Cablegate: Uzbekistan: Gulnora Karimova's Geneva U.N.

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170357 2008-09-18 08:53:00 08TASHKENT1072 Embassy Tashkent CONFIDENTIAL VZCZCXYZ0001\
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RUEHAH/AMEMBASSY ASHGABAT 4339\
RUEHTA/AMEMBASSY ASTANA 0554\
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RUEHIL/AMEMBASSY ISLAMABAD 4545\
RUEHBUL/AMEMBASSY KABUL 2834\
RUEHKT/AMEMBASSY KATHMANDU 0856\
RUEHMO/AMEMBASSY MOSCOW 7590\
RUEHNE/AMEMBASSY NEW DELHI 1495\
RUEHUM/AMEMBASSY ULAANBAATAR 0206\
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHINGTON DC 0389\
RUEHVEN/USMISSION USOSCE 2791\
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC 0246\
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 0374\
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RUEHGV/USMISSION GENEVA 1459\
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C O N F I D E N T I A L TASHKENT 001072 \
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SIPDIS \
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DEPARTMENT FOR SCA/CEN \
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E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/18/2018 \
TAGS: PGOV PINR UZ
SUBJECT: UZBEKISTAN: GULNORA KARIMOVA'S GENEVA U.N. \
APPOINTMENT MAY REFLECT CONCERNS ABOUT THE FUTURE \
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Classified By: Poloff Steven Prohaska for reasons 1.4 (b, d). \
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1. (C) Embassy contacts and press reporting have recently \
indicated that President Karimov's oldest daughter, Gulnora \
Karimova, has been appointed as Uzbekistan's permanent \
representative to the United Nations Mission in Geneva, \
though the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Americas Desk had not \
confirmed this information to us as of September 18. \
Karimova has served as Deputy Foreign Minister for \
International Cooperation in the Cultural and Humanitarian \
Spheres in recent months. On September 9, XXXXXXXXXXXX confirmed to Ambassador Norland that \
Gulnora and her two children recently received visas allowing \
them to move to Geneva, where she will assume duties as \
permrep at Uzbekistan's UN Mission. XXXXXXXXXXXX \
indicated that the request for the visas had come through \
very suddenly and with pressure for a fast turnaround. XXXXXXXXXXXX \
did not know whether Gulnora had yet departed Uzbekistan. \
The private teacher of Gulnora's son told Poloff on September \
9, however, that he and his wife had just returned from \
London for the new academic year, but had yet to start \
teaching because both Gulnora and her son were in \
Switzerland. The teacher was uncertain whether he would \
remain in Tashkent or would be asked to join them in \
Switzerland. \
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Comment: \
-------- \
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2. (C) Karimova's new position as Uzbek permrep to the UN in \
Geneva puts her much closer to the Switzerland-based Zeromax \
corporation, which provides much of the Karimov family's \
wealth, but probably does little to enhance her political \
standing at home. Despite speculation over the years that \
President Karimov may be grooming Gulnora to succeed him, the \
decision to send Karimova to Geneva may reflect a desire to \
secure the family's finances and enhance its prospects for \
future safety and security if conditions in Uzbekistan turn \
against the Karimov family, rather than to provide her with \
another stepping stone in her political career. Karimova has \
given little indication of her long-term political plans, but \
the Karimov family has made many enemies; the fear and \
loathing that many alienated businessmen in Uzbekistan have \
for her suggests that her life in a post-Karimov Uzbekistan \
would be less than secure. It is interesting to note now \
that both Karimov daughters hold diplomatic postings outside \
of Uzbekistan--Gulnora in Geneva, and Lola at UNESCO in Paris. \
NORLAND \

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