KYRGYZ PROPOSE DISCUSSIONS ON AIR BASE ISSUES

C O N F I D E N T I A L BISHKEK 000363 SIPDIS SIPDIS DEPT FOR SCA/CEN E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/03/2017 TAGS: PGOV PREL MARR KG SUBJECT: KYRGYZ PROPOSE DISCUSSIONS ON AIR BASE ISSUES Classified By: Amb. Marie L. Yovanovitch, Reason 1.4 (b) and (d). ¶1. (C) SUMMARY: Foreign Minister Karabayev informed the Ambassador April 3 that the Kyrgyz government proposes to hold discussions with the U.S. to resolve outstanding issues connected to the operation of the Manas Air Base, including environmental concerns and questions about leased land. Karabayev and Minister of Defense Isakov will work out a mechanism for the talks. Karabayev said that the discussions would not cover compensation, but noted that the government was looking for ways to deal with its debt burden. Karabayev assured the Ambassador that President Bakiyev and the government fully supported the continued operation of the base. END SUMMARY. ¶2. (C) Kyrgyz Foreign Minister Karabayev called in the Ambassador for an urgent meeting April 3. Karabayev said that President Bakiyev and the government faced considerable pressure from the opposition in the current political climate. He said that the opposition and civil society groups were using "all sorts of issues" to attack the president and the government. In particular, he said, the opposition was exploiting negative perceptions about the Manas Air Base for its own ends, leading to talk about relocating the base from Manas airport. Karabayev said that President Bakiyev and the Kyrgyz government understood the strategic importance of the base and supported its continued operations. Nevertheless, he maintained, the government had to listen to the concerns of its citizens. ¶3. (C) Karabayev said that the Kyrgyz government proposes holding meetings of a joint commission to resolve all outstanding issues regarding the operation of the base. Karabayev and Minister of Defense Isakov will work out the mechanism for the talks. Karabayev cited a number of issues to be resolved, including the September airplane collision, environmental concerns, social concerns, the possible use of the base for any operations directed at Iran, and questions about leasing land. Karabayev stressed that the discussions would not/not be about compensation for the base, but then noted that the government was looking for ways to address its debt burden. Karabayev noted "everyone" in the government had understood the benefits of the Highly Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) initiative. Unfortunately, the government had been forced to refuse HIPC in order to restore "political calm" in the face of strong public opposition to the initiative. Now, absent an "economic miracle," the government had to find alternative mechanisms to deal with the debt. ¶4. (C) COMMENT: Having met with President Bakiyev the evening before, Karabayev was clearly speaking for the president regarding renewed base discussions, but he was also trying to put a positive spin on the message. We also support discussions to resolve the outstanding issues or concerns regarding base operations, and we have previously proposed to the MFA establishing a joint working group. While Karabayev repeated that the discussions would not be about compensation for the base itself, we believe that the Kyrgyz will look for ways to "resolve" the outstanding issues with increased fees, payments for environmental damage, and other mechanisms. The bottom line is still money. YOVANOVITCH