BISHKEK EAC MEETING ON FURTHER DEVELOPMENTS IN

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 BISHKEK 001621 SIPDIS SIPDIS DEPT FOR SCA/CEN DEPT ALSO FOR DS/IP/SPC - WEINBERG DEPT ALSO FOR DS/IP/NEA/SA - GALLO E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/16/2016 TAGS: ASEC CASC PGOV PINR PREL KG SUBJECT: BISHKEK EAC MEETING ON FURTHER DEVELOPMENTS IN ABDUCTION INVESTIGATION REF: BISHKEK 1602 Classified By: Amb. Marie L. Yovanovitch, Reason 1.4 (b) and (d). ¶1. (SBU) The Ambassador chaired an EAC meeting late on November 16. In attendance were AMB, DCM, POL/ECON, POL/RA, MSG, PAS, MGT, DAO, SAO, CONS, USAID, MED, RLS, and RSO. Peace Corps and CLO were subsequently briefed by DCM. ¶2. (C) Ambassador said that the meeting was called to discuss new developments in the investigation of the abduction/car-jacking of Gulnura Abduldayeva, the spouse of USAID Country Director Clifford Brown, in Bishkek on November ¶11. Ambassador said that because this information concerned an ongoing criminal investigation, the details were not to be shared outside of the EAC. ¶3. (C) DCM summarized the new developments in the case. At 09:50 November 16, the stolen vehicle, a Nissan Pathfinder, was found in Osh, in southern Kyrgyzstan. The vehicle was dropped off in front of the building housing the USAID office in Osh. Three men exited the vehicle and were driven away in a waiting large Mercedes. The driver of the Mercedes appeared to be a local customs official. The Pathfinder no longer had diplomatic, but instead had Kyrgyz Government plates indicating a member of parliament. ¶3. (C) The DCM told the EAC that the American head of the USAID office in Osh let employees go home early for the day. Following consultations with RSO, he advised USAID employees in Osh to stay home on November 17, as well. ¶4. (C) The DCM told the EAC that it may be a coincidence that the stolen car was recovered in the parking lot of the building where USAID has its offices. The parliamentary license plates have been seen on other vehicles parked there, and the MVD suspects that a car smuggling operation is being run out of the first floor of the building (USAID offices are on the third floor). An MVD team has the vehicle under surveillance, waiting for someone to come to retrieve the license plates. ¶5. (C) DCM told the EAC that Embassy Astana Legatt interviewed Clifford Brown and Gulnura Abduldayeva in Almaty (Brown and Abduldayeva intend to remain outside of Kyrgyzstan for the near term),and Legatt will travel to Bishkek November 17. Legatt and RSO will travel to Osh on November 17 to consult with MVD investigators. RSO will also review the security of the USAID office in Osh. Legatt has arranged for a U.S.-based forensics team to be on stand-by to travel to Kyrgyzstan to examine the vehicle. ¶6. (C) Ambassador raised concerns about the security of the USAID office in Osh, whether the stolen vehicle was left there deliberately because of the USAID office or there is a car smuggling operation in the same building. RSO and Legatt will assess the situation on the ground on November 17. ¶7. (C) Ambassador said that she and RSO had met with Interior Minister Suvanaliyev on November 13, and he had pledged a full investigation and had arranged for full-time MVD presence at the Bishkek apartment building where Brown and Abduldayeva reside (four other embassy personnel live in the same building). Ambassador also met with Deputy Head of the Presidential Administration to express concern over the abduction and car-jacking. The Embassy has sent a diplomatic note to the MFA asking for a full investigation. ¶8. (C) RLA suggested that another diplomatic note be sent, advising the Kyrgyz Government that the Legatt would be arriving November 17 to consult with the MVD. RSO will accompany Legatt to all meetings with MVD. The diplomatic note will be sent to the MFA November 17, with a copy faxed to MVD. ¶9. (C) The RSO said that there was no change to the embassy's already high security posture. He urged that Embassy staff continue to exercise prudent security measures and to maintain situational awareness. CONS said that the new developments in the case did not warrant sending a warden message to the wider American community. ¶10. (SBU) RSO, DCM, and Ambassador will continue to monitor developments in the case and will convene another EAC later BISHKEK 00001621 002 OF 002 in the week, if deemed necessary. YOVANOVITCH