6. (C) The Ambassador lost track of the toasts after the tenth. His shot-glass held vodka. The minister’s high- ball glass 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 Ambassador 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 Ambassador,” 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 Casson
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
