KAZAKHSTAN A WORTHY STRATEGIC PARTNER - MEDIA COVERAGE ON NAZARBAYEV VISIT

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ASTANA 000283

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

STATE FOR SCA/CACEN (MO'MARA),SCA/PPD (JKAMP),EUR/ACE
(ESMITH/JMCKANE),DRL/PHD (CKUCHTA-HELBLING)

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV, PHUM, KPAO, KDEM, KZ
SUBJ: KAZAKHSTAN A WORTHY STRATEGIC PARTNER - MEDIA COVERAGE ON
NAZARBAYEV VISIT


ASTANA 00000283 001.4 OF 002


1. SUMMARY: Reporting by mostly pro-government and official
Kazakhstani media on President Nazarbayev's September 27-29 visit to
the United States was basically uncritical and emphasized that
Kazakhstan, as the most stable and economically prosperous nation in
Central Asia, was a worthy strategic partner for the U.S. Many
analysts commented that the visit would push the relationship to "a
new level" of mutual trust and cooperation. Most media accredited
for the visit were pro-government or official. Progressive
newspapers reprinted factual reports from accredited wire services
and opposition papers mined criticism published in websites or
Western publications for their assessments of the visit. Praise for
Nazarbayev's leadership, particularly in nuclear disarmament,
dominated the reporting. U.S. support for democratic reform was
reported in the context of quotes from U.S. Government officials,
including the joint statement and President Bush's remarks September
29. END SUMMARY.

No Criticism from Accredited Media
--------------

2. Almost all the dozen media accredited for Nazarbayev's visit
were official or pro-government, with the exception of the
independently owned Channel 31 and Interfax-Kazakhstan news agency.
Some papers not accredited, like the progressive high circulation
Vremya avoided commentary and instead reprinted factual reports from
Interfax. Opposition papers mined Western news reports and online
sources for their assessment of the visit. Reporting from
accredited media was almost uniformly uncritical, laudatory, and
included numerous quotes from American officials praising Nazarbayev
and Kazakhstan.

15 Years of Bilateral Relations - Joint Achievement
-------------- --------------

3. Scene setters on the eve of the visit focused on the long term
strategic partnership and the strong economic basis of relations. A
lengthy report in the official Kazakh language daily Yegemen
Kazakhstan September 27 headlined "Hello America! How Are You, Great
Country?" praised both countries for building mutual trust over a
15-year relationship and for becoming "strategic partners with
mutual interests," particularly in oil and gas trade.
Pro-government Liter September 26 commented, "Kazakhstan is one of
the few countries with great potential to further develop its energy
resources. The U.S. now views Kazakhstan as a prospective,
strategic partner in Central Asia, a significant region in the
international security system."

New Level of Cooperation and Trust
--------------

4. The September 30 headline in Yegemen Kazakhstan - "Collaboration
To Reach New Level After President's U.S. Visit" - was echoed by
many analysts before and after the visit. In discussing the
possibility of a trans-Caspian gas pipeline, Johns Hopkins' Central
Asia expert Fred Starr said such an agreement could provide "a new
impetus to long term cooperation, not only in energy, but other
areas as well" (official Khabar TV, September 26). Commentary in
Liter cited "the consistency and effectiveness of projects already
implemented by Kazakhstan" as "the basis for the transition of
Kazakhstani-American relations to a new level." Analyst Murat
Laumulin of the Kazakhstani Institute for Strategic Studies
commented in Liter October 5 that the visit had indeed "elevated
relations with the U.S. to a new level of trust and mutual
understanding," while noting "the burdens of bilateral relations"
were "attempts by the U.S. to constantly push for democratization,
human rights, media freedom and NGO development." He held up
Kazakhstan as "a moderate, secular, and pro-Western" role model not
only for Central Asia, but for all Muslim countries.

Nazarbayev Praised as Nonproliferation Leader
--------------

5. Pro-government and official media highlighted Nazarbayev's
successful leadership, particularly in non-proliferation efforts.
The pro-government municipal station Almaty TV on September 27
quoted Kazakhstani diplomats in Washington commenting that
Nazarbayev's warm reception by President George H. W. Bush in
Kennebunkport was "a sign of respect" for Nazarbayev personally and
that Nazarbayev's visit "was more about the future than the past."
Five television stations and several newspapers reported on
Congressman Tom Lantos' resolution congratulating Nazarbayev on the
15th anniversary of closing the Semipalatinsk testing ground and on

ASTANA 00000283 002.2 OF 002


Congresswoman Eni Faleomavaega's comment that he deserved the Nobel
Prize for his contributions to world peace.

Democratic Reform Not in Headlines, but Not Ignored
-------------- --------------

6. While democratic reform did not make headlines, it was
nevertheless included in comments reported from U.S. government
officials. The official Russian language daily Kazakhstanskaya
Pravda and Yegemen Kazakhstan printed the full text of the September
29 joint statement. (Note: full coverage in official media of
statements by U.S. officials on support for democratic reform is not
a given. Khabar removed comments on democracy from Assistant
Secretary Boucher's September 10 interview.) Primetime scene

SIPDIS
setters reported the visit agenda as laid in the September 12 White
House announcement of the visit - democracy promotion, the war on
terror, energy diversification. On the day of the visit September
29, official broadcasters quoted President Bush thanking President
Nazarbayev for "his contribution to helping a new democracy in
Iraq," and for "his concerns about democracy in Afghanistan."
Independent Channel 31 provided a fuller account of President Bush's
comments including the two sides' discussion of "our commitment to
institutions that will enable liberty to flourish."

7. President Nazarbayev's emphasis on security in his September 29
remarks was clearly reported in the weekend broadcast news on
highest rated tabloid KTK TV, official Khabar and Channel 31.
(Note: because of time zones, coverage of the September 29 meeting
only started appearing the next day in Kazakhstan). KTK commented
that Kazakhstan and the U.S. were long term strategic partners and
therefore the heads of state had to discuss a wide range of
economic, political and security issues, the last of which drew the
president's "special attention."

Opposition Media Mine Internet for Dissenting Views
-------------- --------------

8. Opposition weekly Taszhargan on October 5 incorporated criticism
from the October 4 "Voice of Democracy" electronic newsletter
disseminated by the International Eurasia Institute website,
believed to be affiliated with Nazarbayev's rival from the 1999
presidential elections, Akezhan Kazhegeldin. The article cited a
quote from Senator Russ Feingold: "'Many know Nazarbayev as a
corrupt dictator and as a person who does not respect the law, who
trampled a rising democracy and wiped out free press. This is not a
leader who should be accepted in the White House on an official
visit.'" It also mentioned Senator Carl Levin's September 26 floor
testimony challenging President Bush to prosecute the president of
Kazakhstan as a "kleptocrat." The Voice of Democracy newsletter
commented that Nazarbayev failed to achieve his number one priority,
endorsement for Kazakhstan's chairmanship of the OSCE in 2009.

9. Opposition Respublika published comment October 20 from
political scientist Nikolai Kuzmin on the lack of critical analysis
in media coverage of the visit, and characterizing the visit as a
publicity tour. "There was no information about this visit in the
media. . . A high level visit should be like a national foreign
policy event aimed at protecting our national interests. . . This
visit was a one-man triumph for the head of state."

Ordway