Karimovs Cash In 104

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UK Defence Secretary Philip Hammond’s visit to Tashkent on 28 February was not covered in any UK mainstream media that I can find, which is peculiar, given the media’s obsession with covering anything to do with “Our heroes” in Afghanistan. It was not really the kind of visit the state would want to publciise, with Hammond in the rather unheroic position of having his knees firmly placed on the acres of marble floor of Tashkent’s presidentiail palace, with his tongue well and truly stuck up Karimov’s arse.

NATO, including the UK, needs to transit Uzbekistan to get its 14,000 vehicles out of Afghanistan, having well and truly queered the pitch of an exit through Pakistan by a decade of bombing the locals. The Karimov family had already made hundreds of millions in profit through a monopoly of providing haulage and logistical services to supplies going in to Afghanistan. With NATO’s demoralised forces sitting on an incredibly large stockpile of materiel in effect stuck in the country as the utterly fruitless occupation ends, the Karimovs are in a position to ramp up extortion.

That will not only involve huge cash payments going to the Karimov family from the British taxpayer, disguised as transit fees, railway charges, fuel provision etc. It will also include a raft of political demands. Karimov had already in 2011 secured the ending of EU sanctions, and the international respectability he craves for his regime through an official visit to Brussels and call on EU President Barroso.

Now as a condition of facilitating our retreat, Karimov is insisting on a full visit to Tashkent by David Cameron in 2013 or 2014, a state visit by Karimov to the UK in 2015 and acceptance of Gulnara Karimova as Uzbek Ambassador in London. He is also keen to acquire a variety of state of the art UK weapons and surveillance systems for use against his own people. The strong steer from No 10 is that these Karimov demands will have to be accepted.

There is an excellent video here of Scott Horton being interviewed by Galima Burkabaeva on the subject of the kelptocratic Karimov state. Galima was an eyewitness to the Andijan massacre of 2005, in which Karimov’s military murdered some 800 pro-democracy demonstrators. Galima herself only just got away, a bullet passing clean through her reporter’s notebook.

Nice friends Mr Hammond has.

(Am currently in Delhi).

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104 thoughts on “Karimovs Cash In”

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  • glenn_uk

    Naturally, the UK establishment goes along with all this in “good faith”, because it couldn’t possibly know anything whatsoever about the above. It doesn’t know anything about it, couldn’t investigate it even if it did catch a rumour, and in any case – our government requires absolute proof before considering the application of even mild diplomatic sanctions.
    .
    At least, it does while they are considered Official Friends (or unofficially useful).

  • kingfelix

    Thanks so much for this, Craig.
    .
    He looks like a donut-addict, but Mr Horton is certainly one of the last Renaissance men of American letters, so it’s fantastic to see him applying himself to Uzbekistan.
    .
    For anybody who has not read it, check out his Harpers’ investigation into a secret section of Gitmo, and the murders that likely happened there. Essential.

  • boniface goncourt

    At least the Karimovs are easy to understand. They are primitive banditti, don’t ye know. We delude ourselves that our own leaders are more sophisticated. But no, they are not English gentlemen!
    Let us get to the basic, the nitty-gritty, the gist. Rip through the fog of soundbytes, smarm and slogans, think tanks and white papers and big societies, and simply ask of Cameron, Osborne, and the other gargoyles of greed: how much cash do you pocket from this or that measure? How many millions in markers will you cash in, four years down the line? Becasuse greed is all that drives them.
    What’s in that oligarch postal order, Bunter? How much you gittin’ in tips bruv?

  • David H

    Thanks Craig – on the button, as usual.
    .
    But you can see why they had little patience for your approach to diplomacy when you were ambassador…

  • Komodo

    If Cameron visits Uzbekistan in 2013/14, I hope he will have the decency to stay there. He will find Karimov congenial company, with a refreshing attitude to civil order and the flow of capital. And Karimov would probably appreciate the services of an ex-PR man with valuable social contacts. It would be a marriage made in heaven.

  • Mary

    The mental image created in Craig’s first para is enough to make one choke on one’s cornflakes! I have always thought that Hammond could make a good pantomime dame. All this aside, he is one of the ConDem multi millionaires of course so he has his head screwed on alright. Wiki – ‘Hammond’s wealth is estimated at £7.5m or £9m.’
    .
    In spite of being so wealthy he is a trougher too. ‘Philip Hammond was criticised in 2009 when it emerged during the MP expenses row that he claimed just £8 short of the maximum allowance for a second home in London from 2007 to 2008 even though he lived in the commuter belt town of Woking. As a result of the criticism Mr Hammond told his local paper that he would pay back any profit he makes on the future sale of his second home to the public purse.’
    .
    More here on Staff Sgt.Bales and his lawyer. No evidence etc etc.
    .
    http://members5.boardhost.com/medialens/thread/1332286202.html

  • nevermind

    So David cameron will go to Uzbekistan and plead in person for the murderer of Richard Conroy to be handed over to the Bagram/Diego Garcia/Guantanamo torture teams, what a turn for the books, NOT.
    Does the FCO have any decency to inquire about their murdered officers? Was Richard in the way? of a lucrative heroin trade using Termez as their main crossing? what was he proposing and what his ‘removal’ a collaborative effort between the two states?

    How can one be upholding a face saving exercise when Human rights are not seen even to apply to your own people? The FCO’s human rights agenda never existed and Cameron complying with Karimovs demand for a visit will not change the fact on the ground.

  • nevermind

    should have been ‘was his removal’, its my fingers f….ing, again….doooh.

  • Komodo

    @ Mary: Only three times? Blurrgh must be slipping. I hardly dare take photos in deserted rural spots in case the little rat thrusts its unappealing features into the lens….

  • Uzbek in the UK

    Nothing is new under the sun.
    .
    It is not the first time when western democracy bends its knees to the despotic tyrant. Realpolitik in its very glory.
    .
    If you look at it carefully neither UK nor US have any other choice as to bend over before Karimov. Which other way to pull out thousands of men and vehicles?
    .
    Karimov of course yet once again demonstrated excellence of his survival skills. Not only he was made the leader of Uzbekistan despite the fact that he does not belong to the ruling elite, but he managed to stay in power for longer than any other former Soviet leader (Nazarbaev is another example but the case of Kazakhstan is rather unique due to its ethnic composition).
    .
    Not only he kicked out US off the region in 2005 but now he is now in the position to dictate his terms and conditions, which I have no doubts will be accepted. Some (including Putin) might have thought back in 2005 that Karimov was fully in Kremlin’s pocket, but yet again even KGB officer was proven to be wrong. Karimov took a moment, bended over before Putin for a while, but then returned Uzbekistan to the unique anti-Russian foreign policy course. And this is despite receiving over 4 billion USD annual revenue from millions of Uzbeks working in Russia, despite having all export and import routes via Russia, and despite having all (but Turkmenistan) pro-Russian and particularly unfriendly to him neighbours in the region.
    .
    I might be the last person to do it, but I shall admit that Karimov deserves applauses for his excellent survival skills. Not many tyrant of his calibre and as despotic as him could boast with the same achievements.
    .
    Mr Murray, to you personally: I think that you left FCO in a good time. The whole business in Uzbekistan is to get much dirtier and much more cynical in times to come. Survival of kleptocratic western democracies fully depends on the access to the energy and on the containment of raising Chinese influence. And in this I feel many so much cherished moral standings will be sacrificed at large to the achievement of these goals.

  • Komodo

    Sharing the same trough…
    .
    You need to Google “hintze philip hammond”, find this FT entry {“Werritty met US defence secretary – FT.com”}
    and look at the cached version as the FT has a paywall and the cache URL is browser-specific (prob user-specific)
    .
    “As the government comes under pressure to change lobbying rules, it emerged that Philip Hammond, Mr Fox’s replacement as defence secretary, also received hospitality from Michael Hintze, who was a prominent backer of Mr Fox. Mr Hintze, who supported Mr Werritty in his work while also investing in defence companies, hosted Mr Hammond at several dinners before and after the election, which were openly declared.”

  • Uzbek in the UK

    @ Nevermind
    .
    I believe that Richard Conroy was not FCO officer but was UN representative to Uzbekistan. So I presume it is for UN to inquiry Uzbek officials of plane crash and assassination conspiracy. His death was the reason why plane crash was made public for the first time, Uzbek officials were incapable of containing this information from public, as they have done on several previous occasions when only local residents were victims.
    .
    What is interesting to note (and Mr Murray has also mentioned this on several occasions) is that despite millions of EU/US taxpayers money was spent on border crossing control in Termez (main border crossing between Uzbekistan and Afghanistan), the amount of heroin that is supplied to the market had not fallen. Contrary to this, and according to some research made in Russia, heroin in the last 10 years fallen in price by 25% and its consumption in Russia have risen by 80%. Of course there is nothing to say that whole heroin from Afghanistan crosses only Uzbek/Afghan border, but certainly heroin that reaches Russia is brought from Afghanistan via Central Asia. There are of course 3 Central Asian countries that border with Afghanistan but what is interesting is that during Soviet war in Afghanistan, Uzbekistan served as the main transit corridor for heroin export in which it is believed the top KGB officers were patrons. This in turn led to Uzbek criminals having acquired considerable influence in Moscow, the one that they continue to enjoy at present times.
    .
    It might seem that whoever is patronising heroin trade at present, they use the same routes and quite possibly the same people to continue to deliver heroin to the market. This argument becomes stronger considering the fact that Central Asia and Russia (and Russia in particular) are today also consume considerable amount of heroin.

  • Mary

    I shall paraphrase a sentence in that Mail link Komodo.

    One of Michael Hintze’s favourite and oft-quoted maxims is taken from Luke 12:48: ‘Unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall be much required.’

    .
    Now reading ‘Unto whomsoever much is given by Mr Hintze, of them shall be much required.’
    .
    The Topry boy and girl recipients have been bought and I suppose they know this. Or perhaps they are just too dim and naive.

    .
    I see that Mr Hintze professes to be a ‘devout Roman Catholic’ as do many other British and American Jews. My life!

    From the article – At the Belgravia headquarters of his $10billion CQS hedge fund, one employee is tasked solely with opening the flood of letters which arrive daily, asking the celebrated philanthropist for money. ‘Somebody has to read them, and treat those people with respect,’ Mr Hintze, a devout Roman Catholic, once explained. ‘They are not asking just because they want something for nothing.’

  • Passerby

    No doubt among other points of note debated, are the active help of the US NATO et al in helping Uzbekistan fight the Uzbek extremists, who are busy: “ploting to provide support to an Uzbek terrorist organization that authorities say is engaging NATO coalition and U.S. forces in Afghanistan.”
    ,
    Our fight is the Karimov’s fight and his enemies are our enemies too.
    ,
    Hence the latest uncovering of a dastardly, heinous, barbaric plots of: “Bakhtiyor Jumaev was arrested in Philadelphia, according to Colorado U.S. Attorney John Walsh.”
    ,
    “A 45-year-old Philadelphia resident was detained in the United States on suspicion of supporting a terrorist group from Uzbekistan, to whom he allegedly donated $300, local authorities said.”
    ,
    ,
    {http://en.rian.ru/world/20120316/172205468.html}
    Philadelphia Man Arrested in Colo. Terrorism Case
    ,
    ,
    Uzbek in UK,
    Best start carrying a picture of the dear leader in you wallet, purely as a sign of your devotion and love of Karimov your dear fantastic great ingenious leader!!!! (they can intercept the IP addresses you know)

  • Uzbek in the UK

    @ Passerby
    .
    I have no need of Karimov’s face in my wallet, I keep Karimov deeply in my heart and my mind. So even when I have no wallet on me, I still have Karimov with me.
    .
    F..ck the IP interception. I bid they know who I am, and as far as I out of Uzbekistan, I am no bother to them. They have White House, N10, Brussels serving them at their table, who am I to make a difference?

  • Mary

    Komodo I can see just ONE dinner declared for himself and lovely wife from Hintze.
    .
    He loves accepting hospitality from tobacco companies. BAT is based in his Woking constituency. Now killing the Chinese in thousands as they take up the weed.{http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/2004/jul/17/china.smoking}
    .
    His shares in Castlemead are now in a trust. I see he indirectly benefits from the NHS privatisation.
    .
    (a) Castlemead Ltd.; a company whose principal activity is property development, including the development of Primary Care premises for NHS bodies and General Medical Practitioners.
    (a) Castlemead Ltd.; a company involved in housebuilding and development, including the development of premises for lease to general medical practitioners.

    .
    http://www.theyworkforyou.com/regmem/?p=10257

  • Komodo

    There seem to be some of us who are – perish the thought – sceptical of NATO’s intention to eliminate the Afghan heroin trade, and have even expressed the thought that the Afghans might not want NATO there. Let me put their fears to rest. The facts are these:
    NATO IN AFGHANISTAN
    MASTER NARRATIV E AS AT 6 October 2008
    This guidance document is designed to assist all those who play a part in explaining the situation in
    Afghanistan and the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) mission, but especially those who deal
    with the media. Ownership of this document is shared between NATO HQ, SHAPE, JFC Brunssum and HQ
    ISAF but certain issues should be led at the strategic level (NATO HQ /SHAPE); these are annotated as
    such. The Current Issues section will be updated according to the level of Alliance or public interest at the
    time of issue……..
    .
    SECTION III – KEY POLITICAL MESSAGES
    29. Why is NATO in Afghanistan?
    NATO’s presence in Afghanistan is in the best interests of the Afghan people, it is in the interest of
    our own peoples, and it is the right thing to do.
     The security of NATO member states does not start at their borders.
     Terrorism and the drugs trade do not recognise territorial boundaries.
     As a failed state under the Taleban, Afghanistan exported terrorism, instability and crime to its
    neighbours and to the rest of the world.
     Today, NATO and the wider International Community stand by the democratically elected
    GIRoA and the people of Afghanistan to prevent this happening again.
    30. Legal Mandate
    ISAF is mandated under Chapter VII of the UN Charter. Ten UN Security Council Resolutions
    – 1386, 1413, 1444, 1510, 1563, 1623, 1659, 1707, 1776 and 1833 – relate to ISAF.
     The ISAF mission was created in accordance with the Bonn Conference of December 2001
    and its tasks are detailed in a Military Technical Agreement of January 2002 between the ISAF
    Commander and the Afghan Transitional Authority.
     ISAF was initially led by lead nations: the UK, followed by Turkey and the joint lead of Germany
    and the Netherlands.
     In August 2003, upon request of the UN and GIRoA, NATO took responsibility for ISAF.
    31. Legitimacy
    NATO is in Afghanistan at the express wish of the democratically elected GIRoA and is widely
    supported by the Afghan population.
     NATO/ISAF is in Afghanistan to support the legitimate Afghan authorities.
     As demonstrated in all opinion polls, there is strong support from the Afghan people for
    NATO/ISAF.
    .
    http://wlstorage.net/file/nato-master-narrative-2008.pdf
    .
    (Wikileaks)
    .
    And now you know.

  • Uzbek in the UK

    @ Komodo
    .
    I believe that in 1938 someone named Adolf Hitler was also appealing to wide public support amongst Sudets Germans towards annexing Sudets from Chehoslovakia. Time passes but methods do not change.

  • Mary

    Had to switch off Gideon delivering his budget speech. I could not stand just one minute more of his strangulated voice. Is there something wrong with him?

  • Passerby

    Is Sarko the sayan using the Bu$hBlair tactics to extricate himself from a potential loss scenario? Whilst the “terrorist” was busy bartering with the police a bomb went off in the vicinity/front of Indonesian embassy.
    ,
    However, the media are running with the stories of the Al Qaeda, Pakistan, and Mooslums are coming to get you!!!!!!!!!!!!
    ,
    Although the narrative is now changing to: the “Tyyyrrrrrroooorrrist” ringing France24 and admitting to being the villain post which the cops perambulate to his address, and he shoots them through the letter box!!!
    ,
    This story is getting stranger by the second, however the shrill anti Muslim hate mongering goes on unabated.

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