Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06ASTANA668
2006-11-27 04:24:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Astana
Cable title:  

KAZAKHSTAN: AMBASSADOR'S NOVEMBER 25 MEETING WITH

Tags:  KDEM PARM PHUM PREL PTER AF KZ 
pdf how-to read a cable
VZCZCXRO8587
PP RUEHDBU
DE RUEHTA #0668/01 3310424
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
P 270424Z NOV 06
FM AMEMBASSY ASTANA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 7776
INFO RUCNCIS/CIS COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUEHBUL/AMEMBASSY KABUL PRIORITY 0276
RUEHVEN/USMISSION USOSCE PRIORITY 1650
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK PRIORITY 1872
RUEHNO/USMISSION USNATO PRIORITY 2156
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC PRIORITY
RUEBAAA/DEPT OF ENERGY WASHDC PRIORITY
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 ASTANA 000668 

SIPDIS

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DEPT FOR SCA/CEN (M. O'MARA)

E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/27/2016
TAGS: KDEM PARM PHUM PREL PTER AF KZ
SUBJECT: KAZAKHSTAN: AMBASSADOR'S NOVEMBER 25 MEETING WITH
FM TOKAYEV

REF: A. STATE 185480


B. STATE 185757

C. ASTANA 651

D. ALMATY 1210

Classified By: Amb. John Ordway, reasons 1.4 (B) and (D).

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 ASTANA 000668

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

DEPT FOR SCA/CEN (M. O'MARA)

E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/27/2016
TAGS: KDEM PARM PHUM PREL PTER AF KZ
SUBJECT: KAZAKHSTAN: AMBASSADOR'S NOVEMBER 25 MEETING WITH
FM TOKAYEV

REF: A. STATE 185480


B. STATE 185757

C. ASTANA 651

D. ALMATY 1210

Classified By: Amb. John Ordway, reasons 1.4 (B) and (D).


1. (C) Summary: In a November 25 meeting with Foreign
Minister Kasymzhomart Tokayev in Astana, the Ambassador
proposed policy discussions on the permanent disposition of
BN-350 spent fuel, expressed disappointment at Kazakhstan's
voting record in the Third Committee, and offered expanded
training opportunities for Kazakhstani diplomats at the
Marshall Center. Tokayev indicated that Kazakhstan would
support the resolution on Myanmar in the UNGA, and expressed
interest in sending mid-level diplomats to the Marshall
Center. The Ambassador also commended Kazakhstan's readiness
to take back its citizens detained at Guantanamo and to
expand its engagement with Afghanistan. Tokayev, who now has
the interagency lead on cooperation with Afghanistan,
described plans to pursue a variety of economic projects in

2007. Tokayev informed the Ambassador that President
Nazarbayev would call for sweeping reform of the Commonwealth
of Independent States at the organization's November 28
summit in Minsk, despite Russian opposition. Tokayev
promised to look into the status of an agreement to permit
political party training by U.S.-funded NGOs. The Foreign
Minister agreed that the November 21 demolition of Hare
Krishna homes had been conducted in a cruel and ill-advised
manner, and informed the Ambassador that the Security Council
would discuss the issue in the near future. Finally, Tokayev
shared his concerns regarding China's aggressive push to
invest in Kazakhstan. End summary.

--------------
Permanent Disposition of BN-350 Spent Fuel
--------------


2. (SBU) The Ambassador told FM Tokayev that during President
Nazarbayev's September 28 meeting in Washington with
Secretary of Energy Bodman, Nazarbayev had agreed to discuss

SIPDIS
options for the permanent disposition of the spent fuel from

the BN-350 reactor once it is moved to Kurchatov. The U.S.
would like to hold policy discussions on this issue in Astana
in January, to be followed by technical discussions (Refs A
and B). The Ambassador told Tokayev that he would also
discuss the matter with Security Council Chairman Murat
Tazhin and Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources Bakhyt
Izmukhambetov. Tokayev indicated that the proposal was
reasonable.

--------------
UN Resolutions
--------------


3. (C) The U.S. had hoped for greater cooperation from
Kazakhstan on a series of human rights resolutions in the
UNGA's Third Committee, the Ambassador noted. While we were
pleased that Kazakhstan had supported the resolution on the
DPRK, we were disappointed that Kazakhstan supported a number
of no-action motions on other important resolutions and
abstained on the Myanmar resolution. FM Tokayev said that
Kazakhstan would support the Myanmar resolution in the UNGA,
but found it impossible to break ranks with fellow CIS
members Uzbekistan and Belarus. He claimed that Uzbek
President Karimov refused to attend the recent summit of
Turkic nations primarily because Turkey had supported UN
resolutions on Uzbekistan in the past.

--------------
CIS Summit
--------------


4. (C) Tokayev said that the GOK was preparing intensively
for the November 28 summit of the Commonwealth of Independent
States (CIS) in Minsk, as Kazakhstan currently chairs the
organization. President Nazarbayev will speak about the need
to reform the organization, make it more compact and
efficient, and focus it more clearly on core issues.
Initiatives such as the proposed free trade area were a waste
of time, according to Tokayev. Kazakhstan did not agree with
Belarusian President Lukashenko's recent call to disband the
organization, but did believe serious reform was necessary.

ASTANA 00000668 002 OF 003


Kazakhstan would pursue reform despite the fact that Russia
is opposed and is urging fellow CIS members to avoid
"radical" changes. Tokayev described current CIS Secretary
General Rushaylo as "destructive." Tokayev argued that the
fact that all heads of state except for Turkmenbashi were
planning to attend the upcoming summit, despite their
bilateral differences, underscored the important role of the
organization as a forum for dialogue.

--------------
Kazakhstani Engagement in Afghanistan
--------------


5. (SBU) The Ambassador asked Tokayev about his role as the
interagency lead on Kazakhstan's engagement with Afghanistan.
Tokayev said that much progress had already been made, in
part thanks to encouragement from the U.S., and Kazakhstan
planned to continue to expand its contacts. Tokayev noted
that Nazarbayev had briefed UK Prime Minister Blair on
Kazakhstan's plans during their November 20 meeting in
London. At this stage, according to Tokayev, the focus is on
investment and economic projects. From a political and
financial point of view it is "early" to discuss
participation in a PRT, he added. Tokayev said that many
experts from Kazakhstan will visit Afghanistan in 2007 to
discuss cooperation in areas such as oil, gas, and copper.
He noted that some Afghanis had told him that, because they
found it difficult to work with large U.S. oil and gas firms
and did not want to work with Russian firms, they were eager
for cooperation with Kazakhstani firms. He had already heard
from several firms that were eager to explore options in
Afghanistan.

--------------
Training of Kazakhstani Diplomats
--------------


6. (SBU) The Ambassador proposed increasing the number of
junior and mid-level Kazakhstani diplomats who are trained
each year at the Marshall Center. He noted that the 12-week
National Security course, offered three times per year, would
be an excellent preparation for diplomats who would have a
role in an eventual OSCE chairmanship. Tokayev said that he
was quite interested in the proposal and that the MFA would
definitely send staff to the Marshall Center for training.


7. (C) He informed the Ambassador that Kazakhstan receives
significant pressure from both Russia and China not to
participate in Marshall Center activities because of the
organization's alleged work to undermine the Shanghai
Cooperation Organization. Kazakhstan realizes that the
allegations are baseless and will continue to work with the
Marshall Center, Tokayev said.

--------------
Guantanamo Detainees
--------------


8. (SBU) The U.S. was very pleased to have received
Kazakhstan's diplomatic note containing the necessary
assurances to permit the return of its citizens held at
Guantanamo, the Ambassador said. We will work with
Kazakhstan to coordinate their transfer. The Ambassador
noted that we had heard that Kazakhstani security forces
wanted to visit Guantanamo once more before the transfer
takes place; if that is still the case, the Kazakhstani
Embassy in Washington should contact the Department of
Defense through established channels. Tokayev said he would
follow up on the issue.

--------------
Political Party Training
--------------


9. (SBU) Despite the apparent good will of the Presidential
Administration and the Ministry of Justice, not to mention
the commitment expressed in the joint statement issued during
President Nazarbayev's visit to Washington, no progress has
been made on an agreement to permit U.S.-funded NGOs to
provide training to Kazakhstani political parties, the
Ambassador said. Tokayev promised to check on the status of
interagency approval of the draft memorandum of understanding.


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--------------
Demolition of Hare Krishna Homes
--------------


10. (C) The Ambassador noted that the legal status of the
Hare Krishna commune outside of Almaty had been the subject
of a protected court battle, and that the Ministry of Justice
had established a special commission to review the situation
and propose an equitable resolution. The U.S. was therefore
puzzled and disappointed by the local authorities' decision
to carry out the demolition orders before the special
commission had issued any recommendations (Ref C). We were
also shocked by the harsh way in which the demolitions were
carried out on less than 24 hours notice, during severe
winter weather. Tokayev described the demolitions as
"cruel," noting that he had taken a question on the incident
from a CNBC reporter during a press conference in London.
Tokayev said that while the court's decision was clear, the
way the demolitions were carried out had raised many
questions in the government. Security Council Chairman
Tazhin, who had also been briefed on the incident while in
London with Nazarbayev, planned to hold a special Security
Council session with all law enforcement agencies to instruct
them "not to be so stupid" in how they handle such cases in
the future.

--------------
China
--------------


11. (C) In a one-on-one conversation following the main
meeting, FM Tokayev told the Ambassador that Kazakhstan was
concerned about China's very aggressive push to invest in a
wide range of projects. As a result, Nazarbayev would sign
only very general framework agreements during his December
trip to Beijing. Kazakhstan fears both Chinese economic
pressure and the potential for large numbers of migrants,
Tokayev said. In large projects such as the Ekibastuz power
plant (Ref D),Tokayev said, Kazakhstan would be more
comfortable with U.S. than Chinese investors. (Note:
Tokayev's comments largely echoed the concerns that Deputy
Prime Minister Masimov, who like Tokayev is also an expert on
China, expressed to the Ambassador on November. 18. End
note.)
ORDWAY