Part 15 (2/2)

3. (C) Minister Khairulloyev returned several times to NATO and Georgia. He repeatedly asked, ”Why does NATO want a country like Georgia? Even the Warsaw Pact didn't subsume losers!” He asked if NATO will improve Georgia's ”hopeless” economy. He asked why the United States ”indulges the adolescent” President Saakashvili. The only possibly explanation, he a.s.serted, is to ”stick your finger in Moscow's eye.” He added, ”When Stalin created the Georgian Socialist Republic, he threw in Abkhazia and South Ossetia because Georgians on their own were a 'fly speck.' Without Abhkazia and South Ossetia,” he alleged, ”Georgia has no hope of existing.”

4. (C) Khairulloyev volunteered that the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) has to develop to become a military bloc ”with one-third of the world's population” to face down NATO. The Amba.s.sador asked why Russia and the former Soviet republics view NATO as an enemy. Khairulloyev hoisted himself up and declared, ”When the Warsaw Bloc disintergrated, of course a new bloc emerged for world domination. That's the historical dialectic. It's now time to confront NATO.”

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5. (C) This lunch took place in Minister Khairulloyev's private dining room off his recently renovated private office. He emphasized that he seldom receives guests in his private office and, especially, that only one other amba.s.sador had ever dined in his private dining room - former Russian Amba.s.sador Maksim Peshkov.

6. (C) The Amba.s.sador lost track of the toasts after the tenth. His shot-gla.s.s held vodka. The minister's high-ball gla.s.s was kept filled with un-cut Scotch. Late into the lunch, the minister was slurring badly and was not walking a straight line. The Amba.s.sador lost track of the toasts after the tenth. His shot-gla.s.s held vodka. The minister's high-ball gla.s.s was kept filled with un-cut Scotch. Late into the lunch, the minister was slurring badly and was not walking a straight line. Nevertheless, as the Amba.s.sador kept attempting a gracious retreat, the Minister insisted on showing him ”secret rooms” in the ministry. Each ”secret room” was merely another public conference room with a large fresh flower display and - again and again - another round of toasts set out. Nevertheless, as the Amba.s.sador kept attempting a gracious retreat, the Minister insisted on showing him ”secret rooms” in the ministry. Each ”secret room” was merely another public conference room with a large fresh flower display and - again and again - another round of toasts set out.

COMMENT.

6. (C) This bizarre event was curious, because U.S.-Tajik military relations have incrementally been improving, especially with the National Guard, but also with the Russia-centric Ministry of Defense. Khairulloyev continues to make clear he serves at the pleasure of President Rahmonov and may be replaced after the November presidential election. Although this drunk-fest is how many old-guard former Soviets do mutual business, it was most unusual for an American guest. It was, to a degree, a mark of respect. We would not be surprised if President Rahmonov had ordered Khairulloyev to ”do something for the departing Amba.s.sador,” and we rather wonder if this may have been a sort of valedictory by an old-guard security minister who suspects his days of service are numbered. Whatever, we were pleased to have drunk Khairulloyev well under the table. END COMMENT. HOAGLAND

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS.

The authors would like to thank:

James Ball Ian Black Julian Borger Heather Brooke Jon Ca.s.son Lisa Darnell Alastair Dant Rob Evans Harold Frayman Paul Galbally Janine Gibson John Goetz Ian Katz Bill Keller Francois Kunc Gavin MacFadyen Ewen MacAskill Toby Manhire Georg Mascolo James Meek Richard Norton-Taylor Daithi o Crualaoich Aron Pilhofer Gill Phillips Geraldine Proudler Mark Rice-Oxley Simon Rogers Marcel Rosenbach Alison Rourke Paul Scruton Eric Schmitt Vaughan Smith Holger Stark Jonathan Steele Oliver Taplin Simon Tisdall Jan Thompson Declan Walsh Helen Walmsley-Johnson

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