US embassy cable - 05DUSHANBE1733

UNCLAS DUSHANBE 001733 
 
SIPDIS 
 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL, PGOV, EAID, MOPS, PK, TI 
SUBJECT: TAJIKISTAN AND USCENTCOM COOPERATE TO DELIVER DISASTER 
ASSISTANCE TO PAKISTAN 
 
 
1.  (U) With airlift support by the U.S. Central Command and the 
U.S. Air Force, the Government of Tajikistan shipped 25 tons of 
humanitarian assistance to Pakistan via separate sorties on 
October 20 and 22.  The Tajik contribution included food, 
medicine, blankets, and clothes.  At the request of the Tajik 
Government, Embassy Dushanbe's ODC and DAO coordinated closely 
with the Central Command for the C-130 airlift. 
 
2.  (U) Embassy Dushanbe's ODC chief, LTC Kelsey Harris-Smith 
accompanied the first flight, which included a video crew from 
Tajikistan State TV and other Tajik officials. 
 
3.  (U) Tajik officials told us this was the first significant 
humanitarian relief gesture they had made in recent memory. 
 
4.  (U) Embassy Dushanbe coordinated and released a joint press 
statement with the Government of Tajikistan: 
 
BEGIN TEXT: 
 
On October 20 and 22, the Government of Tajikistan will send 25 
tons of humanitarian aid to help the people of Pakistan who were 
injured and left homeless as a result of the devastating 
earthquake. 
 
The Tajik Government will provide food items, medicine, 
blankets, clothes, and other items. 
 
The United States Government will provide transport aircraft to 
deliver the humanitarian aid from Dushanbe to Islamabad, 
Pakistan.  This joint humanitarian action is another example of 
the growing partnership between the United States and Tajikistan. 
 
END TEXT. 
 
5.  (U)  COMMENT:  Given the presence of the Russian military in 
Tajikistan and its lift capability in general, it would have 
seemed natural for Dushanbe to have turned to Moscow for 
cooperation with this humanitarian airlift.  END COMMENT. 
 
HOAGLAND 
 
 
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