KYRGYZ MFA CONFIDENT ABOUT SCO SUMMIT PREPARATIONS

C O N F I D E N T I A L BISHKEK 000908 SIPDIS SIPDIS DEPT FOR SCA/CEN E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/13/2017 TAGS: PGOV PREL KG SUBJECT: KYRGYZ MFA CONFIDENT ABOUT SCO SUMMIT PREPARATIONS Classified By: CDA Lee Litzenberger, Reasons 1.4 (b) and (d). ¶1. (C) In a July 10 meeting, Deputy Foreign Minister Sarbayev told Charge that preparations for the August 16 Shanghai Cooperation Organization summit in Bishkek were moving quickly, and that following the July 9 meeting of SCO foreign ministers, summit documents were nearly ready. Sarbayev said the summit documents included a Bishkek Declaration, which would focus on SCO accomplishments and goals, and a friendship and cooperation agreement among the countries. He described the friendship treaty as an effort to integrate the many existing bilateral friendship agreements between SCO members. He acknowledged there had been some back-and-forth over certain provisions of the text, but noted with pride that Kyrgyzstan, as the summit host, had steered the members toward a consensus text that was "95% agreed" by SCO foreign ministers. He assured Charge that the text in no way reduced the sovereignty or independence of any SCO member. ¶2. (C) Sarbayev said that the SCO members had invited Afghan President Karzai to the summit in recognition of the importance of Afghanistan to regional security. He added that from now on, the activities of the SCO-Afghanistan contact group would be conducted at the upgraded level of foreign minister. ¶3. (C) Sarbayev said that all SCO member countries had confirmed that they would be represented by heads of state at the summit. Observers Iran and Mongolia would be represented by their presidents, and observers Pakistan and India by their foreign ministers. Sarbayev said that in addition to the SCO's members and observers, the Kyrgyz had invited UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon and Turkmenistan President SIPDIS Berdimuhamedov, as well as President Karzai, to attend the summit as guests, but they had not yet responded formally. He expressed some concern that Kyrgyzstan did not know the actual arrival dates of summit participants -- with the exception of the Iranian president, who had immediately confirmed his participation and provided an itinerary. Sarbayev said Kyrgyzstan was urging heads of state to arrive on August 15, so that the summit can begin the morning of the 16th. ¶4. (C) Sarbayev said that there would be a bilateral state visit from China ahead of the summit. Sarbayev said that Iran had pressed hard for a state visit for President Ahmadinejad following the summit, but the Kyrgyz had not yet agreed out of concern over what Ahmadinejad might say during the SCO summit. Sarbayev said he was traveling to Tehran July 13 to discuss the visit with Iranian officials and convey the message that provocative statements by Ahmadinejad would be unwelcome. ¶5. (C) Sarbayev, who has been closely involved in the planning for the summit, said that Kyrgyzstan was ready to host the delegations. He said that following the plenary session the morning of August 16, there would be a "gala concert" at the Philharmonic Hall, to which the full diplomatic corps would be invited. LITZENBERGER