BISHKEK EAC MEETING ON JULY 30 DEMONSTRATION AT

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 BISHKEK 000968 SIPDIS SIPDIS DEPT FOR SCA/CEN DEPT FOR DS/IP/SCA-NEA - M.HIPP AND S.GALLO DEPT FOR DS COMMAND CENTER DEPT FOR DS/ITA - K.SOPPONEN E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/30/2017 TAGS: ASEC CASC PGOV PREL PINR KG SUBJECT: BISHKEK EAC MEETING ON JULY 30 DEMONSTRATION AT EMBASSY BISHKEK 00000968 001.2 OF 002 Classified By: CDA Lee Litzenberger, Reasons 1.4 (b) and (d). ¶1. (C) Charge chaired an EAC meeting at 09:00 am on July 30 to discuss precautions for a possible demonstration at the Embassy. In attendance were RSO, POL/ECON, POL/RA, DATT, MGMT, CONS, USAID, MSG, RLEA, MED, and Peace Corps. At 11:00 am on July 30, a small demonstration supporting the U.S. airbase took place without incident at 11:00 am. ¶2. (C) On Saturday, July 28 at approximately 10:00 am, Post One received a telephone call informing that there would be a demonstration in front of the Embassy at 11:00 on July 30. The caller did not specify a reason for the demonstration, nor did he identify himself or any group sponsoring the demonstration. RSO personnel contacted Kyrgyz law enforcement authorities; Kyrgyz authorities had no information about any planned demonstration at the Embassy. ¶3. (C) On Monday, July 30 at 00:57 am, Post One received a telephone call warning that there would be a "terrorist act" at the "meeting" on Monday. It was not established whether this was the same caller who contacted the Embassy on July ¶28. RSO alerted Kyrgyz law enforcement authorities about the threat. RSO personnel also contacted local telephone companies to attempt to trace the calls. ¶4. (C) RSO said that it was highly unusual for the Embassy to receive a telephoned threat or threat warning. While there was no corroborating information regarding the demonstration or threat, RSO advised taking extra security measures for a period prior to and following the supposed demonstration. ¶5. (C) RSO outlined the security measures already taken on July 30. RSO had arranged for the Interior Ministry (MVD) SWAT Team personnel in front of the Embassy to be increased to six instead of the usual two; in addition, MVD had a second team of six personnel on standby near the Embassy. The Embassy Surveillance Detection Team would deploy to the large paved field across the road from the Embassy. A local guard team in a vehicle would be deployed at the both entry gates to the Embassy compound, and additional local guards would patrol the interior perimeter of the Embassy compound. ¶6. (C) As a precaution, RSO recommended, and EAC concurred, that from 10:00 to 13:00 all meetings involving outside visitors to the Embassy and consular services to the public be cancelled. RSO recommended, and EAC concurred, that the RSO Office would send out a Security Notice to all Embassy personnel and the Consular Section would send out a Warden Notice immediately advising of the possible demonstration and that American citizens and other visitors should stay away from the Embassy from 10:00 to 13:00 on July 30. Text of the message is below in paragraph 9. ¶7. (C) Charge informed the EAC that he had cancelled the weekly Country Team meeting scheduled for the morning of July and that he had told Manas Coalition Airbase personnel not to travel to the Embassy for the meeting that morning. ¶8. (C) Embassy Nurse suggested informing Manas Coalition Airbase medical personnel about the possible demonstration so that they could be on standby in the event there was an incident at the Embassy; Charge instructed the nurse to do so. RLEA asked about procedures for the Embassy cafeteria and health unit, which are housed in a separate building on the compound. RSO said that roving local guards, in addition to patrolling the perimeter fence, would regularly check the cafeteria and health unit around the time of the possible demonstration. BISHKEK 00000968 002.2 OF 002 ¶9. (U) On July 30, the Embassy sent out the follow Security Notice and Warden Message: The Embassy received a telephone call about a possible demonstration at the Embassy on Monday, July 30. As a precaution, the Embassy is asking American citizens and other visitors to stay away from the Embassy from 10:00 to 13:00 on July 30. All meetings planned at the Embassy during this time should be rescheduled. ¶10. (C) Following the EAC, at 11:00 local, a group of approximately 15-20 demonstrators gathered in front of the Embassy. Approximately 10 journalists observed the demonstration. The demonstrators carried a U.S. and a Kyrgyz flag, and they carried signs in Russian and English expressing support for the presence of the U.S. airbase in Kyrgyzstan. The group, claiming to represent the human rights organization "Democracy," presented a letter to the Embassy criticizing earlier anti-base protests and supporting the base as a "guarantor of security in Central Asia against terrorism." The demonstration, which lasted less than half an hour, was peaceful and took place without incident. LITZENBERGER