KYRGYZ FM PUSHES FOR GREATER COOPERATION WITH U.S.

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 BISHKEK 001421

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

DEPT FOR SCA/CEN

E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/03/2017
TAGS: PGOV PREL MARR KG
SUBJECT: KYRGYZ FM PUSHES FOR GREATER COOPERATION WITH U.S.

REF: A. STATE 147334


B. BISHKEK 1328

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Classified By: CDA Lee Litzenberger, Reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).


1. (C) SUMMARY: Visiting Central Asia Office Director
Spratlen and Ambassador met with Foreign Minister Karabayev
November 20 in Bishkek. Spratlen stressed the importance of
the upcoming parliamentary elections as an indicator of the
direction of Kyrgyzstan's political reform, and she discussed
ideas for moving the bilateral relationship forward.
Karabayev maintained that democracy was Kyrgyzstan's biggest
resource, and these elections were part of the process for
strengthening statehood. Karabayev listed a number of areas
in which he hoped the U.S. and Kyrgyzstan could intensify
cooperation, and he asked that the U.S. side propose a date
for the next U.S.-Kyrgyz Comprehensive Policy Dialogue in
Bishkek sometime in winter or early spring 2008 (Ref A). End
summary.

The Minister's Wish List
--------------


2. (C) Kyrgyz Foreign Minister Ednan Karabayev told visiting
Central Asia Office Director Pamela Spratlen and Ambassador
Yovanovitch November 20 that following his September visit to
Washington for the inaugural "Comprehensive Policy Dialogue"
(Ref A),there was "full interest" in developing the
"strategic partnership" with the United States. Karabayev
laid out several areas for greater cooperation or assistance.
Noting that he had taken a long list of proposals with him
to Washington, he suggested it would be better to focus on
just a few investment projects, particularly in the energy
sector; in the mining sector, with particular attention to
smaller deposits; in rural development; and to rehabilitate
of the road network.


3. (C) Karabayev was anxious to move forward with
Kyrgyzstan's Millennium Challenge Account (MCA) Threshold
Country Program, which he hoped would improve the country's
standing on the MCA indicators. Karabayev noted that
Kyrgyzstan's external debt remained a serious concern, and he
said again that he hoped to find a way to write down that
debt, perhaps in exchange for commitments on sustainable
development. Karabayev asked for funding assistance to his
ministry to implement an electronic visa system (see Ref B).
Karabayev asked for help to get Kyrgyzstan included on the
list of countries participating in the One Laptop per Child
program headed by Nicholas Negroponte. Karabayev also said
that a meeting "at the highest level" would send a very good
signal, and if the pre-requisites were met, he could start
planning for such a meeting in 2008.

Outstanding Issues
--------------


4. (C) Karabayev said that in order to move forward, the two
sides needed first to work through three outstanding issues.
Karabayev raised the Kyrgyz government's earlier request for
new air navigation equipment for Manas Airport. The
Ambassador pointed out that the Kyrgyz Air Navigation service
had already decided to move forward with plans to purchase
and install a Russian-sourced radar system. Karabayev said
the Kyrgyz side was still waiting for the final report from
the U.S. side on the investigation into the December 2006
shooting of a Kyrgyz truck driver by a U.S. airman at the
Manas Air Base. The Ambassador noted that CENTCOM Commander
Fallon, in his November 5 meeting with Karabayev, said that
the report had taken too long, but it should be completed
before the end of the year.


5. (C) Karabayev then raised the case of Almazbek Raimkulov,
a Kyrgyz professional boxer who has been jailed in Las Vegas
on an outstanding warrant, stating that the case was of

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interest to President Bakiyev. Karabayev said that many
Kyrgyz attached great significance to the case, and he hoped
that Raimkulov could be released on bail while the case was
resolved. The Ambassador said that the Kyrgyz Embassy in
Washington was aware of the matter, and the Kyrgyz consul
should assist Raimkulov to get a lawyer in order to resolve
the matter according to law.

Areas for Cooperation
--------------


6. (C) Spratlen said that successful cooperation on
particular projects could lay the groundwork for discussion
about the possibility of a higher level meeting. Spratlen
said that in order to demonstrate progress in the bilateral
relationship, the two sides should set out two or three
achievable joint projects over the near to medium term, in
the areas of security cooperation, economic development, and
political reform. One possibility in the security area would
be for the Kyrgyz to deploy a peace keeping or de-mining
team; there were ongoing discussions within CENTCOM about how
Kyrgyz team might participate. Karabayev stressed that a
Kyrgyz deployment should be "under the UN flag," but we would
take this "one step at a time." Spratlen suggested further
discussions in Washington and in Bishkek to come up with
specific projects. Spratlen said it was a positive sign that
the MCA Threshold Country Program would be launched soon.
Spratlen also said she would take the request for assistance
on an electronic visa system back to Washington, but she was
not optimistic that there would be any funding available to
support the initiative.

Parliamentary Elections
--------------


7. (C) Spratlen stressed the importance of the Kyrgyzstan's
December 16 parliamentary elections as an indicator of the
country's direction on political reform. She noted that
Kyrgyzstan had made important strides during its 16 years of
independence, but that the blatant fraud during the October
constitutional referendum set a bad precedent. She said that
a one-party parliament would undermine Kyrgyzstan's past
advances on democracy and leave many voters unrepresented,
and it was important that voters not be disenfranchised by
technical rules. She said that Washington would be watching
the conduct of the elections closely.


8. (C) Karabayev said that with few other natural advantages,
Kyrgyzstan's biggest resource was its democracy. He said
that Kyrgyzstan, unlike its neighbors, had built a vibrant
civil society, but as a result economic development had
lagged. In over two years of debate over constitutional
reform, the "democracy of noise" had come to dominate the
"democracy of reason," and it was time to reach a decision on
the constitution. In addition, the parliament had become
"out of control," he said. The purpose of the referendum
and the parliamentary elections, Karabayev maintained, was to
strengthen statehood and the "vertical of power." He hoped
that the result would not be a one-party parliament, but he
also noted that under the new rules, the new parliament would
see greater representation of women, ethnic minorities, and
youth.

Next Comprehensive Policy Dialogue
--------------


9. (U) Karabayev said that he wanted to set a date for the
second round of the U.S.-Kyrgyz Comprehensive Policy Dialogue
and consultations, to be held in Bishkek. He said that the
Kyrgyz side was flexible about the timing. Spratlen said
that the next meeting would probably take place during the
first quarter of 2008, but we would get back to the Kyrgyz
side shortly with a specific suggestion.


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Comment
--------------


10. (C) The two-hour meeting was constructive in tone as
Karabayev clearly hopes to intensify cooperation with the
U.S., and he came to the meeting with a long list of general
ideas for investment or greater assistance. Karabayev wants
to demonstrate that the bilateral relationship with the U.S.
is moving in the right direction, and that it results in
tangible benefits to Kyrgyzstan. Karabayev also wants to
demonstrate that Kyrgyzstan is moving in the right direction,
and he went to great lengths to defend the steps underway to
"strengthen statehood." Spratlen made clear, however, that
from the U.S. perspective, "strengthening statehood" cannot
be at expense of the democratic process.


11. (U) Central Asia Office Director Spratlen has cleared
this cable.
LITZENBERGER