VZCZCXRO6538
RR RUEHAG RUEHAST RUEHDA RUEHDBU RUEHDF RUEHFL RUEHIK RUEHKW RUEHLA
RUEHLN RUEHLZ RUEHNP RUEHPOD RUEHROV RUEHSK RUEHSL RUEHSR RUEHVK
RUEHYG
DE RUEHNT #1151/01 1871029
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 061031Z JUL 09
FM AMEMBASSY TASHKENT
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 1100
INFO CIS COLLECTIVE
EUROPEAN POLITICAL COLLECTIVE
RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING 0069
RUEHBUL/AMEMBASSY KABUL 0099
RUEHIL/AMEMBASSY ISLAMABAD 0277
RUEHKA/AMEMBASSY DHAKA 0214
RUEHKT/AMEMBASSY KATHMANDU 0211
RUEHLM/AMEMBASSY COLOMBO 0214
RUEHNE/AMEMBASSY NEW DELHI 0265
RUEHNT/AMEMBASSY TASHKENT

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 TASHKENT 001151 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
DEPARTMENT FOR SCA/CEN 
DEPARTMENT FOR OES (PATRICK HUDAK AND NINA FITE) 
EMBASSY ASTANA FOR BRUCE HUDSPETH 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: ECON PREL TSPL ETTC KTIA KIPR KSTC UZ
SUBJECT: UZBEKISTAN:  S&T IN UZBEKISTAN AND PROGRESS ON A U.S.-UZBEK 
S&T AGREEMENT 
 
REF: TASHKENT 132 
 
¶1. (SBU) SUMMARY.  OES/STC Officer Michael C. Schena 
(ESToff) visited Uzbekistan from June 1 through July 6 to 
discuss Uzbek Science and Technology (S&T) infrastructure 
and to continue negotiations on a U.S.-Uzbek S&T 
Cooperation Agreement.  Uzbek science officials expressed 
a strong desire to continue and expand cooperation with 
the United States on S&T issues.  Uzbekistan is 
interested in collaborative research in both fundamental 
and applied sciences.  Although agreement on the final 
version of the S&T Agreement was not reached during 
ESToff's visit, substantial progress was achieved that 
should allow the agreement to be finalized before the end 
of 2009.  END SUMMARY 
 
S&T AGREEMENT BACKGROUND 
------------------------ 
 
¶2. (SBU) An S&T Agreement was first proposed to the GOU 
in 2004.  That agreement was shelved as a consequence of 
the decertification following the 2005 Andijan events and 
the subsequent decline in overall relations.  In mid 
2008, as part of the rapprochement between the U.S. and 
Uzbekistan, an S&T framework agreement was again proposed 
as a means to increase collaboration in the non-military 
sector. Due to delays on the U.S. side, the GOU was first 
to propose text for this agreement (reftel).  Around the 
time the GOU proposed this text, clearance was received 
to present the USG draft text of the agreement.  Both 
sides later agreed that the USG version would be the 
starting point for negotiations. 
 
R&D POLICY IN UZBEKISTAN 
------------------------ 
 
¶3. (SBU) The Uzbekistan Academy of Sciences is the 
governmental organization that carries out fundamental 
and applied research in scientific, technical and 
cultural spheres.  The Academy is under the Committee for 
Coordination of Science and Technology Development at the 
Cabinet of Ministers.  The Chairman of the S&T Committee 
is also the President of the Academy of Sciences.  The 
Academy develops and implements most important 
fundamental and applied programs, takes part in 
identifying and developing priority directions of 
scientific progress, and decides the organizational and 
structural issues of its structural dependents that 
currently consist of 48 research institutes covering 
approximately 422 sub-disciplines. 
 
¶4. (SBU) The Uzbekistan Academy of Sciences: 
 
-- carries out fundamental research in the natural, 
technical, medical, and social sciences and in the 
humanities; 
 
-- supports economic, social and cultural progress of 
Uzbek society; 
 
-- implements state policies in science and technical 
fields; 
 
-- develops new technologies and provides for their 
practical implementation; 
 
-- provides vocational training to scientists, supports 
scientific and technical collaboration and exchanges of 
Uzbek scientists; 
 
-- develops international cooperation with foreign 
academies, scientific-research organizations, 
international funds and other international 
organizations. 
 
TASHKENT 00001151  002 OF 003 
 
 
FIRST S&T AGREEMENT MEETING AT THE MFA 
-------------------------------------- 
 
¶5. (SBU) On June 5 ESToff met with Komil Rashidov, Head 
of the MFA's Treaty Law Department, to discuss the draft 
text of the bilateral S&T Cooperation Agreement.  Rustam 
¶M. Saidov from the Uzbek Committee for Coordination of 
S&T Development was also in attendance. 
 
¶6. (SBU) Rashidov had few objections to the draft text. 
He requested we consider the Uzbek draft text (reftel) 
and see what from that could be incorporated. Rashidovs 
principal objection was to the article relating to the 
prohibition of taxation of FOAA Funds. His objection was 
the lack of reciprocity in that this is one of the few 
paragraphs not beginning with "the Parties."  Rashidov 
then went on to explain that Uzbek law prohibits the 
taxation of grants and applying customs duties to any 
commodity used for science and technology.  ESToff 
explained the congressional mandate requiring this 
language as well as the fact that using "the Parties" in 
this article would lead to text stating that the USG will 
not tax USG funds.  ESToff stated we could remove the 
language and instead state "no FOAA funds will be used," 
but cautioned that this could limit funding in the 
future.  Saidov asked for further clarification on this 
point, to which ESToff offered to provide further detail 
on FOAA at the next meeting. 
 
¶7. (SBU) Rashidov's second objection was to the 
agreement's 10 year duration.  Although the USG prefers 
10 years, the agreement could in fact be as short as the 
Uzbeks want, but this could limit the scale of long term 
projects.  ESToff and Rashidov agreed to meet again in 13 
days. 
 
SECOND (INFORMAL) S&T AGREEMENT MEETING 
--------------------------------------- 
 
¶8. (SBU) It soon became apparent, however, that the GOU 
was "not ready" to formally discuss the S&T agreement and 
would not be ready in time for a second formal meeting 
with ESToff.  Instead, on July 1 ESToff held informal 
discussions with Saidov and Prof. Madjid Karimov, 
Executive Director for the S&T Committee. Karimov 
informed that the agreement is with the MFA and that they 
have taken into account the matters discussed at the last 
meeting.  Karimov said the GOU would accept both annexes 
"as is," which could be seen as progress in the 
relationship with the GOU on IPR issues.  In regards to 
Article 8 FOAA language, Karimov did not formally propose 
text, but asked if it would be possible to modify the 
language in Article 8.5 to state the following:  "All 
funds, grants, commodities, services, equipment and 
resources used in persistence to this agreement shall be 
exempt from customs, duties, taxation, fees, etc."  This 
would in fact be more encompassing than the USG proposed 
language that only related to FOAA funds.  Though formal 
language will have to be vetted to determine whether this 
can meet the statute, Karimov reiterated the GOU's desire 
to have this agreement and stated the text should be 
ready "soon." 
 
COMMENT 
------- 
 
¶9. (SBU) There do not appear to be many obstacles, other 
than the GOU bureaucracy, to moving the S&T agreement 
forward.  Prospects are good that it will be concluded 
sometime in 2009. 
 
¶10. (SBU) ESToff also met with numerous scientists, all 
of whom expressed strong interest in renewing and/or 
expanding ties with American counterparts.  Many labs 
have been upgraded with assistance from international 
 
TASHKENT 00001151  003 OF 003 
 
 
collaborators including STCU, CRDF, EU-INTAS, UNDP and 
individual American researchers.  A number of labs also 
receive direct budget support for equipment and training 
upgrades. 
 
¶11. (SBU) ESToff found it remarkable that a large number 
of young scientists are working in the labs that he 
visited.  This points to a bright future for Uzbek 
science and shows that science will continue to be a 
priority for the GOU even after Soviet era scientists 
depart the scene. 
 
¶12. (SBU) For its part, Post would like to thank ESToff 
Schena for a productive TDY and commend him for his work 
in setting the stage for a possible S&T agreement this 
year. 
NORLAND