Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06BISHKEK1783
2006-12-19 09:57:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Bishkek
Cable title:
KYRGYZ PRESIDENT ON LIVE TV: REVOKE IMMUNITY FOR
how-toVZCZCXRO8579 PP RUEHDBU DE RUEHEK #1783 3530957 ZNY CCCCC ZZH P 190957Z DEC 06 FM AMEMBASSY BISHKEK TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 8740 INFO RUCNCIS/CIS COLLECTIVE PRIORITY RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING PRIORITY 1874 RUEHDBU/AMEMBASSY DUSHANBE PRIORITY 1453 RUEKJCS/OSD WASHDC PRIORITY RHMFISS/HQ USCENTCOM MACDILL AFB FL PRIORITY RUEHVEN/USMISSION USOSCE PRIORITY 2286 RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK PRIORITY 1671 RUEHNO/USMISSION USNATO BRUSSELS BE PRIORITY RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC PRIORITY RHEFDIA/DIA WASHDC PRIORITY RUEKJCS/JOINT STAFF WASHDC PRIORITY RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC PRIORITY RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC PRIORITY RUEHBS/USEU BRUSSELS PRIORITY RUEHLMC/MILLENNIUM CHALLENGE CORP PRIORITY
C O N F I D E N T I A L BISHKEK 001783
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
DEPT FOR SCA/CEN
E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/19/2016
TAGS: PREL PGOV PINR MARR KPAO KG
SUBJECT: KYRGYZ PRESIDENT ON LIVE TV: REVOKE IMMUNITY FOR
U.S. SOLDIERS
REF: BISHKEK 1772
Classified By: AMBASSADOR MARIE L. YOVANOVITCH, REASONS 1.4 (B) AND (D)
C O N F I D E N T I A L BISHKEK 001783
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
DEPT FOR SCA/CEN
E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/19/2016
TAGS: PREL PGOV PINR MARR KPAO KG
SUBJECT: KYRGYZ PRESIDENT ON LIVE TV: REVOKE IMMUNITY FOR
U.S. SOLDIERS
REF: BISHKEK 1772
Classified By: AMBASSADOR MARIE L. YOVANOVITCH, REASONS 1.4 (B) AND (D)
1. (C) Responding to a question during a live call-in show on
national television December 18, President Bakiyev said that
the diplomatic status accorded U.S. soldiers at the Manas Air
Base should be revoked. Referring to the December 6 security
incident at Manas Air Base in which a U.S. serviceman shot
and killed a Kyrgyz citizen, Bakiyev said that if American
soldiers harm Kyrgyz citizens, they should be held
accountable under Kyrgyz law. Bakiyev said he regretted that
the 2001 base agreement gave such "extensive" rights to U.S.
military personnel, and he said he had directed the MFA to
review the base agreement and to recommend changes that would
annul immunities for U.S. military personnel stationed in
Kyrgyzstan. (Note: Then-Prime Minister Bakiyev played an
important role in negotiating the original base agreement in
2001. End note.)
BAKIYEV, PARLIAMENT QUESTION CONTINUED NEED FOR BASE
-------------- --------------
2. (C) President Bakiyev also questioned the need for
maintaining the U.S. air base in Kyrgyzstan, stating that
conditions had improved in Afghanistan and that today "there
is no war like what was going on in 2001-2002." In addition
to the President's comments, Parliament passed a resolution
on December 15 calling for a review of the "appropriateness
of further deployments" at the base. The resolution also
called on the government to revise the terms of the base
agreement concerning the status of troops. Parliamentarians
also accused base officials of hindering efforts by Kyrgyz
authorities to investigate the December 6 shooting incident.
Bakiyev too felt that the inquiry was "proceeding with
difficulties".
"THIS IS NOT IRAQ"
--------------
3. (C) The December 6 shooting incident continues to receive
wide-scale, negative coverage from the Kyrgyz press.
Newspapers, television, and blogs have been filled with
reports and editorials about the incident. An article in the
December 19 Slovo Kyrgyzstana, a government-owned newspaper,
was headlined "This is Not Iraq." The article conveyed the
concerns of parliament about the December 6 shooting, as well
as previous incidents involving U.S. military aircraft and
soldiers, and asks whether it is time for U.S. soldiers to
leave Kyrgyzstan. Many articles have contained false
information and wild speculation about the shooting, some of
which were rebutted in the more independent news agency
reports. Other articles have expressed concern about the
safety of base operations, and have dug up reports of
previous accidents connected to the base. Some media outlets
have given the USG a voice by publishing press releases
expressing the perspective of the embassy and the U.S.
military.
4. (C) Initial press coverage of the Embassy's December 18
delivery of responses to diplomatic notes regarding the case
has also been largely negative. Media has not focused on the
fact that the U.S. responded positively to many of the Kyrgyz
government requests. Instead, press reports stress that U.S.
refused to waive the diplomatic status of U.S. troops.
YOVANOVITCH
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
DEPT FOR SCA/CEN
E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/19/2016
TAGS: PREL PGOV PINR MARR KPAO KG
SUBJECT: KYRGYZ PRESIDENT ON LIVE TV: REVOKE IMMUNITY FOR
U.S. SOLDIERS
REF: BISHKEK 1772
Classified By: AMBASSADOR MARIE L. YOVANOVITCH, REASONS 1.4 (B) AND (D)
1. (C) Responding to a question during a live call-in show on
national television December 18, President Bakiyev said that
the diplomatic status accorded U.S. soldiers at the Manas Air
Base should be revoked. Referring to the December 6 security
incident at Manas Air Base in which a U.S. serviceman shot
and killed a Kyrgyz citizen, Bakiyev said that if American
soldiers harm Kyrgyz citizens, they should be held
accountable under Kyrgyz law. Bakiyev said he regretted that
the 2001 base agreement gave such "extensive" rights to U.S.
military personnel, and he said he had directed the MFA to
review the base agreement and to recommend changes that would
annul immunities for U.S. military personnel stationed in
Kyrgyzstan. (Note: Then-Prime Minister Bakiyev played an
important role in negotiating the original base agreement in
2001. End note.)
BAKIYEV, PARLIAMENT QUESTION CONTINUED NEED FOR BASE
-------------- --------------
2. (C) President Bakiyev also questioned the need for
maintaining the U.S. air base in Kyrgyzstan, stating that
conditions had improved in Afghanistan and that today "there
is no war like what was going on in 2001-2002." In addition
to the President's comments, Parliament passed a resolution
on December 15 calling for a review of the "appropriateness
of further deployments" at the base. The resolution also
called on the government to revise the terms of the base
agreement concerning the status of troops. Parliamentarians
also accused base officials of hindering efforts by Kyrgyz
authorities to investigate the December 6 shooting incident.
Bakiyev too felt that the inquiry was "proceeding with
difficulties".
"THIS IS NOT IRAQ"
--------------
3. (C) The December 6 shooting incident continues to receive
wide-scale, negative coverage from the Kyrgyz press.
Newspapers, television, and blogs have been filled with
reports and editorials about the incident. An article in the
December 19 Slovo Kyrgyzstana, a government-owned newspaper,
was headlined "This is Not Iraq." The article conveyed the
concerns of parliament about the December 6 shooting, as well
as previous incidents involving U.S. military aircraft and
soldiers, and asks whether it is time for U.S. soldiers to
leave Kyrgyzstan. Many articles have contained false
information and wild speculation about the shooting, some of
which were rebutted in the more independent news agency
reports. Other articles have expressed concern about the
safety of base operations, and have dug up reports of
previous accidents connected to the base. Some media outlets
have given the USG a voice by publishing press releases
expressing the perspective of the embassy and the U.S.
military.
4. (C) Initial press coverage of the Embassy's December 18
delivery of responses to diplomatic notes regarding the case
has also been largely negative. Media has not focused on the
fact that the U.S. responded positively to many of the Kyrgyz
government requests. Instead, press reports stress that U.S.
refused to waive the diplomatic status of U.S. troops.
YOVANOVITCH