Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
08ASTANA1236
2008-07-10 02:41:00
UNCLASSIFIED
Embassy Astana
Cable title:
KAZAKHSTAN - ALMATY NOTES, JUNE 23 - JULY 4, 2008
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UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ASTANA 001236
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PHUM PREL KZ
SUBJECT: KAZAKHSTAN - ALMATY NOTES, JUNE 23 - JULY 4, 2008
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ASTANA 001236
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PHUM PREL KZ
SUBJECT: KAZAKHSTAN - ALMATY NOTES, JUNE 23 - JULY 4, 2008
1. The "Almaty Notes" series is intended to maintain focus on
developments in civil society, the media, and the opposition in
Kazakhstan's "southern capital" following the move of the Embassy to
Astana.
Opposition Parties Propose Legislation
--------------
2. On June 24, the opposition Azat party and National Social
Democratic Party (OSDP) went public with their own specific
proposals for amending Kazakhstan's legislation on elections,
political parties, the media, and freedom of assembly. The parties
explained that their aim was to advance implementation of
Kazakhstan's Madrid commitments on democratic reform. According to
Azat leader Bulat Abilov, "seven months have passed since
Kazakhstan's bid for the OSCE chairmanship was approved, but no
legislative changes have yet been introduced to parliament; if the
Madrid commitments are not fulfilled, the reputation of the country
will be damaged."
Abilov Comments on Nazarbayev Speech
--------------
3. Azat leader Abilov also commented on President Nazarbayev's June
29 address to the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly session in Astana, in
which Nazarbayev publicly discussed the Madrid commitments for the
first time. "We learned nothing new from the President's speech,
but do not doubt that a 'two-party system' will be introduced in
parliament," Abilov said. Abilov contended that with two parties in
parliament, 90 per cent of the seats would in any event wind up in
the hands of Nazarbayev's Nur Otan party. As a result, the
government would control parliament just as it has previously.
Aldamzharov Joins Communist Party
--------------
4. Gaziz Aldamzharov has joined the Communist Party and has been
elected to its leadership as a party secretary. From 1998 to 2001,
Aldamzharov was Deputy Chairman of the opposition Republican
People's Party of Kazakhstan, which was founded by former Prime
Minister Akezhan Kazhegeldin. In 2003, Aldamzharov left the
opposition and was appointed by President Nazarbayev to be
Kazakhstan's ambassador to Belarus.
Hunger Strike Ended
--------------
5. On June 21, a group of Almaty residents ended a two-week hunger
strike which they had initiated to protest an effort to seize their
property to build more lucrative residences. Following negotiations
with representatives of a local construction company, they reached
an agreement on satisfactory compensation for their homes. A
separate hunger strike ended a week earlier, when the Almaty city
administration reversed a plan to seize the land of another group of
residents.
New District in Almaty
--------------
6. On June 2, the Almaty city maslikhat (legislature) approved
Almaty mayor Akmetzhan Yesimov's decision to establish a new city
district (rayon) which will include illegally-constructed
settlements on the city's outskirts. According to the Interfax news
agency, in the past, the city administration held an uncompromising
position toward houses illegally constructed by rural migrants,
which included attempts by the city to demolish such dwellings.
However, Yesimov holds a different position. His administration
plans to develop the infrastructure of the new district and to
resolve the socio-economic problems of its residents.
Almaty City Administration Discusses Problems
--------------
7. At a June 27 city government meeting, Almaty mayor Yesimov
harshly criticized his subordinates, accusing them of failing to be
proactive in dealing with issues like public protests. He argued
that the incitement of inter-ethnic hatred in Almaty was an urgent
problem, with some individuals attempting to exacerbate social
tensions. Almaty's deputy mayor cited other problems, such as
migration and new religions. Since 1991, he contended, the number
of religious associations in the city has increased twelve-fold, and
the activities of some of them are quite dubious. The city
prosecutor agreed that there has been an escalation in inter-ethnic
tensions. He added that over the past 18 months, law enforcement
officials have recorded 12 cases of dissemination of "extremist
literature."
ASTANA 00001236 002 OF 002
ORDWAY
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PHUM PREL KZ
SUBJECT: KAZAKHSTAN - ALMATY NOTES, JUNE 23 - JULY 4, 2008
1. The "Almaty Notes" series is intended to maintain focus on
developments in civil society, the media, and the opposition in
Kazakhstan's "southern capital" following the move of the Embassy to
Astana.
Opposition Parties Propose Legislation
--------------
2. On June 24, the opposition Azat party and National Social
Democratic Party (OSDP) went public with their own specific
proposals for amending Kazakhstan's legislation on elections,
political parties, the media, and freedom of assembly. The parties
explained that their aim was to advance implementation of
Kazakhstan's Madrid commitments on democratic reform. According to
Azat leader Bulat Abilov, "seven months have passed since
Kazakhstan's bid for the OSCE chairmanship was approved, but no
legislative changes have yet been introduced to parliament; if the
Madrid commitments are not fulfilled, the reputation of the country
will be damaged."
Abilov Comments on Nazarbayev Speech
--------------
3. Azat leader Abilov also commented on President Nazarbayev's June
29 address to the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly session in Astana, in
which Nazarbayev publicly discussed the Madrid commitments for the
first time. "We learned nothing new from the President's speech,
but do not doubt that a 'two-party system' will be introduced in
parliament," Abilov said. Abilov contended that with two parties in
parliament, 90 per cent of the seats would in any event wind up in
the hands of Nazarbayev's Nur Otan party. As a result, the
government would control parliament just as it has previously.
Aldamzharov Joins Communist Party
--------------
4. Gaziz Aldamzharov has joined the Communist Party and has been
elected to its leadership as a party secretary. From 1998 to 2001,
Aldamzharov was Deputy Chairman of the opposition Republican
People's Party of Kazakhstan, which was founded by former Prime
Minister Akezhan Kazhegeldin. In 2003, Aldamzharov left the
opposition and was appointed by President Nazarbayev to be
Kazakhstan's ambassador to Belarus.
Hunger Strike Ended
--------------
5. On June 21, a group of Almaty residents ended a two-week hunger
strike which they had initiated to protest an effort to seize their
property to build more lucrative residences. Following negotiations
with representatives of a local construction company, they reached
an agreement on satisfactory compensation for their homes. A
separate hunger strike ended a week earlier, when the Almaty city
administration reversed a plan to seize the land of another group of
residents.
New District in Almaty
--------------
6. On June 2, the Almaty city maslikhat (legislature) approved
Almaty mayor Akmetzhan Yesimov's decision to establish a new city
district (rayon) which will include illegally-constructed
settlements on the city's outskirts. According to the Interfax news
agency, in the past, the city administration held an uncompromising
position toward houses illegally constructed by rural migrants,
which included attempts by the city to demolish such dwellings.
However, Yesimov holds a different position. His administration
plans to develop the infrastructure of the new district and to
resolve the socio-economic problems of its residents.
Almaty City Administration Discusses Problems
--------------
7. At a June 27 city government meeting, Almaty mayor Yesimov
harshly criticized his subordinates, accusing them of failing to be
proactive in dealing with issues like public protests. He argued
that the incitement of inter-ethnic hatred in Almaty was an urgent
problem, with some individuals attempting to exacerbate social
tensions. Almaty's deputy mayor cited other problems, such as
migration and new religions. Since 1991, he contended, the number
of religious associations in the city has increased twelve-fold, and
the activities of some of them are quite dubious. The city
prosecutor agreed that there has been an escalation in inter-ethnic
tensions. He added that over the past 18 months, law enforcement
officials have recorded 12 cases of dissemination of "extremist
literature."
ASTANA 00001236 002 OF 002
ORDWAY