Project Activity Report, Republic of Uzbekistan: Election of Deputies to the Oliy Majlisi and Regional and Local Councils of Peoples Deputies

PROJECT BACKGROUND: PRE-PROPOSAL MEETINGS

In Late October 23, 1994, an IFES representative met with John Scales, Democratization Officer, USAID, Almaty to discuss plans for upcoming IFES work in Central Asia. During the meeting, IFES was informed that USAID had received a cable regarding a request from Ambassador Henry L. Clarke in Tashkent, Uzbekistan that IFES provide technical assistance for the upcoming parliamentary elections scheduled for Christmas Day. Ambassador Clarke's cable indicated that he had managed to solicit an official invitation from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for IFES to work in Uzbekistan.

At that time IFES was preparing for its follow-up visit to Tajikistan to assess the Referendum and Presidential election scheduled for November 6. In response to the request from Ambassador Clarke, USAID in Almaty suggested that it might be opportune if the IFES team could arrange to meet with the Embassy in Tashkent on its return trip from Dushanbe to Almaty. Travel between the two capitals requires a layover in Tashkent which created an opportunity to initiate contacts with officials in Uzbekistan.

Following further negotiations between IFES, AID Washington and USAID Almaty, it was decided that the Tajikistan/Uzbekistan team would include Scott Lansell, IFES Program Officer, Gwenn Hoffman, Regional Project Manager/ Almaty , and Linda Edgeworth, an election consultant who was already working in Kazakstan and who had been a member of the PreElection Assessment Team in Tajikistan in September/October. Joining the team would be Zara Dashtamirova, local staff facilitator and interpreter from IFES's Almaty Office. Through the introductory meetings in Tashkent, IFES hoped to assess Uzbekistan's level of interest in technical assistance, and the nature of the support which might be possible if an appropriate and timely project was ultimately approved in time for the elections approximately 7 weeks away.