Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06ALMATY1161
2006-04-03 06:57:00
UNCLASSIFIED
US Office Almaty
Cable title:  

SPRING THAW BRINGS CONSULAR OUTREACH

Tags:  KOCI PREL PGOV CASC CVIS KPAO KZ 
pdf how-to read a cable
This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.

030657Z Apr 06
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ALMATY 001161

SIPDIS

STATE FOR CA/VO/CI (CLAMORA AND MDERKS)
STATE ALSO FOR CA/OCS/ACS (CTADROS),SCA/CEN (JMUDGE)
FRANKFURT FOR RCO RUSSEL BROWN


E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: KOCI PREL PGOV CASC CVIS KPAO KZ
SUBJECT: SPRING THAW BRINGS CONSULAR OUTREACH

REF: A.) ALMATY 939, B.) ALMATY 938, C.) ALMATY 4407

1.) SUMMARY. In the previous two weeks, ConOffs have visited
four cities in Kazakhstan to provide American Citizen
Services (ACS) and to meet with students and local adoption
officials. Embassy Almaty's "Mobile Consular Section"
endeavors to provide critical services to the roughly 5,000
American citizens spread across the world's ninth largest
country. END SUMMARY.

-------------- --------------
Stepping up to Central Kazakhstan: Astana and Karaganda
-------------- --------------

2.) On March 6th, ConOff met with students in the central
Kazakhstani city of Karaganda. The lecture, at the English-
language only Friendship School centered on higher education
opportunities in the U.S. and student visa application
procedures. The visit to Karaganda also served to satisfy
two Welfare/Whereabouts requests (Refs: A,B).

3.) On March 7 Ambassador Ordway conducted a Town Hall
meeting in Astana. After the Ambassador's introductory
remarks, including a review of the pace of construction of
the new embassy complex, and a spirited question and answer
session, ConOff provided services such as extra visa pages,
and certified copies of passports and notarials. This was
the second annual Town Hall meeting to be held at Embassy
Branch Office Astana.

--------------
Caspian Sea Region: Atyrau and Aktau
--------------

4.) In an effort to reach the second largest concentration
of Americans resident in Kazakhstan, ConOff visited the
Caspian Sea region on March 15th and 16th. The city of
Atyrau is situated about half an hour north of the Caspian
Sea and is split by the Ural River, which represents the
continental divide between Europe and Asia. It was founded
in 1645 by a Russian trader and is 350 kilometers east of
the Russian city Astrakhan. Despite its closeness to the
Russian border, the majority of the 145,000 residents are
ethnically Kazakh. Atyrau is also the major jumping-off
point for the Tengiz oil fields. The Atyrau region has the

largest population of registered Americans outside of
Almaty.

5.) A representative of the TengizChevroil company provided
ConOff with a tour of the "American village" in Atyrau where
most of the expatriate employees live. The village includes
housing for expatriate workers, a grade school, and a
recreational facility, including a cafeteria.

--------------
Atyrau Amcits: "Open a Consulate Here!"
--------------

6.) Later, ConOff met with a group of about 50 students and
teachers from Atyrau State University. Questions from the
students focused on higher education in the U.S., visa
procedures, teen life in the United States, financial
assistance, the Work and Travel program and teacher exchange
programs. In a meeting with the Rector of Atyrau State
University, ConOff was informed that they have an exchange
program with the University of Washington in Seattle.

7.) ConOff also hosted a Town Hall meeting for the Americans
living and working in Atyrau. The Town Hall broke post
records for services requested, specifically extra pages and
certified copies. Given the large number of attendees and
the continued interest and support of the local business
community, ConOffs plan to visit the region on a quarterly
basis starting in the second half of FY-2006. Conoff also
fielded a number of requests that the embassy open a
permanent branch office on the Caspian to assist American
citizens based there.

-------------- --------------
Aktau: Meeting with the Deputy Mayor and Students
-------------- --------------

8.) Aktau sits on the site of an ancient Silk Road port
city, directly on the banks of the Caspian Sea. During
Soviet times, it served as uranium storage and nuclear
weapons development site, as well as, paradoxically, a beach
and vacation destination. Today, it is positioning itself
to become the Houston of Kazakhstan. It has a slightly
larger population than Atyrau although a much smaller
concentration of registered Americans.
9.) ConOff met with local officials to discuss inter-country
adoption issues. The meeting was chaired by the Deputy Akim
(Deputy Mayor) of the Aktau region and was attended by the
Deputy Director of the local Department of Education,
representatives from local orphanages, the Family and
Children's Issues Committee, and the Prosecutor's office.
Questions during this meeting echoed those in similar
settings, such as the tax benefits of adopting, if there is
a federal body responsible for international adoptions and a
discussion of the Post Placement Reporting requirement.
Particularly striking were questions that focused on
clarifications of Kazakhstan's own laws and procedures.

10.) ConOff also visited Aktau State University to discuss
with students and faculty opportunities to work and study in
the United States. While questions mirrored those asked in
Atyrau, students in Aktau were more interested in practical
matters such as dispelling rumors about the visa interview
process and how exactly to find a university in the United
States. The trip was capped by the first ever Town Hall
meeting for Americans resident in Aktau.


ORDWAY