KAZAKHSTAN: ELECTION EVENTS RAISE AWARENESS OF AMERICAN

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 ASTANA 002182

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS

DEPARMENT FOR SCA/CEN, SCA/PPD, ECA, AND IIP

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV SCUL OIIP KPAO KZ
SUBJECT: KAZAKHSTAN: ELECTION EVENTS RAISE AWARENESS OF AMERICAN
DEMOCRACY


1. (U) Sensitive but unclassified. Not for public Internet.


2. (U) SUMMARY: Mission Kazakhstan conducted a wide variety of
events to raise awareness of the 2008 U.S. elections in Kazakhstan
and underscore our commitment to democratic values. Activities
included distributing election-related materials, hosting an
election speaker, sending nine Kazakhstanis to the United States to
view the democratic process first-hand, and organizing a variety of
programs at American Corners throughout the country. Festivities
culminated in election-day breakfast events hosted by the Embassy in
Astana and the Branch Office in Almaty. Guests appreciated the
opportunity to watch live returns and cast their ballots in a mock
election. END SUMMARY.

ELECTION EVENT AT EMBASSY ASTANA


3. (U) On November 5, Embassy Astana hosted approximately 250 guests
for an election day event. Beginning at 7:30 am local time (8:30 pm
EST),the Embassy welcomed Kazakhstani guests and members of the
diplomatic community to experience this year's historic election.
The event was held in the Embassy's atrium, which was adorned with
red, white, and blue decorations. Three televisions broadcast live
returns, and one computer station provided internet updates. Guests
were encouraged to take Democratic and Republican campaign
paraphernalia as well as IIP-provided election materials. Foreign
guests also participated in a mock election (the results: Senator
Obama: 90 votes; Senator McCain: 11 votes).


4. (U) Guests started queuing outside the Embassy at 6:45 am.
Presidential Advisor (and former Information and Culture Minister)
Yermukhamet Yertysbayev, a Kazakhstani parliamentarian, several
members of the Central Election Commission, and several officials
from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs attended the event.
Enthusiastic students, educators, alumni of U.S.
government-sponsored exchange programs, and employees of
non-governmental organizations comprised the majority of our guests,
and a number of diplomats came as well.


5. (U) Attendees were largely familiar with the candidates, but had
a limited understanding of the American electoral system. Many were
surprised to learn that Americans were not just voting for
president, but also for members of Congress, as well as on a wide
range of state and local measures.


6. (SBU) The students overwhelmingly indicated support for Senator
Obama, citing his "youth, energy, and focus on change." Or, as one
said simply, "I like his smile." University administrators and
educators preferred Senator McCain, however, citing his many years
of public service and strong military credentials. "I like Obama,
too," admitted one university administrator, "But he needs another
20 years of experience before becoming president." Azerbaijani
Ambassador to Kazakhstan Lyattif Gandilov was particularly
disappointed when Obama was declared the victor. He argued that
McCain's experience was essential in these difficult times, and
feared that Obama will change U.S. policy and officially recognize
as a genocide the mass killings of Ottoman Armenians during the
First World War.


7. (U) The Astana election event was covered by many national and
local television companies, including Khabar TV, Kazakhstan TV,
Rakhat TV, Astana TV, Channel 31, and Era TV. Print journalists
included representatives from wire services (Interfax, Reuters,
KazTAG) and newspapers (Panorama, Info-Tess, Izvestiya-Kazakhstan.)
The journalists interviewed the Ambassador and were interested in
learning what the election results would mean for U.S. policy. The
Ambassador responded by reassuring them that major foreign policy
changes regarding U.S. relations with Kazakhstan were not expected,
no matter which party won.


8. (U) During a meeting later in the day, Minister of Information

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and Culture Mukhtar Kul-Mukhammed congratulated the Ambassador on
the U.S. election and described it as "a great festival of
democracy."

ELECTION EVENTS AT BRANCH OFFICE ALMATY


9. (U) Branch Office Almaty hosted a parallel event for
approximately 130 guests at USAID's offices. Live television feeds
and computers with internet access provided up-to-the minute
updates. Embassy staff further educated attendees about the
election by showing biographical videos of the Democratic and
Republic candidates, and by distributing a wide variety of IIP
material and campaign paraphernalia.


10. (U) Foreign guests also voted in a mock election (Senator Obama:
62, Senator McCain: 10). One Kazakhstani opposition figure said he
was so excited to watch democracy at work that he voted twice. The
leader of "Pokoleniye," a pensioners' NGO, suggested inviting
Senator Obama to be the next leader of Kazakhstan and sending
Kazakhstani President Nazarbayev to the United States. Another
contact sent a text-message that said "Obama 2030," a reference to
the Government of Kazakhstan's grand development plans for the
country by the year 2030.


11. (U) The Almaty-based press also covered the event. Journalists
included representatives from Channel 31, KTK TV, Liter, Svoboda
Slova, Ekspress K, zonak.net, stantv.kz, Kazinform News Agency,
Radio Azattyk (RFE/RL),and Obshestvennaya Pozitsiya. As in Astana,
journalists were particularly interested in what the election would
mean for U.S. policy, particularly U.S.-Russia relations. Several
were also interested in the mechanics of overseas voting, and one
asked if the United States puts this event on "every year."


12. (SBU) The Almaty event had been scheduled to take place at the
American Cultural Center, which is located at the National Library
and is co-sponsored by Chevron. However, despite a Memorandum of
Understanding (MOU) that commits the library to "conduct activities
planned jointly with the U.S. embassy" and "provide free and open
access to the center for everyone without restriction," the director
of the library, Obynbasar Isakhov, objected to the inclusion on the
guest list of leaders of the political opposition members and a
representative of the Jehovah's Witnesses. (NOTE: This is just the
latest problem with the director, who has increasingly limited the
center's activities, including refusing to grant access to an
American Fulbrighter who had scheduled a talk there in April and
restricting or removing cable television access. We are currently
in the process of reviewing this MOU and exploring options to end
the relationship with the National Library. END NOTE.)

AMERICAN CORNER FESTIVITIES


13. (U) All eight American Corners in Kazakhstan also engaged in
election activity. Corners distributed election-related materials;
organized presentations, discussions, and round-tables with election
themes; and screened the candidates' biographies. Each Corner also
organized a mock election. Voting began on October 28 and
culminated on November 4. Votes were counted by agreed-upon
election committees and relayed by phone to Embassy Astana during
its November 5 election event. The results were then posted on a
large map: 1170 foreign nationals voted at American Corners across
Kazakhstan -- 966 for Senator Obama and 204 for Senator McCain.
Nine Peace Corps volunteers and three alumni of U.S.
government-sponsored programs provided invaluable support to the
American Corners' election programs.

OTHER ELECTION PROGRAMS


14. (U) Other election-related activities included nominating
Magzhan Ilyassov, head of the Presidential Administration's Foreign
Policy Center, to observe the elections through the "I-Vote"

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International Visitors Leadership Program (IVLP); sending three
Kazakhstani journalists to participate in events organized by the
Foreign Press Center; sponsoring Swarthmore College political
science Professor Carol Nackenoff to speak about the elections in
Astana, Almaty, Karaganda, and Kostenai; and supporting five members
of Kazakhstan's Central Election Committee in their travel to the
United States to observe the elections firsthand.

HOAGLAND