KYRGYZ MP BAIBOLOV URGES GREATER EFFORTS ON

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 BISHKEK 000258 SIPDIS SIPDIS DEPT FOR SCA/CEN E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/13/2017 TAGS: PGOV PREL KDEM KG SUBJECT: KYRGYZ MP BAIBOLOV URGES GREATER EFFORTS ON DEMOCRACY PROMOTION BISHKEK 00000258 001.2 OF 002 Classified By: Amb. Marie L. Yovanovitch, Reason 1.4 (b) and (d). ¶1. (C) SUMMARY: On February 28, the Ambassador met with opposition Member of Parliament Kubatbek Baibolov to discuss the current political situation, Kyrgyzstan's leadership, and the new constitution. Baibolov harshly criticized President Bakiyev and his administration, saying they lacked the will to continue political and legal reforms and accusing them of criminalizing the political process by using "bandit" methods to force the adoption of the new constitution. Baibolov also urged the U.S. to be more assertive in its efforts to support democratic reforms in Kyrgyzstan. End summary. CRITICAL OF BAKIYEV . . . -------------- ¶2. (C) On February 28, the Ambassador met with Kubatbek Baibolov, Member of Parliament and supporter of the newly formed opposition group "United Front," to discuss the current state of political affairs in Kyrgyzstan. Baibolov expressed strong frustration with current presidential policies. He charged that President Bakiyev and his advisors lack the political will to make political or legal reforms, and he complained that there was no transparency or accountability in the actions of the President or his administration. Contrasting Bakiyev to former President Akayev, Baibolov said that Bakiyev generally ignored criticism from international organizations or Western countries, while Akayev had at least considered the concerns and comments of the international community. ¶3. (C) Baibolov condemned the December 30 adoption of a new constitution, charging that it was the result of illegal "bandit" efforts to adopt the supreme law of the land at any costs. Baibolov claimed members of the Jogorku Kenesh (parliament) were forced to vote for the new constitution and were physically carried to the voting stations. He described the voting process as equally illegal since the document was submitted for a vote five times in a row, violating the institutional procedures of the parliament. AND CRITICAL OF THE USG -------------- ¶4. (C) Baibolov also expressed dissatisfaction with the work of the U.S. government in Kyrgyzstan. He claimed that the U.S. government did not act consistently in support of 
democratic reforms. Baibolov specifically mentioned the lack of any comment from the U.S. in response to the adoption of the constitution via illegal means. He claimed that U.S. interests in Kyrgyzstan were limited only to keeping the military air base. He implied that since the U.S. needs the base here, the U.S. government would be less likely to make uncomfortable comments about the President's actions and would be more likely to close its eyes to obvious violations of law. ¶5. (C) The Ambassador responded that the U.S. government continues to push for democratic reforms and remains committed to the Kyrgyz Republic. She described the many programs and events supported by the U.S. that emphasize the value of the rule of law and democratic reforms. She said that the Embassy continues to underline the importance of transparency, economic reform and rule of law at every opportunity, including in an upcoming Op-Ed to mark the anniversary of the March 24, 2005 "tulip revolution." Regarding the constitution and the manner in which it was adopted, she noted the government had used the same tactics BISHKEK 00000258 002.2 OF 002 the opposition (including Baibolov) had used in November when the first "new" constitution was adopted. The Ambassador commented that while the U.S. Embassy can help support democratic reforms in Kyrgyzstan, the people of Kyrgyzstan, members of the parliament, and Kyrgyz government officials had the responsibility to take the initiative to advance democratic reforms themselves. COMMENT -------------- ¶6. (C) Baibolov, a former KGB General who made a fortune in the immediate aftermath of the break-up of the Soviet Union, has now joined former PM Kulov's "United Front" opposition movement. Baibolov kept a low profile as a parliamentarian during the latter part of the Akayev era, and for the first few months of the Bakiyev administration, Baibolov worked with the government, even leading a presidential task force charged with developing a program for law enforcement reform. He then moved into opposition, supporting the opposition's public rallies in April, May, and November 2006. He has been public in his criticisms, charging that the government has pursued "economic persecution" and "criminal prosecution" for political ends. His own (extensive) business interests have suffered as a result, and there is a degree of self-interest in his new-found inclination towards reform. Nevertheless, he clearly is frustrated with the lack of reform under Bakiyev, and he believes that Bakiyev has (among other mistakes) taken a dangerous path in using extralegal methods to adopt a new constitution. YOVANOVITCH