ON 16 JUNE 1992, POLOFF VISITED REDACTED SENTENCE DESCRIBED TAJIKISTAN‘S NARCOTICS PROBLEM AS "VERY SERIOUS", AND IS COMMITTED TO ERADICATING TAJIKISTAN’S POPPIES. REDACTED IS EAGER FOR USG ASSISTANCE, ESPECIALLY TRAINING IN THE U.S. AT THE SAME

TIME, HE OFFERED - AND SUBSEQUENTLY RETRACTED WITHIN 24 HRS -- TO TAKE POLOFF TO PENDZHIKENT AND KHOROG, CITIES WHICH HE HAD IDENTIFIED AS HIS MOST SERIOUS NARCOTICS "PROBLEM AREAS". END SUMMARY.

ERADICATION

3. BEFORE POLOFF’S VISIT, REDACTED HAD MET WITH TWO OTHER

AMERICANS, THE DCM AND EARLIER, PROF. DAVID SANDS, DEPT. OF PLANT PATHOLOGY, COLLEGE OF AGRICULTURE, MONTANA STATE UNIVERSITY, BOZEMAN, MT (TEL. 406/994-4832; FAX -1848/-1906). REDACTED EXPLAINED THAT PROF SANDS WAS ASSISTING TAJIKISTAN IN ISOLATING A STRAIN OF DISEASE WHICH IS ORGANIC TO POPPIES AND COULD ERADICATE THEM, ONCE AND FOR ALL. IF THE ATTEMPT TO ISOLATE AN ORGANIC STRAIN SHOULD FAIL, REDACTED SAYS THAT HE AND PROF SANDS HAD DISCUSSED USING CHEMICALS. PROF. SANDS HAS MADE TWO TRIPS TO TAJIKISTAN, THE MOST RECENT DURING THE FIRST AND SECOND WEEKS OF JUNE 1992. (COMMENT: COUNTRY CLEARANCE WAS NOT REQUESTED FOR EITHER OF DR. SANDS VISITS. WE BECAME AWARE OF BOTH AFTER THE FACT).

4. REDACTED WAS EMPHATIC ABOUT ERADICATION, REDACTED SENTENCE OR MORE IS STRICTLY UTILITARIAN IN HIS ASSESSMENT OF THE ALTERNATIVES AND FAVORS CHEMICAL ERADICATION AS MAXIMALLY EFFICIENT.

5. REDACTED GAVE PROF SANDS 12 DIFFERENT KINDS OF POPPIES FROM 12 DIFFERENT FIELDS, "FOR RESEARCH". DISEASED PLANTS FROM EACH PLOT WERE SELECTED IN THE HOPES OF ISOLATING A COMMON STRAIN THAT WILL KILL POPPIES THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY. (NOTE: TAJIKISTAN DOES NOT CULTIVATE ANY POPPIES FOR LEGITIMATE PURPOSES.)

EFFECT OF POLITICS ON COUNTERNARCOTICS (CN)

6. THE POLITICAL DISTURBANCES IN MAY (AND THEREAFTER) HAVE HAD A DELETERIOUS EFFECT ON THIS YEAR’S CN ACTIVITIES. REDACTED SAYS THAT THE "NATIONAL RECONCILIATION GOVERNMENT" (NRG) WANTS TO RENDER ASSISTANCE BUT THEY ARE "PUTTING OUT OTHER FIRES NOW" IN AN ATTEMPT TO "NORMALIZE" THE POLITICAL SITUATION AND ATTEND TO THE DAMAGE CAUSED BY THE RECENT SPATE OF FLOODS WHICH THE REPUBLIC HAS SUFFERED.

ASSESSMENT OF TAJIKISTAN S NARCOTICS PROBLEM

7. "NARCOTICS IS A VERY SERIOUS PROBLEM" ASSERTED REDACTED SENTENCE HE CITES THE PROXIMITY OF PAKISTAN AND AFGHANISTAN AS CONTRIBUTING TO TAJIKISTAN’S PROBLEM. REDACTED SENTENCE

NOTE:

BEFORE THE COLLAPSE OF THE USSR, SOVIET FIGURES SHOWED

THAT OPIUM POPPY AND CANNABIS HAD INCREASED BETWEEN 3-

AND 10-FOLD IN THE CENTRAL ASIAN REPUBLICS. END NOTE.)

ASKED FOR THE GEOGRAPHIC~FOCAL POINT OF NARCOTICS PROBLEMS IN

TAJIKISTAN, REDACTED ANSWERED KHOROG AND PENDZHIKENT. HE

HIGHLIGHTED KHOROG AS THE MOST SERIOUS, SAYING THAT PEOPLE THERE RECEIVED NARCOTICS REGULARLY FROM THE FEYZABAD PROVINCE OF AFGHANISTAN. KHOROG LIES APPROXIMATELY 260 KM EAST/SOUTHEAST OF DUSHANBE, STRADDLING THE BORDER WITH AFGHANISTAN ON THE PYANDZH

RIVER, IN THE GORNO-BADAKHSHANSKAYA AUTONOMOUS OBLAST (REGION). PAMIRIS THERE TRADE WITH THE AFGHANS WHO, ACCORDING TO REDACTED SENTENCE USE OPIUM AS CURRENCY, BARTERING WITH IT FOR CLOTHING ("SUITS") AND ELECTRIC APPLIANCES. MOST OF THE PANIRIS WHO BUY OPIUM USE IT THEMSELVES, THOUGH REDACTED SENTENCE DID SAY THAT SOME SELL TO CONTACTS IN MOSCOW AND ST. PETERSBURG. PENDZHIKENT IS THE REPUBLIC’S WESTERNMOST CITY, LOCATED APPROXIMATELY 20 KM FROM THE BORDER WITH UZBEKISTAN, IN THE KHOJAND (FORMERLY LENINABAD) REGION.

CONTROL MEASURES AND THE EFFECT OF GEOGRAPHY

8. CONTROL MEASURES: NO NARCOTICS CONTROL MEASURES ARE

IN PLACE ON ROADS OR AT AIRPORTS. CARS ARE PULLED-OVER

BY THE GOVERNMENT HIGHWAY ADMINISTRATION REDACTED SENTENCE FREQUENT INTERVALS THROUGHOUT TAJIKISTAN. IN ALL INSTANCES WHICH POLOFF HAS KNOWLEDGE,...QF OR HAS WITNESSED, ROADSIDE INSPECTIONS ARE CURSORY. REDACTED PRAGRAPH

AT SOME AIRPORTS, SUCH AS KHOJAND’S, RIGOROUS CHECKS OF BOTH

INCOMING AS WELL AS OUTGOING PASSENGERS ARE CONDUCTED, THOUGH THEY ARE SEARCHING FOR WEAPONS. EMBOFFS HAVE ONLY WITNESSED CARS SUBJECTED TO THOROUGH SEARCHES BY THE OMON, OR SPECIAL MILITIA, WHO ARE ALSO SEARCHING FOR WEAPONS.

9. BORDER CONTROL: THE MVD AND KGB TRY TO MASS THEIR EFFORTS AT THE MOST LIKELY AVENUES OF APPROACH FOR SMUGGLERS WHICH AFFORD ACCESS TO A TOWN OR CITY WHERE NARCOTICS AND CASH (OR APPROPRIATE BARTER ITEMS) CAN BE EXCHANGED.

10. EFFECTS OF GEOGRAPHY: ONLY 7% OF TAJIKISTAN IS NON-MOUNTAINOUS. UNLIKE THE REST OF CENTRAL ASIA, THERE ARE NO VAST AREAS OF LAND SUITABLE FOR THE CULTIVATION OF POPPIES OR CANNABIS, ALTHOUGH BOTH GROW WILD HERE AND CULTIVATED PLOTS OF EACH HAVE BEEN FOUND.

11. LEGAL MEASURES: ASSETS ARE SEIZED AND FORFEITED WHEN SOMEONE IS ARRESTED ON NARCOTICS CHARGES.

12. DEMAND REDUCTION REDACTED SENTENCE SAID THAT THE GOT SPONSORS A MASS MEDIA CN CAMPAIGN. END COMMENT.)

INTERDICTION

OVER THE LAST 18 MONTHS REDACTED CLAIMS THAT REDACTED HAVE INTERDICTED 51 KGS OF OPIUM THROUGHOUT THE REPUBLIC, 8 KGS OF WHICH WERE FROM AFGHANISTAN. IN PENDZHIKENT, 54 HECTARES WERE SEIZED, 48 OF WHICH WERE POPPY FIELDS AND THE REMAINDER, CANNABIS., (LAST YEAR 23 HECTARES OF POPPIES WERE SEIZED.) REDACTED ATTRIBUTES PENDZHIKENT’S POPULARITY AMONG NARCOTICS TRAFFICKERS TO THE AREA’S SOIL AND CLIMATE, WHICH ARE ESPECIALLY SUITED TO POPPIES. REDACTED SENTENCE

RESOURCES

14. REDACTED SENTENCE 40-50 PEOPLE SCATTERED BETWEEN THE CITIES OF KHOJAND (LENINABAD), PENDZHIKENT, PANIR AND GORNO-BADAKHSH~ BECAUSE THE GOT SUPPORTS CN OPERATIONS, ZAIROV TOLD POLOFF THAT FOR SURGE OPERATIONS DURING THE

SUBJECT: REDACTED SENTENCE ON NARCOTICS IN TAJIKISTAN; BIO HARVEST SEASON REDACTED UP TO 25,000 TROOPS FROM THE MILITARY AND POLICE.

REDACTED SENTENCES CONTENDS THAT LOCAL AUTHORITIES WHO DO NOT COOPERATE WITH CN

INVESTIGATIONS (E . G., KOLKHOZ AND SOVKHOZ LEADERS) ARE

FINED. IN THE 1991 NATIONAL CN CAMPAIGN, 31 LEADERS WERE

FINED. REDACTED SENTENCE

AFGHANISTAN AND PAKISTAN

REDACTED SENTENCE

INDEED, THE MVD REGARD THE PROBLEM AS SUFFICIENTLY

SERIOUS TO HAVE ESTABLISHED "A SPECIAL CN DEPARTMENT"

THERE. IN THE WINTER AND SUMMER, PEOPLE CROSS THE RIVER

WITH EASE BECAUSE~HERE IS LESS WATER THAN IN THE SPRING

AND FALL. REDACTED CHARACTERIZES THE MVD S COOPERATION

WITH THE BORDER GUARDS AS "VERY TIGHT". (TO NO-ONE’S

SURPRISE, NO COOPERATION HAS BEEN RECEIVED FROM AFGHANISTAN.) ACCORDING TO INFORMATION DRAWN FROM MVD INTERROGATIONS OF TRAFFICKERS CAPTURED IN THE KHOROG VICINITY -- USUALLY PEOPLE ACTING AS ‘MULES -- THE NARCOTICS COME FROM AFGHANISTAN’S FEYZABAD PROVINCE.

ORGANIZED CRIME

16. ALTHOUGH ORGANIZED CRIME AND CORRUPTION HAVE...,LONG

BEEN ENDEMIC IN THE USSR AND CENTRAL ASIA, REDACTED ASSERTS

THAT THERE IS NO LARGE, WELL-ORGANIZED "MAFIA" IN

TAJIKISTAN, BUT THE REPUBLIC S CRIMINAL GROUPS COMPETE WITH ONE ANOTHER FOR THEIR SHARE OF THE NARCOTICS MARKET.

REDACTED SENTENCE

TAJIKISTAN’S 5 OR 6 PRISONS CONTAIN PRISONERS FROM THROUGHOUT THE CIS. CRIMINAL "LEADERS" ARE LOCATED IN THE CIS’S MAJOR CITIES, WHERE THEY ORGANIZE "COOPERATIVES AND SMALL VENTURES", AN OPERATION WHICH MAY LIKELY ACCELERATE WITH EASIER ACCESS TO CONTACTS IN THE WEST, WHO COULD BRING THE EXPERIENCE OF MORE SOPHISTICATED WORLDWIDE CRIMINAL NETWORKS INTO PLAY, ALONG WITH HARD CURRENCY.

17. ORGANIZED CRIME IS KNOWN TO OPERATE THROUGHOUT CENTRAL ASIA AND IS SAID TO BE ESPECIALLY ACTIVE NEXT DOOR, IN UZBEKISTAN. THE UNDCP TEAM MADE ITS VISIT TO THE CENTRAL ASIAN REPUBLICS IN RESPONSE TO "ALARMING REPORTS OF INCREASING CRIME AND DRUG ABUSE IN THE REPUBLICS OF THE FORMER USSR". MANY OF THE CONDITIONS

FAVORABLE TO THE SPREAD OF DRUG DEMAND ARE PREVALENT IN TAJIKISTAN. BUT THERE ARE SOME POWERFUL DISINCENTIVES:

EMPLOYMENT, THOUGH FAR FROM LUCRATIVE, IS HIGH; POVERTY

IS NOT WIDESPREAD; AND, FOREIGN LIFE-STYLES, WHILE UNDENIABLY ATTRACTIVE TO SOME DEGREE, WOULD HAVE MUCH TO OVERCOME HERE IF DRUG CONSUMPTION WERE ASSOCIATED WITH THEM. FINALLY, ISLAMIC FUNDAMENTALISM PROVIDES A POWERFUL RESTRAINT TO NARCOTICS FOR A SIGNIFICANT NUMBER OF THE POPULACE.

18. REDACTED HAVE NOTED THAT, FOLLOWING A UNIVERSAL PATTERN, ADDICTS TURN TO CRIME TO SUPPORT THEIR (OFTEN GROWING) HABIT. MOST RECENTLY ADDICTS HAVE BEEN TURNING TO PETTY-THIEVERY BUT REDACTED BELIEVES THAT THEY WILL SOON FALL PREY TO TRAFFICKERS AND BECOME A READY AND WILLING LABOR POOL FOR ORGANIZED CRIME.

19. MONEY LAUNDERING: THE TJNDCP TEAM WHICH CANE THROUGH

CENTRAL ASIA (REF D) IDENTIFIED THE LAUNDERING OF ILLICIT

DRUG PROFITS AS A POTENTIAL THREAT. NARCOTICS ARE ONE OE

THE ONLY HARD CURRENCY EXPORTS THAT ARE READILY AVAILABLE

IN THE REPUBLIC. (NOTE: IN DECEMBER 1991, KYRGYZSTAN AND KAZAKHSTAN LEGALIZED - - AND THEN RESCINDED - - IHE GROWING OF OPIUM. END NOTE.) BUT IN TAJIKISTAN, REDACTED SENTENCE REGULAR AND SUBSTANTIAL FLOW OF MONEY WOULD MOST LIKELY ATTRACT SUSPICION.

BlO DATA

SUBJECT: PROPOSED ROUND TABLE DISCUSSION GROUP ON CANNABIS AND POPPY ERADICATION IN ALMATY

1. SUMMARY: THE EMBASSY, TOGETHER WITH THE UNITED NATIONS DRUG CONTROL PROGRAM (UNDCP) PLANS TO SPONSOR, AT THE REQUEST OF THE KAZAKHSTANI GOVERNMENT, A ROUND TABLE DISCUSSION ON CANNABIS

AND POPPY ERADICATION STRATEGIES FOR KAZAKHSTAN IN ALMATY FOR TWO DAYS DURING THE FIRST WEEK OF OCTOBER, 1997.

2. FOR INL: THE EMBASSY PLANS TO FUND ITS PORTION OF THE CONFERENCE (ESTIMATED COST USD ‘.1,000) FROM THE USD 100,000 ANTI-NARCOTICS ASSISTANCE PROVIDED TO THE GOK BY INL FROM END OF YEAR FY 96 FUNDS. THE U.S. - GOK LETTER OF AGREEMENT SIGNED IN MAY, 1997 OUTLINES THE USES OF THIS ASSISTANCE AND PROVIDES FOR ANTI-NARCOTICS TRAINING COURSES AND SEMINARS IN ANNEX A, SECTION

III. THE EMBASSY PLANS TO INVITE DR. JULIUS MENN, USDA RETIRED, DR. DAVID SANDS OF MONTANA STATE UNIVERSITY (THE EMBASSY WILL FAX DR’S MENN AND SANDS SEPARATLY), AND DR. ERIC ROSENQUIST OF THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE (USDA) TO PARTICIPATE IN THE DISCUSSION GROUP CONCERNING ERADICATION STRATEGIES FOR POPPY AND CANNABIS CROPS IN KAZAKHSTAN. THE UNITED NATIONS DRUG CONTROL PROGRAM PLANS TO INVITE DR. KALMAN SZENDREI AND DR. BRIAN GREAVES, BOTH SPECIALISTS IN CROP ERADICATION TO ALSO PARTICIPATE IN THESE DISCUSSIONS. THE GOVERNMENT OF KAZAKHSTAN WILL ALSO HAVE FOUR ERADICATION EXPERTS PARTICIPATE IN THE DISCUSSIONS. UNDCP WILL FUND ALL COSTS ASSOCIATED WITH ITS TWO INVITEES. THE EMBASSY AND UNDCP WILL EQUALLY SHARE ALL OTHER COSTS SUCH AS THE MEETING ROOM, TRANSLATION COSTS, ETC. THE EMBASSY ESTIMATES ITS PORTION OF THE SEMINAR WILL COST USD 11,000.

3. FOR USDA: THE EMBASSY WOULD LIKE TO INVITE DR. ERIC ROSENQUIST, INTERNATIONAL PROGRAM COORDINATOR OF THE AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH SERVICE TO PARTICIPATE IN THIS SEMINAR.

4. OFFICIALS FROM THE KAZAKHSTANI MINISTRY OF INTERIOR, MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE, ACADEMY OF SCIENCES AND THE STATE INVESTIGATIONS COMMITTEE WILL ALSO PARTICIPATE IN THE TWO DAY CONFERENCE.

5. PROPOSED AGENDA FOR THE DISCUSSION GROUP

FOLLOWS:

FIRST DAY:

09:00 PLENARY SESS ION. EACH PARTICIPANT TO GIVE A

BRIEF INTRODUCTION AND DESCRIPTION OF THEIR WORK

AS IT RELATED TO POPPY AND CANNABIS ERADICATION.

13:00 - LUNCH.

14:00 - REVIEW OF PREVIOUS RESEARCH AND

ERADICATION PROGRAMS. REVIEW OF CURRENT STATUS OF

THESE PROGRAMS.

19:00 - DINNER.

SECOND DAY:

09:00 PARTICIPANTS DIVIDE INTO WORKING GROUPS TO

DEVELOP PROPOSALS BASED ON PREVEOUS DAY S

DISCUSSIONS.

12:00 PRESENTATIONS BY WORKING GROUPS (15 MINUTES

EACH).

13:00 LUNCH.

14:00 WORKING GROUPS RECONVENE TO EVALUATE

PROPOSALS.

16:00 PROPOSAL EVALUATIONS.

17:00 CONSENSUS SELECTION OF PROPOSAL.

18:00 ADJOURNMENT.

18:30 PRESS CONFERENCE.

6. ALL TRANSPORTATION, MEALS, LODGING AND HONORARIUM, IF APPROPRIATE, WILL BE PAID FOR BY THE EMBASSY FOR DR’S MENN, SANDS AND ROSENQUIST

(SEE PARA 2).

7. THE EMBASSY REQUESTS DR. ROSENQUIST OF USDA PLEASE RESPOND BY FAX (011 7 3272 63-38-83) TO THE ATTENTION OF MARIE MOSER OR IAN CAMPBELL AS SOON AS POSSIBLE IF HE IS ABLE TO TRAVEL TO ALMATY THE FIRST WEEK IN OCTOBER TO ATTEND THIS CONFERENCE. THE SPECIFIC DATES AND FURTHER LOGISTICAL INFORMATION WILL FOLLOW UPON RECEIPT OF ACCEPTANCE.

JONES

ADMIN

HERBICIDE/BIOCONTROL ERADICATION CONFERENCE

1. SUMMARY. USG PROPOSES TO SEND THREE-PERSON DELEGATION

TO MVD-SPONSORED CONFERENCE IN ALMA ATA JULY 16-20.

COUNTRY CLEARANCE IS REQUESTED FOR: ERIC ROSENQUIST,

USDA/ARS; DR. DAVID SANDS, MONTANA STATE UNIVERSITY; AND

JOHN PEEPLES, CHIEF, MARIJUANA SECTION DRUG ENFORCEMENT

ADMINISTRATION. END SUMMARY

2. US RECOGNIZES THAT SOVIETS ASKED FOR TWO-PERSON DELEGATIONS. THE EXCEPTION IS SOUGHT HERE GIVEN THE SPECIAL INTERESTS OF THE US DELEGATION, AND THE IMPORTANCE OF THEIR INDIVIDUAL PRESENTATIONS TO THE CONFERENCE.

3. USDA, WHICH IS THE LEAD US AGENCY FOR ERADICATION

RESEARCH, PLANS TO PRESENT PAPERS REGARDING USG EFFORTS TO

SUPPRESS ILLICIT NARCOTIC CROPS UTILIZING COMMERCIAL

HERBICIDES, INCLUDING A REVIEW OF THE COCA TEST PROGRAM IN

PERU. NOTE THAT USDA CURRENTLY PROVIDES RESEARCH SUPFORT

THROUGH COOPERATING UNIVERSITIES (LIKE MONTANA STATE) TO

SOVIET ACADEMIC INSTITUTIONS. SINCE NARCOTICS CONTROL IS

ONE OF USDA S RESEARCH RESPONSIBILITIES, USDA IS

INTERESTED IN EXPLORING THE POSSIBILITIES FOR MUTUALLY ADVANTAGEOUS RESEARCH DURING THE ALMA ATA CONFERENCE.

4. DR. SANDS, WHO COOPERATES WITH USDA, WILL PRESENT A PAPER ON THE THEORETICAL CONSIDERATIONS GOVERNING BIOLOGICAL CONTROL PROGRAMS.

5. MR. PEEPLES DIRECTS DEA'S MARIJUANA ENFORCEMENT PROGRAM, WHICH, AMONG OTHER THINGS, INCLUDES A SUBSTANTIAL ERADICATION PROGRAM, USING BOTH CHEMICAL AND MANUAL MEANS, AGAINST MARIJUANA IN THE UNITED STATES.

6. USDA HAS DIRECTED SEVERAL QUESTIONS TO SERGEI GUROV OF THE SOVIET EMBASSY, BUT DOES NOT YET HAVE ANSWERS. PERHAPS EMBASSY CAN HELP. PARTICIPANTS KNOW THEY MUST ARRIVE JULY 15 AND WILL BE RETURNED TO MOSCOW ON JULY 21. THEY WANT TO KNOW: WHERE WILL THEY BE MET IN MOSCOW; WHAT FLIGHT ARRANGEMENTS HAVE BEEN MADE TO AND FROM ALMA ATA; WHAT HOTEL WILL THEY USE IN MOSCOW; NAMES OF CONTACTS ETC.

7. NOTE THAT THE SOVIET CONSULATE HERE WILL NOT FORWARD VISA APPLICATIONS FOR US DELEGATION UNTIL IT RECEIVES APPROVAL FROM MVD MOSCOW.

8. FYI: IF IN- COUNTRY COSTS ARE A FACTOR IN SOVIET DECISION ON ADMITTING THREE INSTEAD OF TWO US DELEGATES,

PLEASE ADVISE. THERE IS THE POSSIBILITY THAT USDA AND/OR

DEA MIGHT PICK tIP SOME OF THESE COSTS. BAKER

ADMIN

SUBJECT: INTERNATIONAL NARCOTICS CONFERENCE

REF: MOSCOW 17712

1. PLEASE ADVISE MINISTRY OF INTERNAL AFFAIRS (NARSESSYAN) THAT US DELEGATION TO ALMA ATA CONFERENCE WILL NOW INCLUDE:

USDA: ERIC ROSENQUIST AND DR. DAVID SANDS

DEA: JOHN PEEPLES, MICHAEL PHELAN, MICHAEL BREGMAN. AND DENNIS SYLVESTRI.

2. ROSENQUIST AND SANDS ARRIVE JULY 15 AT 420PM, PANAM 60

VIA FRANKFURT. ROSENQUIST DEPARTS JULY 21 AT 615AM,

LUFTHANSA. SANDS DEPARTS JULY 22 AT 825AM, LUFTHANSA.

3. DEA WILL ADVISE SEPARATELY OF TRAVEL ARRANGEMENTS. BAKER

ADMIN