Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
08ASTANA2194
2008-11-07 06:22:00
UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
Embassy Astana
Cable title:  

KAZAKHSTAN: INFORMATION AND CULTURE MINISTER SAYS

Tags:  PREL PGOV PHUM SCUL KDEM KPAO KZ 
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UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ASTANA 002194 

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS

STATE FOR SCA/CEN, SCA/PPD, ECA, DRL

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL PGOV PHUM SCUL KDEM KPAO KZ
SUBJECT: KAZAKHSTAN: INFORMATION AND CULTURE MINISTER SAYS
KAZAKHSTAN WILL FULFILL MADRID COMMITMENTS

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ASTANA 002194

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS

STATE FOR SCA/CEN, SCA/PPD, ECA, DRL

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL PGOV PHUM SCUL KDEM KPAO KZ
SUBJECT: KAZAKHSTAN: INFORMATION AND CULTURE MINISTER SAYS
KAZAKHSTAN WILL FULFILL MADRID COMMITMENTS


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


2. (SBU) SUMMARY: During a November 5 meeting, the Ambassador
stressed to Information and Culture Minister Mukhtar Kul-Mukhammed
the importance of Kazakhstan's follow through on its Madrid
commitments on democratic reform. Kul-Mukhammed responded that all
the necessary legislation will soon be introduced to parliament and
will be adopted by year's end or, at the latest, by the beginning of

2009. The legislation will represent a step forward on
democratization, but will not satisfy everyone, as laws have to be
consistent with political and cultural realities, he argued.
Kul-Mukhammed described the U.S. elections as a "shining example of
U.S. democracy." He welcomed the opportunity for more cooperation
with the Embassy on cultural programs. He also said that Astana's
new concert hall, which will have seating for 3,500, will be
completed in 2010. END SUMMARY.

MADRID COMMITMENTS


3. (SBU) During a November 5 meeting, the Ambassador stressed to
Information and Culture Minister Mukhtar Kul-Mukhammed the
importance of Kazakhstan's follow through on its Madrid commitments
on democratic reform. He suggested that timely adoption of the
necessary legislation would further enhance President Nazarbayev's
image as an international statesman.


4. (SBU) In response, Kul-Mukhammed thanked the Ambassador for the
U.S. government's support for Kazakhstan's selection as 2010 OSCE
chairman, explaining that Kazakhstan's candidacy would not have
succeeded without it. He acknowledged that the chairmanship was
both an honor and a responsibility. Kazakhstan would not be
successful as chairman in pressing other countries to take steps on
democracy if it was not taking such steps itself, he argued.
Regarding the Madrid commitments, Kul-Mukhammed said that the three
pieces of draft legislation -- which would amend Kazakhstan's
election, political party, and media laws -- have been reviewed
within the government, and only small details remain to be
finalized. His ministry is responsible, together with the Ministry

of Justice, for the media and political party legislation. He
expected that within two weeks, all the legislation will be ready
for introduction to parliament. He did not anticipate that
parliament will make any significant changes and said that
parliamentary approval of everything should occur by the end of the
year or, at the latest, by the very beginning of 2009.


5. (SBU) Kul-Mukhammed maintained that the legislative changes will
represent a real step forward on democratization, but naturally will
not satisfy everyone. Laws have to be consistent with political and
cultural realities, and suit a country and its citizens, he argued.
Kazakhstan is well ahead of the other Central Asian countries in
terms of democratic development, but is indisputably far behind the
United States and Europe. The mass media is a particularly
sensitive issue, Kul-Mukhammed explained. Terming the United States
"a land of believers," he chose to point to the opening passage of
the Gospel of John (i.e., "in the beginning there was the Word...
and the Word was God") to stress that the media has a very strong
influence on society, shaping public opinion and creating social
harmony. The political situation in Kazakhstan is a delicate one,
and some things in the media can lead to conflict. Kul-Mukhammed
explained that he had recently had a roundtable with a group of
journalists, including opposition journalists, and had told them
that in an ideal world, there would be no need for Kazakhstan to
have a Ministry of Information, but realities necessitate one.

RUSSIAN MEDIA


6. (SBU) Kul-Mukhammed noted that in a meeting several months
previously, he and former U.S. Ambassador to Kazakhstan John Ordway
had discussed the issue of Russian media domination in Kazakhstan.
He explained to the Ambassador that if Kazakhstan tried to close off
access to the Russian media, it would come under heavy criticism.
That said, only one Russian television station -- ORT -- is
permitted to broadcast without restrictions, while the others are
subject to Kazakhstani content rules. (NOTE: In fact, it does not

ASTANA 00002194 002 OF 002


appear to us that any Russian television stations broadcasting to
Kazakhstan have significant Kazakhstani content. END NOTE.) The
Ambassador explained that a Russian-language version of BBC or CNN
would provide Kazakhstani viewers with additional sources of
information beyond Russian ones and thus improve the media
environment. Kul-Mukhammed responded that we should work together
on this issue. He also asked for assistance in building up
Kazakhstan's CaspioNET satellite television to better broadcast
information about Kazakhstan to other countries.

U.S. ELECTIONS


7. (SBU) Kul-Mukhammed congratulated the Ambassador on the U.S.
elections. He described them as an "unforgettable political show,"
and a "shining example of U.S. democracy and American patriotism"
that showed that in the United States, anything is possible. (NOTE:
Kul-Mukhammed has children studying in the United States and hopes
to send his other children to study there, too, once they are old
enough. END NOTE.)

CULTURAL DIPLOMACY


8. (SBU) The Ambassador praised the "cultural diplomacy" of
Kazakhstani Ambasador to the United States Yerlan Idrissov,
especially his efforts to promote Kazakhstani cooperation with the
Smithsonian Institution. He noted that American composer Anne
LeBaron is composing a cantata about Kazakhstan that will be
performed in Almaty in 2009 and is looking for Kazakhstani support
for this project. Kul-Mukhammed responded that Kazakhstan very much
wants to promote its culture. The country is very proud of its
talented artists, many of whom perform abroad. He assigned Vice
Minister Askar Buribayev, who was also present in the meeting, to
follow up on any cultural initiatives from the U.S. Embassy.

ASTANA'S NEW CONCERT HALL


9. (SBU) The Ambassador asked about the ongoing construction of
Astana's new concert hall, which was visible from the window of the
meeting room. Kul-Mukhammed explained the building will be finished
in 2010 and would seat 3,500 people. Its unusual design will
maximize acoustics, making it possible to do some performances
without the use of microphones. He said that the design concept is
not really a new one -- rather, it is similar to that of the Berlin
Philharmonic, which was completed in the 1960s, Rome's Parco della
Musica, and Tokyo's Suntory Hall. A group of Kazakhstani artists
visited Suntory Hall in 2004 and were impressed with the design.
The Ambassador said that, while he could make no promises, he would
like to explore the possibility of having a major U.S. orchestra
perform in the new concert hall once it is completed.

HOAGLAND