KAZAKHSTAN: A/S BOUCHER AND NSC DIRECTOR MILLARD

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ALMATY 001662 SIPDIS DEPARTMENT FOR SCA/CEN (J. MUDGE) SENSITIVE SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PGOV MARR MOPS PREL KZ SUBJECT: KAZAKHSTAN: A/S BOUCHER AND NSC DIRECTOR MILLARD MEET WITH MINISTER OF DEFENSE ALTYNBAYEV ¶1. (U) Summary: On May 4, Assistant Secretary Boucher and National Security Council Senior Director Elisabeth Millard met with Kazakhstani Minister of Defense Altynbayev to discuss the continuing cooperation between the U.S. Department of Defense and MOD. Altynbayev's staff provided briefings on areas of cooperation that underscored the regional leadership role that Kazakhstan is taking. End summary. -------------- Strategic Partners in the Region -------------- ¶2. (U) Reading from a prepared speech, Altynbayev touched on several key areas of cooperation: Kazakhstan's continuing support in Iraq and Afghanistan, the Caspian Security initiative, and the interoperability of Kazakhstani and NATO forces. ¶3. (U) To underscore Kazakhstan's commitment to regional security, Altynbayev pointed out that two of the seven officers in the room had completed military schooling in the U.S. and had been deployed to Iraq. He then mentioned that General-Lieutenant (2-star) Sembinov would be traveling the following week to the U.S. -------------- Prepared Briefings -------------- ¶4. (SBU) Altynbayev then turned the floor over to senior officers (O-5, O-6 level) to provide basic overview briefings. The first briefing was an overview of the current status of U.S.-Kazakhstani programs. It underscored the Ministry if Defense's four priorities in cooperation: FMF, IMET, counterterrorism, and military-to-military. The briefing was notable in that it tied the funding back to the importance the Ministry of Defense attaches to NATO interoperability, regional/global security, and the war on terrorism. The briefer reviewed a list of U.S.-provided technical assistance, including armored vehicles and aircraft. He said that the Ministry plans to request six to eight more Huey II helicopters after next year, and up to six C-130s in 2007. ¶5. (SBU) The second briefing focused on Kazakhstan's contribution to stability in the region, particularly its contributions in Iraq. The briefer noted that the KAZBAT ordnance disposal contingent, sponsored by Central Command (CENTCOM),is currently deployed in Al-Kut in a multinational division subordinate to the Polish military, with a primary mission to deactivate unexploded live ordnance. KAZBAT has also been training Iraqi forces in this mission since 2005. The Ministry of Defense has also supported more than 3,000 overflights for Operation Enduring Freedom, and provided more than 15 million tenge ($121,000) in aid to the Afghani Army; an additional 34 million tenge in assistance ($274,000) is planned in 2006. ¶6. (SBU) In the third briefing, the Ministry outlined its priorities for Caspian Security, the most important of which is building a Navy. The other areas described included, again, NATO interoperability and counterterrorism. On the wish list of "planned" acquisitions that might be sponsored by the U.S. were a 1,000-ton ship and a pier in Aktau. (Note: The briefer quickly glossed over the Ministry of Defense's "partnership" with the Border Guard, which is the only Kazakhstani entity that has seaworthy crafts capable of interdiction and engagement. End note.) -------------- Discussing Follow-on Cooperation -------------- ¶7. (SBU) A/S Boucher pointed out that security and stability in this region is important to maintaining Kazakhstani independence and to ensuring that its choices are its own. He underscored that such independence was more easily maintained by continued security cooperation with the U.S. and NATO, and assured Altynbayev that the U.S. will do everything it could to enhance a cooperative program. A/S Boucher also pointed out that expanding security in the region will provide Kazakhstan with the ability to trade south (goods and energy). ¶8. (SBU) A/S Boucher asked about cooperation with other ALMATY 00001662 002 OF 002 regional powers, since the U.S. and Kazakhstan have commercial interests that span the Caspian. Altynbayev answered that the only collective security treaty in place is with Russia, but the Kazakhstani government had recently signed cooperative agreements with Azerbaijan. Altynbayev then pointed out that there is no military cooperation with Iran, and that attempts to work with Turkmenistan had been rebuffed. He noted that Iran and Turkmenistan were not cooperating in signing a Caspian delimitation agreement. In terms of the other countries, Altynbayev said that working with Uzbekistan was becoming more and more difficult, and that it seemed to be isolating itself. However, Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan were more eager to be partners, and even sent their cadets to study at Ministry of Defense institutes. ¶9. (U) Altynbayev informed Boucher about the Ministry's regional center in Almaty, which included the Institute for Foreign Languages. He noted that the OSCE and certain European countries were interested in participating in the center and teaching courses, and that there would be regional participation from Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan. ORDWAY