VZCZCXRO8270
RR RUEHAG RUEHAST RUEHDA RUEHDBU RUEHDF RUEHFL RUEHIK RUEHKW RUEHLA
RUEHLN RUEHLZ RUEHNP RUEHPOD RUEHROV RUEHSK RUEHSL RUEHSR RUEHVK
RUEHYG
DE RUEHNT #1329/01 2091254
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 281256Z JUL 09
FM AMEMBASSY TASHKENT
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 1207
INFO CIS COLLECTIVE
EUROPEAN POLITICAL COLLECTIVE
RUEHAK/AMEMBASSY ANKARA 0077
RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING 0072
RUEHBUL/AMEMBASSY KABUL 0102
RUEHIL/AMEMBASSY ISLAMABAD 0281
RUEHKA/AMEMBASSY DHAKA 0217
RUEHKT/AMEMBASSY KATHMANDU 0214
RUEHLM/AMEMBASSY COLOMBO 0217
RUEHNE/AMEMBASSY NEW DELHI 0268
RUEHNT/AMEMBASSY TASHKENT

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 TASHKENT 001329 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
DEPARTMENT FOR SCA/CEN 
DEPARTMENT FOR OES (PATRICK HUDAK AND NINA FITE) 
EMBASSY ASTANA FOR BRUCE HUDSPETH 
AMEMBASSY ANKARA FOR AG COUNSELOR 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: ECON PREL TSPL ETTC KTIA KIPR KSTC UZ
SUBJECT: UZBEK S&T: BIOTECHNOLOGY AND AGRICULTURE 
 
REF: TASHKENT 1151 
 
¶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 
(reftel). This cable focuses on biotechnology and agriculture 
and is one of a series of cables summarizing the current state 
of Uzbek S&T.  END SUMMARY 
 
INSTITUTE OF GENETICS AND EXPERIMENTAL PLANT BIOLOGY (IGPEB) 
--------------------------------------------- --------------- 
 
¶2. (SBU) IGPEB's research is focused in the following areas: 
enrichment, preservation, introduction, exploration and 
utilization of cotton germplasm resources and other 
agricultural crops; investigation of cotton genome structure; 
enrichment of traditional plant breeding by marker-assisted 
selection tools utilizing biochemical and molecular markers; 
cotton tissue culture and creation of transgenic plants of 
cotton, wheat and other crops; creation of superior quality 
cultivars of agricultural crops, enrichment, preservation and 
utilization of phyto-pathogen collection for screening of new 
varieties, investigation of human genome structure and 
function, development of human genetic diagnostics tools. 
 
¶3. (SBU) ESToff met with Dr. Ibrokhim Abdurakhmonov, Acting 
Director for IGEPB. The institute places its main focus on the 
production of trans-genetic cotton, but it also does research 
on ecological genetics, wheat, proteins, and human genome 
studies. The institute has on hand over 170K cotton geno- 
plasms. The institute has extensive contacts with USDA-ARS, 
UNDP, Texas A&M, and Mississippi State University. These 
collaborations were able to be maintained throughout the 
decertification of Uzbekistan, and an ARS scientist is 
scheduled to visit the lab in the coming weeks. Abdurakhmonov 
discussed his major collaborative projects including a fungi 
used to eradicate narco-poppy, which has been field tested in 
Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, and Tajikistan with a high level of 
success. Abdurakhmonov stated this project was funded in part 
by USDOS, but was stopped because the fungi could potentially 
be used for another harmful purpose. (COMMENT:  No further 
reference to these claims was given, but this should be 
investigated further. End Comment.) Abdurakhmonov also showed 
his lab's work on cotton genetics, which were producing a 
finer, higher cotton yield that uses less water and can 
tolerate higher levels of soil salinity. All foreign 
contributions to this project have received matching funds 
from the GOU.  Abdurakhmonov is strongly supportive of 
international collaboration for his center and his students; 
he mentioned his desire to send some of his student 
researchers to a biotechnology conference in the U.S. later 
this year. 
 
INSTITUTE OF MICROBIOLOGY (IMB) 
------------------------------- 
 
¶4. (SBU) IMB's research is focused in the following areas: 
study of microbial diversity; ecology, taxonomy, biology, 
cytology and genetics of bacteria, fungi and yeasts; culture 
collection and preservation of important microbial strains; 
study of physiology and biochemistry of microorganisms; 
environmental protection through application of microorganisms; 
biotechnology. 
 
¶5. (SBU) ESToff met with Javlon Tashpulatov, Acting Director 
for the institute.  Tashpulatov described the institute's work 
involving biofuels, biogas, fungi and enzymes. The majority of 
this institute's work focuses on the "biofuelization" of 
cotton materials including waste, stock seed and oil as well 
as strengthening the cotton plant itself.  Tashpulatov stated 
that IMB was conducting a very successful project involving 
conversion of cotton waste into bio-ethanol through the use of 
enzymes to create a cellulose-based ethanol.  This project is 
 
TASHKENT 00001329  002 OF 003 
 
 
done in cooperation with Virginia Tech.  IMB has current 
ongoing projects also with USDA, CRDF, USAID, Texas A&M, and 
Mississippi State University. 
 
INSTITUTE OF BIO-ORGANIC CHEMISTRY (IBC) 
---------------------------------------- 
 
¶6. (SBU) IMC's research is focused in the following areas: 
study and investigation of structure and functional 
relationships of important biologically active compounds; 
creation of original medicinal means from local plants and 
animal raw materials; technology development for re-processing 
of secondary products. 
 
¶7. (SBU) ESToff met with Abbaskhan Turaev, Director of the 
Institute.  Turaev described his institute as having four main 
roles:  basic research, enhancing cotton, development of 
pharmaceuticals, and development of new plant products. The 
institute has developed a number of anti-viral products aimed 
at HIV/AIDS, Chlamydia, Herpes, and Hepatitis C.  A number of 
these products are exported. Turaev also mentioned a cancer 
treatment that IBC developed in partnership with Harvard 
University, but he said more funding is needed to complete the 
research and conduct clinical trials.  This institute also 
collaborates with NIH, Tulane University, U Texas-El Paso, 
CRDF and STCU. 
 
¶8. (SBU) Following the meeting, Turaev took ESToff on a tour 
of a number of the institute's labs showing equipment 
purchased with international cooperation funds as well as some 
purchased directly with state budget allocations.  One such 
purchase from the state budget, an x-ray molecular structure 
scanner of crystals, appeared to be brand new and reportedly 
cost $400 thousand USD. Turaev elaborated further on the state 
budget process, stating that the government had allocated $2 
million USD to the Academy of Sciences to procure new 
equipment to conduct international research at the level of 
international researchers.  Turaev said his institute received 
its share of this allocation by submitting line item requests, 
each of which was judged on its merits.  In this way IBC was 
able to procure funds to purchase its x-ray molecular 
structure scanner. 
 
¶9. (SBU) COMMENT:  IBC's researchers and director were 
strongly supportive of the prospect of further international 
collaboration.  In the meeting with Turaev, twelve lead 
scientists from other lab divisions sat in to discuss projects 
they were working on, past projects with international 
partners, and questions on the role the new S&T Agreement will 
play in future scientific collaboration.  Turaev also keenly 
understood that a key factor of this agreement is 
collaboration and cooperation; it is not an aid agreement. 
Turaev clearly wanted to maintain his labs at the level at 
which they could adequately collaborate as partners with 
Western researchers.  END COMMENT 
 
INSTITUTE OF THE CHEMISTRY OF PLANT SUBSTANCES (ICPS) 
--------------------------------------------- -------- 
 
¶10. (SBU) ICPS's research is focused in the following areas: 
chemical, pharmacological and toxicological research of 
natural and synthetic substances for the purposes of 
discovering or synthesizing biologically active compounds, 
manufacturing drug substances, and developing plant protection 
means. 
 
¶11. (SBU) ESToff met with Deputy Director Dr. Takhir 
Dustmukhamedov.  According to Dustmukhamedov, ICPS studies 
plant compounds and substances derived from plants.  It also 
develops agricultural and health related products.  The labs 
are equipped with newer equipment procured through state 
budget funding as well as cooperative international programs. 
What was unique about this facility was the inclusion of 
innovation and a direct lab to market connection.  This 
 
TASHKENT 00001329  003 OF 003 
 
 
facility not only did the research for a number of products, 
it also has its own "factory in the back," capable of 
producing mass quantities of product to be sold within 
Uzbekistan and abroad.  The finished products included a 
number of pharmaceuticals and products related to health and 
agriculture. 
 
¶12. (SBU) COMMENT:  ESToff toured the labs as well as the 
production line and saw samples of the finished goods. This 
facility could serve as a model for how to conduct innovative 
"labs to markets" programs in Uzbekistan.  END COMMENT. 
 
INSTITUTE OF ZOOLOGY (IZ) 
------------------------- 
 
¶13. (SBU) IZ's research is focused in the following areas: 
study and development of protective measures and sustainable 
use of biodiversity; pest control and management; biological 
basics of parasitism and parasitic diseases of agricultural 
animals; monitoring and protection of rare, vanishing and 
resource animals; wildlife cadastre; and environmental 
security. 
 
¶14. (SBU) ESToff met with IZ Director Djaloliddin Azimov. The 
institute focuses on biodiversity both terrestrial and aquatic, 
as well as development of anti-termite technologies and venom 
related products.  The institute has had strong collaboration 
with USG partners both at present and in the past, including 
hosting an Embassy Science Fellow (ESF) to study the Turkistan 
Termite.  This research with the ESF led to a follow-on 
project in which the institute is working on commercializing 
the "bait" created through this research and is building a 
production line for this "bait." 
 
¶15. (SBU) COMMENT: Aside from touring the labs and the 
facilities, ESToff toured the serpentarium full of hissing, 
angry poisonous snakes.  The original purpose of this facility 
was to extract venom from over 500 snakes.  At present the 
facility has about 50 asps and rattlesnakes for venom research. 
END COMMENT. 
 
CONCLUSION 
---------- 
 
¶16. (SBU) The agrarian sector, in particular cotton, is a 
major part of the Uzbek economy and significant investment has 
been made in the agricultural sciences as well as 
biotechnology.  As one of the successor states to the USSR, 
Uzbekistan inherited a number of bio-technological researchers 
and centers which the Uzbeks hope to capitalize on.  When the 
S&T cooperation agreement is concluded (reftel), it would be 
highly beneficial for USDA, NSF, EPA as well as any other 
agencies that have significant interests in agro-biotechnology 
to consider collaborating with Uzbek scientists working in 
bio-technology and agriculture. 
BUTCHER