SOME KYRGYZ CABINET APPOINTMENTS MADE

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 BISHKEK 000140 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/07/2017 TAGS: PGOV PREL KDEM KG SUBJECT: SOME KYRGYZ CABINET APPOINTMENTS MADE REF: BISHKEK 126 BISHKEK 00000140 001.2 OF 002 Classified By: Charge Lee Litzenberger, Reason 1.4 (b) and (d) ¶1. (SBU) On February 7 President Bakiyev appointed several cabinet ministers, including the First Vice Prime Minister and Vice Prime Minster. When all appointments have been made, the Prime Minister will then have the option to enact parliament's recommendation to put each of the ministries, committees, and state agencies under the supervision of the prime minister or vice prime ministers. Additional appointments are expected soon. The following reflects those appointments that have been made thus far. -- Daniyar Usenov was reappointed First Vice Prime Minister, with probable oversight over the ministries of economic development and trade; transport and communications; industry, energy and fuel resources; committees for state property; taxes and revenues; customs; and agencies for geology and mineral resources; real estate registration; and procurement and material reserves, pending approval by PM Isabekov. -- Nur uulu Dosbol, former Minister of Education, was appointed Vice Prime Minister, with probable control over the ministries of culture and information; education and science; health; labor and social development; committees for migration and employment; and agencies for tourism; vocational training; and antimonopoly policy and competition development. -- Tynychbek Tabyldiyev was appointed Chief of Staff of the Prime Minister's Office. Tabyldiyev formerly held the position of Deputy Prime Minister under former PM Feliks Kulov. -- Ismail Isakov was reappointed Minister of Defense. -- Bolotbek Nogoibayev, former Director of the Drug Control Agency, replaces Omurbek Suvanaliyev as Minister of Internal Affairs, despite calls from opposition leaders for Suvanaliyev's reappointment. -- Marat Kaiypov was reappointed Minister of Justice. -- Nurlan Sulaimanov was reappointed Minister of Transport and Communications. -- Ukhtomkan Abdullayeva was appointed Minister of the renamed Ministry of Labor and Social Development. Abdullayev formerly held the position of Deputy Minister of Labor and Social Welfare. -- Murat Sutalinov was appointed Chairman of the re-named Committee for National Security (GKNB). Sutalinov formerly held the similar position of Chairman of the National Security Service (SNB),under President Bakiyev's purview. -- Tursun Turdumambetov was reappointed Chairman of the State Committee for State Property. -- Aigul Ryskulova was reappointed Chair of the State Committee for Migration and Employment. ¶2. (C) COMMENT: Pending PM Isabekov's approval, it is expected that the key ministries, committees, and agencies involved with energy, trade, taxes, and customs may be grouped under the purview of First Vice Prime Minister Daniyar Usenov. A close confidant of President Bakiyev's, Usenov has been known for his anti-HIPC rhetoric and firm stance against the opposition. Opposition members have already criticized Usenov's possible control over such BISHKEK 00000140 002.2 OF 002 organs, calling the new structure "Usenov's government." Suvanaliyev is rumored as a possible new head of the Drug Control Agency. While Akylbek Japarov's and Igor Chudinov's names were floated February 6 to respectively head the ministries of finance, and industry, energy and fuel resources (reftel),no appointments have been made for those two positions. Additional appointments, however, are expected to be made soon. LITZENBERGER