KAZAKHSTAN: CICA MEETING DISCUSSES CREATION OF

UNCLAS ALMATY 002878 SIPDIS DEPARTMENT FOR EUR/CACEN (JMUDGE),EUR/RPM SENSITIVE E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PREL PGOV KZ POLITICAL SUBJECT: KAZAKHSTAN: CICA MEETING DISCUSSES CREATION OF SECRETARIAT, WORKING GROUPS SIPDIS ¶1. (SBU) Summary: The Conference for Interaction and Confidence-Building Measures in Asia (CICA) is taking steps to establish a Secretariat and working groups to develop regional confidence-building measures. The creation of a Secretariat might result in a call for donations. The GOK SIPDIS is also eager to organize a conference with the OSCE to obtain organizational advice. End summary. -------------- Secretariat, Working Groups SIPDIS -------------- ¶2. (SBU) Senior officials of the Conference for Interaction and Confidence-Building Measures in Asia (CICA) met in Almaty on August 8 to discuss operational issues. Agreement was reached to establish two working groups to develop confidence-building measures in the areas of political- military relations and economic, environmental, and human dimension issues, as agreed at the October 2004 CICA Summit. A proposal to establish a CICA Secretariat in Almaty was referred back to capitals for further commentary. The draft statute for the CICA Secretariat lists the sources of financing for the new organization as voluntary contributions from member states and voluntary contributions from observers, international organizations, institutions, and other entities. -------------- Joint Event with OSCE? -------------- ¶3. (SBU) OSCE Center human dimension officer Bjorn Halvarsson told POEC chief that the GOK has been pushing the OSCE to agree to a conference with CICA members to discuss how the organization should be structured. The OSCE is not enthusiastic about the idea, according to Halvarsson, seeing it as an ineffective way to exchange such information. The OSCE has told the GOK that it needs to obtain the agreement of all other OSCE members for the proposal to move forward. ¶4. (SBU) Comment: It is possible that the GOK will approach the USG as an observer for financial assistance to create the CICA Secretariat. Given Kazakhstan's rapidly increasing budget revenues, and President Nazarbayev's personal commitment to the success of the organization, post believes such assistance is neither necessary nor the best use of our resources. ¶5. (U) Minimize for Dushanbe considered. ASQUINO NNNN