Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
07BISHKEK1335
2007-10-31 13:14:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Bishkek
Cable title:  

LETTER TO AMBASSADOR FROM WIDOW OF KYRGYZ TRUCK

Tags:  PGOV PREL MARR KG 
pdf how-to read a cable
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C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 BISHKEK 001335 

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DEPT FOR SCA/CEN

E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/31/2017
TAGS: PGOV PREL MARR KG
SUBJECT: LETTER TO AMBASSADOR FROM WIDOW OF KYRGYZ TRUCK
DRIVER SHOT ON DECEMBER 6, 2006 AT MANAS AIR BASE

BISHKEK 00001335 001.2 OF 002


Classified By: Amb. Marie L. Yovanovitch, Reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 BISHKEK 001335

SIPDIS

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DEPT FOR SCA/CEN

E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/31/2017
TAGS: PGOV PREL MARR KG
SUBJECT: LETTER TO AMBASSADOR FROM WIDOW OF KYRGYZ TRUCK
DRIVER SHOT ON DECEMBER 6, 2006 AT MANAS AIR BASE

BISHKEK 00001335 001.2 OF 002


Classified By: Amb. Marie L. Yovanovitch, Reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).


1. (SBU) This cable forwards the text of the fifth letter to
the Ambassador from Mrs. Ivanova, the widow of the Kyrgyz
truck driver who was shot on December 6, 2006 by a U.S.
airman at Manas Air Base. The letter includes a long litany
of alleged unfulfilled commitments by the U.S. side to
cooperate in the investigation into the incident, and ends
with a request for a written response regarding "the current
status of the case." The letter is also addressed to FM
Karabayev and Prosecutor General Satybaldiev. The letter was
published by the wire service "24.kg" a day before the
Embassy received it and is the fifth letter Mrs. Ivanova has
sent us; the Ambassador responded to earlier letters in March
and, most recently, June. The Embassy does not plan to
respond to the letter, as we have answered Mrs. Ivanova's
allegations repeatedly over the past ten months.


2. (C) The letter, and its publication, is a clear effort
to drum up public support for the widow, and against the U.S.
presence. News reports indicate the Prosecutor General has
also forwarded a letter to the Embassy requesting information
on the disposition of the case; the Embassy has not received
this letter. The Deputy Foreign Minister orally requested
informaton on the case October 31.


3. (C) Until the U.S. is able to provide to the Kyrgyz
government and Mrs. Ivanova the results of our investigation
and the final disposition of the case, this issue will not go
away. In light of Admiral Fallon's upcoming visit, where he
is likely to be asked about the status of the case by senior
GOKG officials, the Embassy would appreciate an update on
where the investigation and disposition of the case stands.


4. (C) We note that Kyrygzstan has now entered a highly
charged political season, with Parliamentary elections
scheduled for December 16. With the one year anniversary of
the shooting rapidly approaching on December 6, we suspect

the public drumbeat for answers to the issues raised in Mrs
Ivanova's letter will continue, and the incident could easily
become a campaign issue.


3. (U) Begin text of letter.

ATTN:

Madam Marie Yovanovitch, U.S. Ambassador to KR,
Prosecutor General Elmurza Satybaldiev,
Acting Minister of Foreign Affairs Ednan Karabaev

FROM:

Ms. M.M. Ivanova, widow of killed Ivanov
(address: 24 Tunguch micro district 48, Bishkek)

Statement

On December 6, 2006 at 1500 Mr. Alexander Ivanov (DOB: 1964),
Kyrgyz citizen, &Aircraft Petrol Management8 Ltd driver,
was shot at Manas International Airport for undetermined
reason by Airman Zachary Hartfield, Manas AB serviceman.

I was acquainted with details of the investigation of my
husband,s killing, held by Main Investigative Department of
MoI of Kyrgyz Republic on March 9, 2007.

Despite numerous commitments on cooperation of American
Embassy and the airbase in the investigation, they remained
nothing more than just commitments.

On December 7, 2006 the President of KR has ordered to
Ministry of Foreign Affairs to start revising parts of Note
#542 (December 4, 2001) from the U.S. Embassy regarding the

BISHKEK 00001335 002.2 OF 002


status of the military servicemen. The head of the state
logically thinks: it makes sense that military servicemen
remaining in the territory of Kyrgyzstan will face
responsibility according to laws of the republic, in case of
illegal actions. But, so far, everything remains on the
paper, or rather under bureaucratic cloth.

Jogorku Kenesh of KR has assigned the cabinet through a
decree to revise the conditions regarding the status and
order of presence of military and civil personnel on the
territory of KR in the Agreement between KR and US on
Temporary Dislocation of US military Contingent, ratified by
the law #110 (December 14, 2001); demanded from the US
government to hand over Zachary Hatfield, US Air force
servicemen at &Manas8 international airbase, to KR law
enforcement bodies to take investigative actions within this
case; assigned them to demand from the American side to
provide KR law enforcement bodies with results of expert
investigation on blood and hair taken from Hatfield, also,
organize hand over of the pistol &Beretta8, from which
shots were made, for ballistic tests; review viability of
&Manas8 airbase presence on the territory of KR; provide
compensatory payments to the Ivanov family from the guilty
side.

General Prosecutor,s office was assigned to provide Jogoroku
Kenesh with a detailed report on proceeds of the
investigation, initiated on this incident. Later 5 (!)
committees of JK met to discuss the issue of control over the
investigation by GP office and MFA.

However, I have not received any answer whether American side
has provided with a final report on killing of my husband.8

Therefore I request written response regarding the current
status of that case.




M. Ivanova // SIGNED //
End text of letter.
YOVANOVITCH