KYRGYZ OFFICIALS CALL IN INTERNATIONAL REPS FOR

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 BISHKEK 001424

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

DEPT FOR SCA/CEN

E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/03/2017
TAGS: PGOV PREL KDEM KG
SUBJECT: KYRGYZ OFFICIALS CALL IN INTERNATIONAL REPS FOR
ELECTION BRIEFING

REF: BISHKEK 1402

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


1. (C) Summary: Senior Kyrgyz administration officials
called a meeting November 30 with some of the diplomatic and
donor community to discuss the upcoming parliamentary
elections. Attending the meeting were representatives from
the National Democratic Institute (NDI),the International
Republican Institute (IRI),IFES, the European Commission,
UNDO, OSCE, and the OSCE/ODIHR Election Observation Mission.
Charge attended on behalf of the embassy. The international
representatives noted concerns about the conduct of the
campaign and the election code, including the high thresholds
parties must cross to enter parliament. Presidential foreign
policy advisor Ryskulov said that the high thresholds were
necessary to avoid clan and regional divisions in the
country. Presidential Chief of Staff Sadyrkulov said that
administrative resources would not be used to support the
pro-presidential Ak Jol party, and he asked that the
international community not "pre-judge" the elections. They
pledged to be available to meet anytime during the campaign
if the international community had concerns. End Summary.

Invitation to Discuss Elections
--------------


2. (C) Presidential Chief of Staff Medet Sadyrkulov, foreign
policy advisor Islan Ryskulov, and presidential legal
department head Bektur Zulpiyev called a meeting November 30
to discuss the upcoming parliamentary elections with selected
members of the international community. Invited to the
meeting were representatives from the National Democratic
Institute (NDI),the International Republican Institute
(IRI),IFES, the European Commission, UNDO, OSCE, and the
OSCE/ODIHR Election Observation Mission. Charge attended on
behalf of the embassy. While there had been some initial
concern that the purpose of the meeting would be to lecture
the international community on how to behave during the
campaign, the meeting turned out to be a generally positive
initiative to discuss concerns and ask for objectivity in
assessing the process.


3. (C) Ryskulov opened the meeting by noting that many groups
around the table had made assessments of the October 21
constitutional referendum, and he acknowledged that these
assessments presented "differing views" on the conduct of the
polling. Ryskulov said that with parliamentary elections in
the offing, President Bakiyev had declared his commitment to
democracy and open markets. He then asked for each
organization present to offer its assessments of the current
political situation.

Assessments of the Campaign So Far
--------------


4. (C) The international representatives raised a number of
concerns about the high thresholds, the election code, and
the conduct of the campaign. OSCE Bishkek office head
Ambassador Mueller said that the 0.5% regional threshold (see
reftel) could leave many voters unrepresented in parliament.
He also complained that state television (KTR) had refused to
agree to live debates; instead, it would tape the debates and
broadcast them later. NDI said that it was "running into
difficulties" in organizing debates for television. IFES
pointed out that because the elections were called on short
notice, the normal preparation deadlines had been cut by
one-third; in addition, the new election code was vague and
needed clarification in some key areas. While UNDP was not
playing a role in these elections, the UNDP representative
said that the 0.5% threshold could disenfranchise a large
numbers of voters. The European Commission representative
reminded that their bilateral partnership agreement committed

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Kyrgyzstan to respect international norms for elections, and
further warned that the 0.5% threshold could lead to civil
unrest if large numbers of voters felt disenfranchised.


5. (C) Head of the OSCE/ODIHR Election Observation Mission
Nikolai Vulchanov thanked the Kyrgyz government for inviting
observers, and then gave a detailed listing of concerns,
including the election code's prohibition on foreign
observers commenting prior to election day, that free air
time had not begun yet on KTR, and that voter lists were not
posted at some precincts as required by the election code.
He said that basing the thresholds (5% nationwide and 0.5% in
each oblast) on the number of registered voters was
unprecedented; in other systems, the threshold was calculated
as a percentage of votes cast. Vulchanov said that the 0.5%
regional threshold would have a disproportionate impact, and
he regretted a court decision upholding the CEC's
interpretation of the threshold (reftel). Vulchanov said
that the electoral system should balance the desire for
consolidation of political parties with the need for
pluralism in the parliament.


6. (C) Charge said that the U.S. viewed the elections as an
opportunity to move forward with democracy; those around the
table demonstrated the strong interest among the
international community in supporting free and fair
elections. He said that the 0.5% threshold, as interpreted
by the CEC, was a concern, and the government should review
that decision. After sharing reports that government,
hospital, and university staff were being pressured to join
the pro-presidential Ak Jol party and to hold meetings to
pressure their staffs to join, Charge challenged the
government to take the lead in ensuring that administrative
resources would not be unfairly used to support Ak Jol.

"Don't Pre-judge the Elections"
--------------


7. (C) Ryskulov responded by saying the country needed
political stability to enable the economy to grow; he said
GDP was increasing and claimed there would be a budget
surplus this year. Ryskulov acknowledged that the 0.5%
regional threshold was unusual, but said it was
understandable in the circumstances of Kyrgyzstan as a way to
avoid clan and geographic divisions. He said it would help
avoid separatism. Zulpiyev said that the legal challenge to
the CEC's interpretation of the 0.5% threshold was being
appealed, and he asked that the international observers wait
for a final decision before passing judgment. Zulpiyev also
gave a legalistic explanation of how Constitutional Court
Chair Cholpon Bayekova could be "suspended from fulfilling
her duties" by the president, rather than resign her post as
required by law, in order to stand for parliament at the top
of the Ak Jol list.


8. (C) Responding to a question from Charge, Sadyrkulov said
he had met with regional officials and instructed them not to
use admin resources to support the Ak Jol party. He said
that the blatant use of administrative resources would only
alienate voters, and their polls already confirmed that Ak
Jol had strong support. He said that Ak Jol had complained
that other parties were violating the rules by bribing
voters. He said that the administration had acted with
restraint, not responding to the "very aggressive behavior of
Asaba (party) in Talas," nor taking action regarding some
political banners that include religious themes. He said the
administration was doing everything it could to ensure there
would not be problems after the elections, and he claimed
that the administration wanted opposition representation in
parliament.


9. (C) Sadyrkulov described the upcoming election as just a
"first step" in a process that will completely change the

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political situation, and he asked that the international
community be patient, maintain objectivity, and look for the
positive in this evolution. "I know you assume there will be
violations. I am asking for your understanding that we are
doing this for the first time," he said. He closed by saying
they were ready to meet with the international community at
anytime during the campaign if there were concerns.

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


10. (C) The fact that senior administration officials were
willing to hold such a meeting and listen to the concerns of
the international observers can be seen as a positive step.
Similarly, the offer to meet during the campaign if there are
additional concerns is a positive development. However, the
senior administration officials said little to change the
impressions that the electoral thresholds, as interpreted by
the CEC, present a barrier to forming a parliament with
democratic representation, or that administrative resources
are being used to support Ak Jol in the campaign.
LITZENBERGER