KAZAKHSTAN - DEMARCHE DELIVERED ON DISCOURAGING

C O N F I D E N T I A L ASTANA 000798 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/25/2018 TAGS: PREL GG RS KZ SUBJECT: KAZAKHSTAN - DEMARCHE DELIVERED ON DISCOURAGING UPGRADED RUSSIAN RELATIONS WITH ABKHAZIA AND SOUTH OSSETIA REF: (A) STATE 40673 (B) ASTANA 755 Classified By: Pol-Econ Chief Steven Fagin, Reasons 1.4 (b) and (d) ¶1. (C) Pol-Econ Chief delivered reftel demarche on discouraging Russia from upgrading relations with Abkhazia and South Ossetia to MFA Americas Department head Talgat Kaliyev on April 25. Kaliyev promised to relay the substance to his MFA superiors. He reminded Pol-Econ Chief that Kazakhstan had made its position on Abkhazia clear in MFA spokesman Yerzhan Ashikbayev's April 7 statement to the press that it was "premature" for Kazakhstan to consider lifting CIS sanctions on Abkhazia and that Kazakhstan respects Georgia's sovereignty and territorial integrity (see ref B). Kaliyev said that Dmitri Medvedev was expected to visit Kazakhstan during May 22-23, which would likely be his first trip abroad to a CIS country as Russian president. In preparation, Foreign Minister Tazhin would be visiting Moscow during the week of April 28. Kaliyev opened up and reviewed a folder labelled "Consulations with Russian MFA," which included information on Kazakhstan's position on Abkhazia -- an indication that Tazhin was being prepped to discuss Abkhazia when in Moscow. ORDWAY