Mongolia's President Visits Kazakhstan, Bolsters Ties

UNCLAS ULAANBAATAR 000494 SIPDIS SENSITIVE SIPDIS STATE FOR EAP/CM E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PREL PGOV ECON SOCI MG KZ SUBJECT: Mongolia's President Visits Kazakhstan, Bolsters Ties Reftel: Ulaanbaatar 418 SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED - NOT FOR INTERNET DISTRIBUTION ¶1. (SBU) SUMMARY: Mongolian President Enkhbayar's August 13-15 visit to Kazakhstan produced several cooperative agreements, firmed up already solid bilateral relations, and convinced at least some of the visiting Mongolians that development through authoritarianism is undesirable. One agreement, on disaster response, was concluded in the wake of a deadly helicopter crash in a remote part of Mongolia (reftel). Kazakhstan's President N. Nazarbaev agreed to make a reciprocal visit to Mongolia sometime in 2008. END SUMMARY. ¶2. (SBU) Mongolian President Enkhbayar's official visit to Kazakhstan from August 13 to 15 strengthened already firm bilateral ties and produced several cooperative agreements, according to Mounkhou, the Foreign Ministry's Deputy Director for the Americas, Middle East and Africa. In an August 28 meeting with the DCM, Mounkhou confirmed that agreements were concluded on disaster response, sports and tourism. Presidents Enkhbayar and Nazarbaev also discussed Mongolian support for Kazakhstan's bid to join the World Trade Organization, as well as potential Kazakh investments in Mongolian gold, silver and copper exploration. DISASTER-RESPONSE AGREEMENT -------------- ¶3. (SBU) The Foreign Policy Advisor to Mongolia's President, Tsogtbaatar, who journeyed to Kazakhstan with his boss, told us on SIPDIS August 21 that the need for a disaster-response agreement became painfully clear in June, when a Russian-built helicopter on a firefighting mission crashed in northern Mongolia. The GOM struggled to locate the site of the crash, at which 15 people died (reftel). Now, Tsogtbaatar explained, the GOM has no more functioning helicopters. (NOTE: Mishandling of the accident has led to calls for the resignation of four ministers, including the Ministers of Roads, Transportation and Tourism, Defense, Emergency Management, and Justice.) DEVELOPMENT, YES. AUTHORITARIANISM, NO. -------------- ¶4. (SBU) Tsogtbaatar said the Mongolian visitors were impressed by Kazakhstan's success in developing oil, gas and mineral resources. But he believed that this success has come at a high price. "Is it worth developing through authoritarianism? No. Things should develop in their natural way." Tsogtbaatar also said that although signs of new wealth in Kazakhstan are clearly visible, this wealth is not being distributed equally. Mongolia has its own problems in this regard, he said, but to a lesser degree. DUAL CITIZENSHIP DISCUSSED, REJECTED -------------- ¶5. (SBU) During their summit, the two Presidents referred to the 60,000 to 70,000 Mongolians (mostly of ethnic Kazakh descent) who emigrated legally to Kazakhstan in the late 1990s; some are seeking dual citizenship. The two leaders ruled this out, stating through their spokesmen that the dual-citizenship issue needs to be decided in line with the relevant laws of the two countries. (Note: Neither country allows dual citizenship.) ¶6. (U) At the invitation of President Enkhbayar, President Nazarbaev agreed to make an official visit to Mongolia sometime in 2008.