KAZAKHSTAN: REQUEST FOR TRANSFER OF SA-16 AND

S E C R E T ALMATY 000895

SIPDIS

STATE FOR EUR/PRA, SCA/CEN (MUDGE, O'MARA),L/PM, PM/WRA
(BAKER).

E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/02/2016
TAGS: PARM PREL PTER MASS MARR KZ POLITICAL
SUBJECT: KAZAKHSTAN: REQUEST FOR TRANSFER OF SA-16 AND
SA-14 MANPADS

REF: A. ALMATY 823


B. STATE 26014

C. STATE 26005

Classified By: DCM MARK ASQUINO FOR REASONS 1.4(B) and (D)


1. (S) On February 28, Poff delivered ref B demarche
immediately following the delivery of Ref C demarche to
Gaukhar Biseyeva, Head of the Office of European Security in
the Kazakhstani Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and her
assistant Yerzhan Zhukenov. Biseyeva appeared cautiously
optimistic about the transfer of SA-16 and SA-14 MANPADS to
the U.S. for exploitation, but said that this decision would
need to be coordinated with the Kazakhstani Ministry of
Defense (MOD).


2. (S) Bishayev asked if any other nations would be involved
with transferring the MANPADS to the U.S., to which POLOFF
replied that the UAF would transport the systems itself.
Biseyeva committed to contacting the appropriate MOD
officials to discuss the topic, and invited POLOFF to a
follow-up meeting where an MOD representative would be
present.
ORDWAY