BAKIYEV NOMINATES AG MINISTER AS NEXT PRIME

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 BISHKEK 000079 SIPDIS SIPDIS DEPT FOR SCA/CEN E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/26/2017 TAGS: PGOV PREL PINR KG SUBJECT: BAKIYEV NOMINATES AG MINISTER AS NEXT PRIME MINISTER REF: BISHKEK 64 BISHKEK 00000079 001.2 OF 002 Classified By: Amb. Marie L. Yovanovitch, Reason 1.4 (b) and (d). ¶1. (C) SUMMARY: On January 26, following consultations with Speaker Marat Sultanov and parliamentary leaders, President Bakiyev nominated Acting Minister of Agriculture Azim Isabekov as Prime Minister. Isabekov is seen as loyal to Bakiyev, without strong personal ambitions. Several MPs, including members of the opposition, have said that they expect Isabekov to be confirmed, and the vote in parliament will likely take place on January 29. (Biographic information on Isabekov follows at paragraph 6.) While Bakiyev may have settled the current turmoil with the Isabekov nomination, there is now the question of what is next for rejected nominee Felix Kulov, the other half of the "tandem" and still, we believe, a formidable political force in Kyrgyzstan. Kulov turned down two other government positions, and is reportedly bitter over the turn of events. He told the press that he would answer questions on January ¶29. END SUMMARY. NEW NOMINEE FOR PRIME MINISTER -------------- ¶2. (U) After parliament twice rejected Felix Kulov as the nominee for prime minister (reftel),President Bakiyev met on January 26 with Speaker of Parliament Marat Sultanov and the leaders of parliamentary committees and factions to discuss alternate candidates. Following the meeting, Bakiyev announced his nomination of Azim Izabekov, the 46-year-old Acting Minister of Agriculture. Parliamentarians who attended the meeting, and even members of the opposition, have said they expect Isabekov to be confirmed. The vote will likely take place on Monday, January 29. COMMENT -------------- ¶3. (C) In Isabekov, Bakiyev has found a technocrat and a nominee who, judging from their past association, will be loyal to Bakiyev and whose own lack of ambition will keep him in the background. While Bakiyev may have settled the current political crisis with the Isabekov nomination, there is the looming question of what is next for twice-rejected nominee Felix Kulov, the other half of the government's "tandem." Bakiyev has outmaneuvered Kulov to break the "tandem," but he has failed in his attempt to keep him "in the tent" -- if that ever was Bakiyev's real intention. ¶4. (C) Bakiyev explained that he had not nominated Kulov for a third time, because the government and the parliament and the parliament had failed to establish "constructive working relations." Whatever the machinations and the plotting that went into the December 19 resignation of the government, the failed pressure on parliament to dissolve, the two rejected nominations of Kulov, Kulov must feel betrayed by Bakiyev. Bakiyev did not lift a finger to support Kulov's nomination in the parliament; in fact, MPs told us that they doubted anyone would be approved as prime minister until Bakiyev personally came to the parliamentarians to support a nomination. Bakiyev also let Kulov take the heat over strong parliamentary opposition to the HIPC initiative. Kulov, to his credit, forcefully defended joining HIPC in the face of hostile questioning from MPs. ¶5. (C) Kulov is ambitious, and although he has alienated a number of people in government and in the opposition, we BISHKEK 00000079 002.2 OF 002 believe he remains a political force in Kyrgyzstan. At this point, there is no one of similar stature from the north of the country. In a January 24 meeting with the Ambassador and visiting Central Asia Office Director Spratlen, Kulov was calm and statesmanlike, though he clearly saw the writing on the wall. He turned down two other "high" positions in government (Note: we presume State Secretary and Secretary of the Security Council),and is reportedly bitter about the turn of events. He told the press late on January 26 that he would hold a press conference on Monday, January 29. BIOGRAPHICAL INFORMATION ON ISABEKOV -------------- ¶6. (SBU) Isabekov is a northerner, a member of the Solto tribe, as is Kulov. He was born April 4, 1960 in Arashan village in Chui Oblast. In 1986, he graduated from Kyrgyz National University with a degree in economics. From 1986 to 1992, Isabekov was a Komsomol and Communist Party functionary. In 1992-1993, he was the chief of staff of the Alamedin district administration. Next, he served as Director General of the Tash-Moinok Agricultural Association (1993-1994),and then as the Director of the Ak-Bermet private company (1994-1996). He returned to government service in 1996, serving as a department head in the Chui oblast administration. ¶7. (SBU) Since 1997, Isabekov has been closely tied to Bakiyev, following him through different posts. When Bakiyev was Chui governor from 1997-2000, Isabekov was his chief of staff. When Bakiyev was prime minister in 2001-2002, Isabekov was the head of the local administration department in the prime minister's office, effectively Bakiyev's "eyes and ears" throughout the country. When Bakiyev resigned in the aftermath of the Aksy events, Isabekov left his position too. From 2002 to 2004, Isabekov was the director of the State Fund for Economic Development, a body that had negligible impact. Isabekov worked on the staff of Bakiyev's 2005 presidential election campaign, and following the election, he became first deputy chief of staff at the presidency, as well as head of the department for organization work and state management policy, an influential post. On May 10, 2006, he was appointed Minister of Agriculture. (Note: He is currently the "Acting" Minister because on December 19, 2006, the Kyrgyz government resigned en masse, remaining in their posts until a new government is formed. End Note). ¶8. (C) We have not worked closely with Isabekov, but we have heard generally positive things about him, and that he is an able technocrat. He has never traveled to the United States. YOVANOVITCH