ANDREW BUHLER 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL SNAR KCRM EAID UZ
SUBJECT: UZBEKISTAN:  OFF-SHORE DEA COUNTRY ATTACHE FINALLY GRANTED 
ACCREDITATION 
 
SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED - PLEASE PROTECT ACCORDINGLY 
 
 
 
¶1. (U) Summary:  On June 15, the Embassy was informed orally by the 
Ministry of Foreign Affairs that the accreditation request for the 
Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Country Attache has been 
approved.  This is a major step forward and should usher in a new 
era of enhanced counternarcotics cooperation with Uzbekistan, 
although many bureaucratic issues must still be addressed.  End 
summary. 
 
 
 
Accreditation Granted at Last 
 
------------------------------------ 
 
 
 
¶2. (SBU) The Embassy was notified by telephone on June 15 that the 
application for accreditation for the DEA Country Attache, who has 
been based in Ankara, Turkey, was approved.  No formal notification 
is provided in writing for such accreditation decisions, which is 
unusual for a country that typically requires diplomatic notes for 
virtually any correspondence or interaction.  The next step will be 
for the Country Attache to travel to Uzbekistan on a temporary visa 
in order to submit his passport for the appropriate long-term visa 
and formal accreditation.  This visit is proposed for June 22 - 
July 1 in conjunction with UNODC/OSCE precursor training events in 
the country, although the request for the initial visa is still in 
the lengthy processing phase.  In Uzbekistan, accreditation is a 
crucial prerequisite to conducting any business, interacting with 
any host government officials, or traveling outside the capital 
city. 
 
 
 
¶3. (SBU) Significantly, the government's decision to accredit the 
DEA Country Attache breaks a major logjam in our sustained efforts 
over the past 15 months to increase engagement on counternarcotics 
issues.  It also definitively resolves the question - prompted by 
cryptic communication and prolonged silence from the Uzbek side - 
about whether DEA Special Agents could officially augment the 
Embassy staff (the Uzbeks had suggested that generalist diplomats 
already assigned to Embassy Tashkent should instead liaise on 
counternarcotics issues). 
 
 
 
Still More Work to be Done 
 
--------------------------------- 
 
 
 
¶4. (SBU) Accreditation for the Country Attache is only the first 
step in effectively reestablishing DEA's presence in Uzbekistan. 
DEA plans to assign two Special Agents to Embassy Tashkent as well 
as an Amcit administrative specialist.  The second Special Agent 
has already been identified, however a request for his 
accreditation had intentionally not been submitted for 
consideration.  This strategy was devised in order to appeal to the 
Uzbeks' oft-stated motto of "step by step" reengagement, and it 
also built on the numerous successful TDY trips the Country Attache 
made to Uzbekistan to begin building personal relationships. 
Moving forward, there is no guarantee the Uzbeks will approve 
subsequent accreditation requests. 
 
 
 
¶5. (SBU) While an openly accredited DEA Country Attache was a major 
 
TASHKENT 00001011  002 OF 002 
 
 
goal, the Government of Uzbekistan has never specifically responded 
to our diplomatic note submitted in January proposing the 
establishment of a de facto DEA-staffed "Counternarcotics Section" 
at the Embassy, which would be under Chief of Mission authority and 
headed by the Country Attache.  This was itself an alternative 
strategy developed after Uzbekistan officially denied a summer 2008 
note seeking to establish a DEA Office at the Embassy, and we never 
fully understood why this was a contentious issue for the host 
government.  Thus, while we can proceed with the assumption that we 
indeed have a Counternarcotics Section that will be headed by the 
DEA Country Attache, we will have to test the waters to see how the 
host government interacts with the new mission member. 
 
 
 
¶6. (SBU) A key remaining issue is securing sufficient access to 
government counterparts in the Ministry of Internal Affairs and the 
National Security Service.  To operate effectively, the DEA Country 
Attache needs the ability to readily contact host government 
officials and exchange operational information in support of 
investigations.  This type of procedural protocol is particularly 
onerous in Uzbekistan, and diplomats must submit diplomatic notes 
far in advance even to arrange working-level meetings.  Pursuant to 
this, we are requesting a meeting with MFA and law enforcement 
officials to attempt to establish a satisfactory system by which 
the DEA can cut out the bureaucratic middlemen and talk directly 
with the people who work on drug investigations. 
 
 
 
Comment: 
 
-------------- 
 
 
 
¶7. (SBU) Obtaining accreditation for the DEA Country Attache is a 
major positive development and demonstrates that sustained 
engagement can pay dividends.  In addition to the regular visits by 
DEA officials to Uzbekistan, the Uzbeks appreciated the recent warm 
reception in Washington when First Deputy Foreign Minister 
Karamatov visited DEA Headquarters.  We believe Karamatov's 
personal report to President Karimov may have contributed to a 
breakthrough.  We still do not have a full-fledged DEA office, but 
this positive signal should enable us to substantially deepen 
cooperation on an area of mutual interest. 
NORLAND