Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
07BISHKEK436
2007-04-19 10:03:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Bishkek
Cable title:
BAISALOV WEIGHING OFFER TO JOIN PRESIDENTIAL
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C O N F I D E N T I A L BISHKEK 000436
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
DEPT FOR SCA/CEN
E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/19/2017
TAGS: PGOV PREL KG
SUBJECT: BAISALOV WEIGHING OFFER TO JOIN PRESIDENTIAL
ADMINISTRATION
Classified By: Amb. Marie L. Yovanovitch, Reason 1.4 (b) and (d).
C O N F I D E N T I A L BISHKEK 000436
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
DEPT FOR SCA/CEN
E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/19/2017
TAGS: PGOV PREL KG
SUBJECT: BAISALOV WEIGHING OFFER TO JOIN PRESIDENTIAL
ADMINISTRATION
Classified By: Amb. Marie L. Yovanovitch, Reason 1.4 (b) and (d).
1. (C) Late on April 18, opposition member Edil Baisalov told
SCA DAS Evan Feigenbaum that Presidential Chief of Staff
Medet Sadyrkulov had asked him to join the Bakiyev
administration as his deputy. According to Baisalov,
Sadyrkulov told him that he would be the only deputy chief of
staff, he would provide analysis and ideas, and together the
two of them would make policy. Baisalov said he had not yet
decided whether to accept the offer, even though Prime
Minister Atambayev was pressing him to do so.
2. (C) Earlier in the evening, during a spirited dinner
conversation with several Kyrgyz political figures (septel),
Baisalov told DAS Feigenbaum and the other guests that even
though he personally "despised" President Bakiyev, he
believed that in order to avoid civil unrest, the opposition
should drop its demand that Bakiyev resign and work with the
government. After the other Kyrgyz guests had left, Baisalov
disclosed the offer. He said that Sadyrkulov and Atambayev
had told him that he was needed. Baisalov reasoned that if
he accepted, it would be "another foot in the door" for the
opposition, as had been Atambayev's appointment.
3. (C) Baisalov said he wanted to be of service "to the
nation, not to Bakiyev," and he would not be a "lapdog" for
the administration. He said he was consulting a number of
people and would make a decision "soon." He worried that
joining the administration would open him up to harsh
criticism, and possibly present a security risk to him and
his family. He said he was sending his family out of the
country for the time being. (COMMENT: In fact, on April 17,
Baisalov requested the Embassy provide security for him. We
suggested that both Baisalov and Ambassador request GOKG
security, as we had last spring following the assassination
attempt, but Baisalov was concerned this would tie him too
closely to the Administration. END COMMENT.)
4. (C) COMMENT: The 29-year-old Baisalov is close to
Atambayev, and we would not have been surprised if Baisalov
had been offered a post in the government. Given Baisalov's
very public, and at times personal, criticism of Bakiyev,
however, the offer of a post inside the presidential
administration is surprising. Earlier in the evening,
Baisalov told two civil society leaders that by joining in
the United Front's street demonstration, they were letting
themselves be "used" by Felix Kulov for his own purposes. We
think there's probably an element of this -- Sadyrkulov
wanting to use Baisalov for his purposes -- in the offer.
Without doubt, Baisalov would bring a lot of talent and
energy to the position, and it is hard to imagine him as
anyone's "lapdog." But Baisalov is a controversial figure in
Kyrgyzstan, among the opposition and with government
officials, and accepting a position in the Bakiyev
administration would carry a substantial risk to his
reputation and political future. This is something Baisalov
is only too aware of, and it is clear the decision is a
difficult one. Baisalov is now weighing whether he can, in
fact, make a difference, and whether this move will torpedo
his own political aspirations -- or vault them to new levels.
YOVANOVITCH
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
DEPT FOR SCA/CEN
E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/19/2017
TAGS: PGOV PREL KG
SUBJECT: BAISALOV WEIGHING OFFER TO JOIN PRESIDENTIAL
ADMINISTRATION
Classified By: Amb. Marie L. Yovanovitch, Reason 1.4 (b) and (d).
1. (C) Late on April 18, opposition member Edil Baisalov told
SCA DAS Evan Feigenbaum that Presidential Chief of Staff
Medet Sadyrkulov had asked him to join the Bakiyev
administration as his deputy. According to Baisalov,
Sadyrkulov told him that he would be the only deputy chief of
staff, he would provide analysis and ideas, and together the
two of them would make policy. Baisalov said he had not yet
decided whether to accept the offer, even though Prime
Minister Atambayev was pressing him to do so.
2. (C) Earlier in the evening, during a spirited dinner
conversation with several Kyrgyz political figures (septel),
Baisalov told DAS Feigenbaum and the other guests that even
though he personally "despised" President Bakiyev, he
believed that in order to avoid civil unrest, the opposition
should drop its demand that Bakiyev resign and work with the
government. After the other Kyrgyz guests had left, Baisalov
disclosed the offer. He said that Sadyrkulov and Atambayev
had told him that he was needed. Baisalov reasoned that if
he accepted, it would be "another foot in the door" for the
opposition, as had been Atambayev's appointment.
3. (C) Baisalov said he wanted to be of service "to the
nation, not to Bakiyev," and he would not be a "lapdog" for
the administration. He said he was consulting a number of
people and would make a decision "soon." He worried that
joining the administration would open him up to harsh
criticism, and possibly present a security risk to him and
his family. He said he was sending his family out of the
country for the time being. (COMMENT: In fact, on April 17,
Baisalov requested the Embassy provide security for him. We
suggested that both Baisalov and Ambassador request GOKG
security, as we had last spring following the assassination
attempt, but Baisalov was concerned this would tie him too
closely to the Administration. END COMMENT.)
4. (C) COMMENT: The 29-year-old Baisalov is close to
Atambayev, and we would not have been surprised if Baisalov
had been offered a post in the government. Given Baisalov's
very public, and at times personal, criticism of Bakiyev,
however, the offer of a post inside the presidential
administration is surprising. Earlier in the evening,
Baisalov told two civil society leaders that by joining in
the United Front's street demonstration, they were letting
themselves be "used" by Felix Kulov for his own purposes. We
think there's probably an element of this -- Sadyrkulov
wanting to use Baisalov for his purposes -- in the offer.
Without doubt, Baisalov would bring a lot of talent and
energy to the position, and it is hard to imagine him as
anyone's "lapdog." But Baisalov is a controversial figure in
Kyrgyzstan, among the opposition and with government
officials, and accepting a position in the Bakiyev
administration would carry a substantial risk to his
reputation and political future. This is something Baisalov
is only too aware of, and it is clear the decision is a
difficult one. Baisalov is now weighing whether he can, in
fact, make a difference, and whether this move will torpedo
his own political aspirations -- or vault them to new levels.
YOVANOVITCH