US embassy cable - 05DUSHANBE1921

S E C R E T  DUSHANBE 001921 
 
SIPDIS 
 
 
STATE FOR P, EUR/CACEN, EUR/RUS, SA, S/P 
NSC FOR MERKEL 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL:  12/2/2015 
TAGS: PREL, PGOV, PINR, MARR, RS, TI 
SUBJECT: MEETING WITH PRESIDENT RAHMONOV:  HIS VIEWS ON RUSSIA 
 
REF: STATE 214783 
 
CLASSIFIED BY: Richard E. Hoagland, Ambassador, EXEC, Embassy 
Dushanbe. 
REASON: 1.4 (b), (d) 
 
1.  (C) The Ambassador met with President Emomali Rahmonov on 
December 1 for two and a half hours.  We report the meeting in 
three cables.  This is two of three.  The other two cover 
Rahmonov's views on (1) the U.S.-Tajikistan bilateral 
relationship and Tajik politics, and (2) Uzbekistan. 
 
2.  (S) SUMMARY:  President Rahmonov judges that new Russian 
Ambassador Ramazan Abdulatipov is "not very diplomatic, but not 
a bad guy."  Though Rahmonov has to work closely with Russia he 
made clear he keeps both eyes wide open.  He alleged that he 
kicked the Russian Border Guards out of Tajikistan because they 
were plotting with former Presidential Guards Commander Gaffor 
Mirzoyev to overthrow him.  Although some of what Rahmonov said 
may have been calculated for U.S. consumption, much of it has a 
ring of truth."  END SUMMARY. 
 
3.  (S) President Rahmonov expressed gratitude for the State 
Department's non-paper about U.S.-Russia consultations (reftel), 
and said that Tajikistan will do everything possible to promote 
good relations in the region between Russia and the United 
States.  He said Russia has natural historic, cultural, and 
security interests in the region and will always be a major 
force that cannot be ignored, but it is important for the 
international community to moderate Russia's worst instincts and 
help it become a positive force.  It is especially important for 
Russia and the United states to develop common positions in the 
region, including in Afghanistan, to promote sustainable 
stability and prosperity. 
 
RUSSIAN AMBASSADOR "NOT A BAD GUY," JUST NOT VERY DIPLOMATIC 
 
4.  (C) Rahmonov, abandoning his notes as he usually does, 
paused and smiled.  "You know, (Russian political-appointee 
Ambassador) Ramazan (Abdulatipov) is not really a bad guy, even 
though he complains to me about you all the time.  He's a 
politician, philosopher, and intellectual.  Because he's from 
Dagestan, we have very interesting discussions about the history 
of Russia's Muslims and Persian culture.  But he's just not a 
diplomat.  He doesn't understand nuances and niceties.   He's 
certainly no Peshkov!  (NOTE:  Previous Russian Ambassador 
Maksim Peshkov.  END NOTE.)  But he's open and friendly with me 
personally.  He understands Russia creates a lot of problems 
here, and knows it's his job to try to solve them." 
 
5.  (S) Rahmonov added, "Actually, It's the Russian special 
services who cause trouble here, and I've told Ramazan it's his 
job to keep them under control.  And it's not just here, it's 
coming from the Kremlin, and some of it comes from the top.  We 
can never forget that Putin himself is a 'chekist' (career 
intelligence officer) at heart." 
 
WHY RAHMONOV KICKED OUT THE RUSSIAN BORDER GUARDS 
 
6.  (S) Rahmonov said, "I want to tell you a secret why I 
insisted that the Russian Border Guards had to leave Tajikistan. 
 You know they're part of the KGB.  I had credible information 
they and (jailed General Gaffor) Mirzoyev were plotting a coup 
against me.  That's why I pushed Mirzoyev out of the 
Presidential Guard, disbanded the Presidential Guard, and told 
Putin forcefully his Border Guards had to go.  This had been 
building for a long time, and I had frequently discussed it with 
Putin, but he wouldn't do anything about it.  Only after I moved 
 
 
against Mirzoyev did Putin finally understand that their game 
was up.  To make amends, he agreed that his Border Guards would 
leave. You know who helped me with this?  (Federal Service on 
Control of Narcotics Chairman Victor) Cherkesov.  He was here at 
that time studying our Drug Control Agency, and he realized that 
the Russian Border Guards were more involved in trafficking 
heroin than in stopping it.  He went to Putin on my behalf." 
 
7.  (S) Having warmed to this issue, Rahmonov said, "This 
constant propaganda in the Russian media about how Tajikistan is 
failing to control its borders now that the Russians have left - 
you know where that comes from?  From the Russian generals who 
want to come back here with their mafia buddies.  Look what they 
got here - they put in two-year tours, and then went back to 
Moscow and bought Mercedes 600s and elite apartments.  You think 
they did that on their salaries?  Why do you think the generals 
lined up in Moscow all the way across Red Square and paid 
enormous bribes to be assigned here - just so they could do 
their patriotic duty?" 
 
8.  (S) "And another thing," Rahmonov continued heatedly, "why 
do you think I got rid of the 50 Russian generals who used to be 
advisers in our Ministry of Defense.  They never did anything 
for us.  They never helped us build a professional military, 
never gave us any military-technical assistance, because they 
wanted to keep us weak so their buddies could play games and 
make fortunes dealing drugs.  I got fed up, said thanks but now 
it's time for you to go home.  That's one reason they eventually 
came up with the plot to overthrow me." 
 
9.  (S) COMMENT:  Rahmonov seldom misses a chance in extended 
conversations with the Ambassador to assert Tajikistan's 
independence from Russia and occasional unhappiness with their 
friendship-of-convenience.  His revelation of why he asked the 
Russian Border Guards to leave Tajikistan is an amplified 
version of what he told us last year.  Although it may be highly 
edited and spun for our consumption, we note a coincidence of 
timing.  The Mirzoyev drama played out at the end of January 
2004.  By the end of February 2004, Russian Ambassador Peshkov 
confided to us that the Russian Border Guards would leave 
Tajikistan.  END COMMENT. 
HOAGLAND 
 
 
NNNN