KAZAKHSTAN: GENERAL WALD,S MEETING WITH SECURITY

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 ALMATY 000425

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

DEPT FOR EUR/CACEN (J. MUDGE, M. O'MARA)

E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/01/2016
TAGS: PREL MOPS OVIP KZ
SUBJECT: KAZAKHSTAN: GENERAL WALD,S MEETING WITH SECURITY
COUNCIL CHAIR UTEMURATOV; JANUARY 20, 2006

REF: A. 05 ALMATY 3731


B. 05 ALMATY 3729

Classified By: DCM Mark Asquino, reasons 1.4 (B) and (D).


1. (U) Participants:

U.S.
European Command Deputy Commander General Charles F. Wald
Deputy Assistant Secretary for Defense James MacDougall
Charge Mark Asquino
Lieutenant Colonel Michael E. Corson
Lieutenant Colonel Richard Lee

Kazakhstan
Security Council Chairman Bulat Utemuratov
Deputy Security Council Chairman Maulen Ashimbayev
Major General A.K Abdulmanov
Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs Zhoshybayev



2. (C) Summary: On January 20, EUCOM Deptuty Commander
General Wald met with the Chairman of Kazakhstan's Security
Council, Bulat Utemuratov, to discuss Caspian Security
issues. General Wald said that the goal of the European
Command's Caspian Guard program was to provide training,
equipment and coordination to Caspian basin countries.
Chairman Utemuratov said that Kazakhstan was interested in
American help to strengthen Caspian security -- especially
equipment that would help it respond to emergency situations.
He said the major problem hindering cooperation among Caspian
basin countries was the unresolved status of efforts to
demarcate the sea's national boundaries. Utemuratov also
raised the possibility of Kazakhstani cooperation with the
U.S. on the PSI initiative. End Summary

Cooperation Between Azerbaijan and Kazakhstan
-------------- -


3. (C) General Wald began the meeting by noting that he had
just come from Azerbaijan where he had discussed Caspian
security cooperation with President Aliyev and members of his
government. The General noted that cooperation between
Azerbaijan and Kazakhstan was crucial for the security of the
entire Caspian region. The goal of the European Command's
Caspian Guard program was to provide training, equipment and
coordination to Caspian basin countries. This included
assistance to assure the inter-operability of equipment such
as radios and coordination of security strategies and
procedures. With the exception of Iran from which no
cooperation was possible at this time, the U.S. hoped
Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan and Russia would all
become involved in joint Caspian security efforts. Such
cooperation was needed to combat increasing security threats
to the region, which included an upswing in terrorist acts
supported by Al Qaida as well as an increase in narcotics
trafficking.

Solving The Problem of Caspian Security
--------------


4. (C) Chairman Utemuratov said that Kazakhstan was
interested in American help to strengthen Caspian security --
especially equipment that would to respond to emergency
situations. The major problem hindering cooperation among
Caspian basin countries was the unresolved status of efforts
to demarcate the sea's national boundaries. He noted that
Kazakhstan had a good bilateral relationship with Azerbaijan
and had begun to discuss cooperation in the Caspian. However,
Russian agreement was needed, as well as that of
Turkmenistan, if joint Caspian security efforts were to be
successful. Utemuratov suggested that the issue of Caspian
Security should be a topic on the agenda of the upcoming
meeting between Presidents Nazarbayev and Bush in Washington
"that is being planned."


5. (C) General Wald thanked the Chairman, and said that the
European Command would be pleased to host a coordination
meeting at its headquarters in Stuttgart to discuss the
Caspian Guard program with representatives from Azerbaijan,
Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan and Russia. One area for future
discussion might be how to coordinate efforts between the
Border Guard's maritime forces and the Navy, a subject that
had been raised during his visit to Azerbaijan. The General
also said that the European Command would be happy to arrange
a visit to the Mediterranean so that Kazakstani specialists
could observe how security was handled there. Chairman

ALMATY 00000425 002 OF 002


Utemuratov indicated interest in the latter possibility.

Possible Cooperation on PSI
--------------


6. (C) As the meeting was coming to a close, Chairman
Utemuratov alluded to Under Secretary Joseph's October 2005
meetings in Ust-Kamenogorsk with President Nazarbayev and
Foreign Minister Tokayev (reftels). In the latter meetings,
the Under Secretary had asked for Kazakhstan's participation
in the Proliferation Security Initiative (PSI). Utemuratov
emphasized that as Chairman of the Security Council, this
issue was an issue that he had been asked to address. He
said that he would be pleased to meet with Embassy
representatives to discuss PSI.
ORDWAY