SOLANA DISCUSSES OSCE, ENERGY, AND IRAN WITH SOLANA

UNCLAS ASTANA 002851

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS

SCA/CEN FOR M. O'MARA

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PREL KZ
SUBJECT: SOLANA DISCUSSES OSCE, ENERGY, AND IRAN WITH SOLANA


1. (SBU) Summary: European Union High Representative for
External Policy and Security Javier Solana met with President
Nazarbayev in Astana on October 10. Solana asked Nazarbayev
to consider the option of chairing the OSCE after 2009.
Nazarbayev told Solana that proposed amendments to the law on
sub-soil are not aimed at Western energy companies and
offered to speak to Iran about its nuclear program.


2. (SBU) On October 10, European Union High Representative
for External Policy and Security Javier Solana traveled to
Astana for meetings with President Nazarbayev, Prime Minister
Karim Masimov, and Foreign Minister Marat Tazhin. Spanish
Ambassador to Kazakhstan Chamarro and British DCM Mike Welch
provided separate briefings to DCM on the visit. Both
reported that Solana asked Nazarbayev to consider pushing
back Kazakhstan's bid to chair the OSCE because no consensus
exists on 2009. According to Welch, Nazarbayev did not
respond. Chamarro told DCM, however, that Nazarbayev
indicated that he would like to be flexible, but that the CIS
endorsement of Kazakhstan's bid has limited his ability to
compromise. Solana told Nazarbayev that the EU expects
further democratic reform in Kazakhstan, highlighting the
need for better media and electoral laws, enhanced freedom of
assembly guarantees, and more effective avenues for the
opposition to engage with the public.


3. (SBU) Nazarbayev told Solana that Kazakhstan is ready to
contribute more to Afghanistan's reconstruction, but cannot
provide troops. Nazarbayev expressed his willingness to
speak to Iran about its nuclear ambitions. Kazakhstan aims
to become the world's largest exporter of uranium, said
Nazarabayev, but will not export to Iran until it fully meets
its IAEA obligations. The two discussed the EU - Central Asia
strategy, with Nazarbayev questioning whether the plan will
lead to concrete action.


4. (SBU) Nazarbayev assured Solana that proposed amendments
to Kazakhstan's law on sub-soil use are not aimed at Western
companies. He also claimed that the amendments do not apply
retroactively. (Note: He is incorrect.) On Kashagan,
Nazarbayev told Solana that Kazakhstan will not take radical
action and seeks to reach a deal within the framework of the
existing production sharing agreement.
Ordway