KAZAKHSTAN - COMMON WORLD FORUM DRAFT COMMUNIQUE

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ASTANA 001671

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS

DEPARTMENT FOR SCA/CEN AND IO/UNP

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL KISL KZ
SUBJECT: KAZAKHSTAN - COMMON WORLD FORUM DRAFT COMMUNIQUE
NOW MUCH CLOSER TO USG VISION

REF: A. STATE 91869 (NOTAL)

B. ASTANA 1573 (NOTAL)

C. STATE 90355 (NOTAL)

ASTANA 00001671 001.2 OF 002



1. (SBU) Summary: The Ambassador participated in the Common
World Forum senior officials meeting (SOM),which was held in
Astana during August 28-29. The majority of European
countries were represented by their embassies in Kazakhstan
and most of the Muslim countries by senior-level MFA
officials from their capitals. At the opening of the SOM,
the Kazakhstanis circulated a new draft for the Forum's
"Astana Declaration" that was much more in line with the
USG's vision. We worked during SOM discussions with the
Europeans to delete or amend the remaining problematic
points. The resultant new text has two bracketed points --
one on the Alliance of Civilizations and a second on women's
rights -- that must be agreed to by October 10, in advance of
the October 17 Common World Forum ministerial. We raised the
question of broadening participation for the ministerial; the
Kazakhstanis took this point under consideration. End
Summary.


2. (SBU) The senior officials meeting (SOM) of the Common
World Forum -- an initiative of President Nazarbayev aimed at
promoting dialogue between the West and the Muslim world --
was held in Astana during August 28-29. The Ambassador
participated in sessions on the first day. The SOM was
attended by representatives from forty-five Western and
Muslim countries, including Iran, as well as delegates from
the Organization of Islamic States (OIC) and the Alliance of
Civilizations (AOC). Level of representation varied from
country to country. Brazil and the majority of the European
countries were represented by their embassies in Kazakhstan.
However, Turkey, Belgium, the Netherlands, Cyprus, Finland,
Slovakia, and Hungary sent director-level MFA representatives
from capitals. (Note: Cyprus and Finland do not maintain
embassies in Kazakhstan. End Note.) Spain sent its
ambassador-at-large for Alliance of Civilizations issues.
Russia and most of the Muslim countries were represented by
higher-level (i.e., director-general and above) MFA officials
from capitals.


3. (SBU) Both days of the SOM were devoted to discussing the
so-called "Astana Declaration" -- the outcome document for
the October 17 Common World Forum ministerial meeting. At
the beginning of the SOM, the Kazakhstanis circulated a new
text for this communique, and the participants quickly
decided to forgo the SOM program to try to finalize the
language. The new version was worded in more general terms
than the one circulated before the SOM, and incorporated many
of the points we had raised with the MFA previously (see ref
B). For example, the text no longer committed states to
support the "defamation of religion" concept, to acknowledge
governments as "democratic" regardless of their practices, or
to provide preferential debt relief to Islamic countries.
(Note: The OIC representative registered his objection to
deleting the reference to debt relief, but agreed to proceed
with the discussions. End Note.) The new draft nevertheless
still contained several points unacceptable to the U.S. --
such as support for restrictions on the media, as well as
support for an International Convention on Religious
Tolerance. We thus worked in concert with the Europeans (in
particular, Belgium, the Netherlands, Hungary, and the Czech
Republic) to successfully amend or delete these provisions.


4. (SBU) The resultant text that came out of the SOM (which
was forwarded to the Department by email) is much more in
line with the USG's vision, as outlined in ref A. While we
succeeded in reaching agreement on most issues, two points
remained bracketed at the end of the SOM: one regarding the
Alliance of Civilizations and a second concerning women's
rights. The Alliance of Civilizations point was inserted by
the Turkish representative and "call(s) upon members of the
international community to participate in, and contribute to
the Second Forum of the Alliance of Civilizations." Noting
the USG position on the Alliance, we counter-proposed a text
that would "endorse future meetings like this" and not single
out particular initiatives, but the Spanish and Turkish
delegations insisted on language specifically endorsing the
AOC. A possible compromise text reads that "(we the
ministers) welcome the Second Forum of the Alliance of
Civilizations," with no mention of support or participation.


5. (SBU) Disagreement also remained on a point on women's
rights to emancipation and development. Iran's delegation
asked to augment the text to say "development in accordance
with national, cultural, and social norms." Their suggestion
was met with objections from many of the participants,

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including Poland, Macedonia, and Brazil. Several of the
European representatives and Qatar proposed alternative
formulations as a compromise. Nevertheless, Iran refused to
withdraw the point. It was agreed to continue working on the
communique text until October 10, the deadline proposed by
the Kazakhstanis for finalizing it in advance of the October
17 Common World Forum Ministerial.


6. (SBU) We also raised the issue about broadening
participation in the Common World Forum. Brazil, which had
repeatedly raised the question of South American
participation, and Russia, supported us. The Kazakhstanis
said they would take this under consideration.


7. (SBU) Comment: As the Kazakhstanis made clear to SCA
Assistant Secretary Boucher during his September 2 visit to
Astana, they very much want high-level USG attendance at the
October 17 ministerial. This should provide significant
leverage in getting the Kazakhstanis to work with us on
further changes that we want incorporated into the communique
by October. Post also recommends working with Ankara and
Madrid directly to find an acceptable comprise on language
concerning the Alliance of Civilizations. Based on the
atmospherics at the SOM, we do not believe that Muslim
countries or the OIC will mount an attempt to reinsert
problematic issues into the text between now and the
ministerial. End Comment.
ORDWAY