Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
07BISHKEK385
2007-04-09 12:22:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Bishkek
Cable title:  

GKNB REPORTS CONCERNS ON RUSSIAN SUPPORT FOR KULOV

Tags:  PREL PGOV MARR KG 
pdf how-to read a cable
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C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 BISHKEK 000385 

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

DEPARTMENT FOR SCA/CEN

E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/09/2017
TAGS: PREL PGOV MARR KG
SUBJECT: GKNB REPORTS CONCERNS ON RUSSIAN SUPPORT FOR KULOV

REF: A. BISHKEK 332

B. BISHKEK 374

BISHKEK 00000385 001.2 OF 003


Classified By: Ambassador Marie L. Yovanovitch, reasons 1.4 (b) and (d)
.

SUMMARY AND COMMENT
--------------------

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 BISHKEK 000385

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

DEPARTMENT FOR SCA/CEN

E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/09/2017
TAGS: PREL PGOV MARR KG
SUBJECT: GKNB REPORTS CONCERNS ON RUSSIAN SUPPORT FOR KULOV

REF: A. BISHKEK 332

B. BISHKEK 374

BISHKEK 00000385 001.2 OF 003


Classified By: Ambassador Marie L. Yovanovitch, reasons 1.4 (b) and (d)
.

SUMMARY AND COMMENT
--------------


1. (C) On April 6, Ambassador met with GKNB Chairman Murat
Sutalinov, who said that the Russians are supporting Kulov in
exchange for Kulov selling out Manas Air Force Base when he
comes to power. He also provided detail on Kulov's alleged
ties to organized crime. The Kyrgyz are clearly worried
about alleged Russian support for Kulov, and there is ample
reason for Sutalinov to share such information with us --
whether it is true or not. Sutalinov also said that the U.S.
needed to help bring western values to Kyrgyzstan and that he
would help solve the problems facing U.S. NGOs. Given the
GKNB's role in harassing NGOs over the last year, it is hard
to take these latter comments at face value, but it will
quickly become apparent whether they are, in fact, sincere.
END SUMMARY AND COMMENT.

KULOV: RUSSIAN SUPPORT IN EXCHANGE FOR SELLING OUT THE BASE
-------------- --------------


2. (C) Sutalinov said the Russians are supporting former
Prime Minister and United Front leader Feliks Kulov. He
said that Kulov is funded by a Russian school-friend, who
lives in Moscow named Lev Cherep, who allegedly made his
money via organized crime. He said that Kulov is constantly
traveling to Moscow to shore up his support and has made a
deal: Russian support in exchange for selling out the base.
(COMMENT: While this could be circular reporting, the Base
Commander had also heard the allegation that Kulov is trading
the base for Russian support from sources at the airport.
END COMMENT)


3. (C) According to Sutalinov, the deal is already evident
in an anti-American article in Delo Nomer and a pro-Kulov
article in Beliy Parakhod. (COMMENT: It is rumored that Delo
Nomer has ties to Sutalinov and Beliy Parakhod has ties to
Kulov. END COMMENT.) Moreover, he said, that Kulov,
himself, is connected to organized crime. (COMMENT:

Recently, Aki-Press owner Marat Tazebekov, a good source,
told us that Kulov's ties to Chechen criminals pre-dated his
prison term and that he has maintained those connections.
END COMMENT.)


4. (C) Sutalinov noted that when former Russian Senator
Igor Izmestyev was arrested in Kyrgyzstan last fall, Kulov
applied great pressure to Sutalinov to release the Senator.
He said Kulov was unsuccessful, and Izmestyev is now facing
charges in Moscow. Turning to former Acting Minister of
Interior Suvanaliev, Kulov's close friend and deputy,
Sutalinov said Suvanaliev had served time in jail and was
released because the witness recanted. He noted Suvanaliev's
reputation for fighting crime was greatly exaggerated and
rested on seizing a small amount of drugs from a Hakim's son,
which then was widely publicized. Sutalinov closed by
warning that if Kulov comes to power, organized crime would
rule Kyrgyzstan.


5. (C) Ambassador asked about the rumors that Bakiyev's
family was tied to organized crime. Sutalinov said that
these rumors were "exaggerated." The link was former SNB
Chairman Aitbayev, who had a direct link to the late
organized crime leader Ryspek Akhmatbayev and had "managed to
do a lot of harm to Kyrgyzstan before he was fired."

BISHKEK 00000385 002.4 OF 003


(COMMENT: Clearly, the topic of First Family ties to
organized crime was too hot to handle. END COMMENT.)

PITCH FOR U.S. SUPPORT OF BAKIYEV
--------------


6. (C) Without being specific, Sutalinov said the U.S.
should play a constructive role in the upcoming political
stand-off. (COMMENT: Left unsaid, was that if Kulov comes to
power, not only would crime rule, the base would be kicked
out and clearly neither outcome would be in U.S. interests.
END COMMENT.) While he said the government would act with
restraint, he said he was most afraid of a provocation, which
could send things spinning out of control. Ambassador shared
the message that Kyrgyzstan needed to solve its political
problems with restraint: peacefully, legally,
constitutionally. Sutalinov said he would have no role; the
MVD would be charged with keeping the peace. When Ambassador
noted that Sutalinov had played a critical role on November 6
in keeping the two sets of demonstrators apart, he said that
was because then-Acting Minister of Interior Suvanaliev was
"hiding in his office. He was already with the opposition,
even then," Sutalinov said. He added that Suvanaliev, more
so than Kulov is very aggressive and will do anything to come
to power. He, nevertheless, "promised" the Ambassador that
there would be no provocations from the government side.

SUTALINOV'S FUTURE: TEACHING AND NGOs
--------------


7. (C) Sutalinov turned the conversation towards his own
future. He said that he was "tired" and wanted to leave
government in the fall and asked the Ambassador what she
thought. Ambassador responded that Kyrgyzstan needs every
patriot it has, but Sutalinov needed to do what was in his
heart. Sutalinov said he'd like to teach and work in the
non-governmental sector. He said U.S. assistance is vital in
strengthening this sector, so that western values will
prevail. "We don't need your money," he said, "we need your
know-how." Without irony, he said that when he went to the
States and saw how free Americans are, he was reminded of how
free the Kyrgyz had been in the Soviet era. They had that
same freedom; Kyrgyzstan needs to be free, and the U.S.
should help.

SUTALINOV WILL HELP WITH NGO ISSUES
--------------


8. (C) The Ambassador said that the U.S. was helping and
told Sutalinov briefly about U.S. assistance programs and
stated that if he questions or concerns, he should ask. She
emphasized the open nature of the assistance programs.
Sutalinov assured the Ambassador that the problems American
NGO's had experienced, particularly NDI, would be sorted out.
He had already promised Kyrgyz Ambassador to the U.S. Zamira
Sadykova that he would help. Sutalinov concluded that the
only pro-Western people in the Cabinet are himself and
Foreign Minister Karabayev. He noted that newly named Prime
Minister Atambayev had more political weight than Kulov
(COMMENT: unlikely END COMMENT),but that Atambayev was a
"tribalist." He had just come from a conversation with
Atambayev, who told him that the two of them, "as
northerners" had to save the President. He was openly
contemptuous of this, stating that "they" all say one thing
publicly and another privately.

SUTALINOV'S SON: HEADED TO FLORIDA
--------------


9. (C) Sutalinov regretted that a whole generation of

BISHKEK 00000385 003.2 OF 003


Kyrgyz leaders is leaving the country and said it was
necessary to build the next generation and program them with
American, democratic values. He said that he had been
Akayev's last prosecutor general (for one day) and had fled
to Kazakhstan when Akayev was overthrown. He had been
quickly called back to take the Minister of Interior slot,
because the country needs leaders, he said. Sutalinov
stated that Sadykova was helping him get his son into a
Florida Catholic school (NOTE: He said he did not the name or
the exact location in Florida. END NOTE.),which would in
turn, prepare his son for a leadership role in Kyrgyzstan.
His son, who is 14, would do all right; he noted that he
himself had been sent away at the age of 18 to study at the
Karaganda Higher Police School in Kazakhstan, where the
mosquitoes are as big as horses. He was concerned that his
position as Intelligence Chief would harm his son's chances
at receiving a visa.
YOVANOVITCH