KAZAKHSTAN: GOK AGREES TO THE TRANSFER OF

UNCLAS ALMATY 003245

SIPDIS


DEPARTMENT FOR S/WCI (WITTEN),L/PM (AHAINES),SCA/CEN (J.
MUDGE),DOD/OGC (BEAVER),OUSD/DETAINEE POLICY (LIOTTA),NSC
(CAMPONOVO)

SENSITIVE

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PTER KAWC PINR PREL KZ
SUBJECT: KAZAKHSTAN: GOK AGREES TO THE TRANSFER OF
KAZAKHSTANI DETAINEES

REF: A. State 146996, B. Almaty 3086


1. (SBU) Summary: This is an action request. The
Government of Kazakhstan has agreed to receive the transfer
of the Kazakhstani detainees at Guantanamo Bay, according to
Kazakhstani Ministry of Foreign Affairs Officer Ualikhan S.
Sanginkhanov. Post requests Department guidance on the
mechanism of the actual transfer, time line, language for
the agreement of assurances, and all information regarding
the three Kazakhstani detainees approved for release. End
summary.


2. (SBU) On September 14, Poloff met with Ualikhan S.
Sanginkhanov, Head of the MFA's Division of Europe and
America, Department of Consular Services, to pass Ref A
talking points on the President's speech on Guantanamo.
Saginkhanov invited the head of the consular department and
a representative from the security services to the meeting,
and used the opportunity to inform Poloff that the GOK had
agreed to receive the transfer of the Kazakhstani detainees
at Guantanamo Bay.


3. (SBU) Saginkhanov suggested that the GOK would welcome
the transfer of the detainees via a U.S.-funded flight, and
asked that Post send the MFA a diplomatic note with a
detailed description of all of the steps of a proposed
transfer and an estimated timeline. He also requested that
the U.S. provide the MFA with all information it has on the
detainees, including their backgrounds, what type of
terrorist activities or support they were involved in, and
all pertinent information on their incarceration at
Guantanamo. (Note: Post notes that it has passed the MFA
material on the three detainees approved for release, but
requests Washington forward all releasable information on
the individuals, whether already passed or additional
material. End note.)


4. (SBU) Saginkhanov asked if the assurances that are
required of them prior to the transfer need to be signed in
paper format, or if they can be agreed to verbally. Poloff
confirmed that the agreement needed to be in written form,
and promised to provide the text of the agreement.


5. (SBU) Finally, Saginkhanov requested that Kazakhstan's
cooperation on this matter be publicly announced to portray
their cooperation in a positive light. He suggested that
the pending visit of Kazakhstani President Nazarbayev to the
U.S. would present a good venue for such an announcement.

ORDWAY