Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
08BISHKEK1000
2008-10-02 07:34:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Bishkek
Cable title:  

OSH TRIP: INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATION REPS DISCUSS

Tags:  PGOV PREL ECON KG 
pdf how-to read a cable
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OO RUEHBI RUEHCI RUEHLH RUEHPW
DE RUEHEK #1000/01 2760734
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
O 020734Z OCT 08
FM AMEMBASSY BISHKEK
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 1403
INFO RUCNCLS/ALL SOUTH AND CENTRAL ASIA COLLECTIVE
RUCNCIS/CIS COLLECTIVE
RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING 2691
RHEFDIA/DIA WASHDC
RUEKJCS/OSD WASHDC
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC
RUEKJCS/JOINT STAFF WASHDC
RUEHGV/USMISSION GENEVA 1056
RUEHVEN/USMISSION USOSCE 3078
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 2464
RUEHNO/USMISSION USNATO BRUSSELS BE
RUEHBS/USEU BRUSSELS
RUEHLMC/MILLENNIUM CHALLENGE CORP
RUMICEA/USCENTCOM INTEL CEN MACDILL AFB FL
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 BISHKEK 001000 

SIPDIS

DEPT FOR SCA/CEN

E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/01/2018
TAGS: PGOV PREL ECON KG
SUBJECT: OSH TRIP: INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATION REPS DISCUSS
SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC ILLS IN KYRGYZSTAN'S SOUTH

BISHKEK 00001000 001.2 OF 002


Classified By: Ambassador Tatiana C. Gfoeller, Reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 BISHKEK 001000

SIPDIS

DEPT FOR SCA/CEN

E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/01/2018
TAGS: PGOV PREL ECON KG
SUBJECT: OSH TRIP: INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATION REPS DISCUSS
SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC ILLS IN KYRGYZSTAN'S SOUTH

BISHKEK 00001000 001.2 OF 002


Classified By: Ambassador Tatiana C. Gfoeller, Reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).


1. (SBU) Summary: The Ambassador met with representatives of
international organizations and donor agencies based in
southern Kyrgyzstan during her trip to Osh on September
16-17. The group expressed serious concern about the energy
crisis, and also about corruption, social discord, and the
failure of political reforms. Group members agreed about
Russia's continuing popularity in the south of Kyrgyzstan as
well. End Summary.


2. (C) During a trip to the southern Osh Oblast, Ambassador
held a roundtable meeting September 17 with representatives
of international organizations and donor agencies based in
Osh. In attendance at the meeting were senior
representatives from the OSCE Osh field office, the Agency
for Technical Cooperation and Development (ACTED),Mercy
Corps, Winrock International, and the Aga Khan Development
Fund (AKDF).

ORIGINS OF THE ELECTRICITY CRISIS
--------------


3. (C) The group quickly agreed that the low water levels in
Kyrgyz reservoirs were causing a serious energy crisis in the
country. The Mercy Corps rep, who said he had met with
officials from the reservoirs, attributed the problem to
mismanagement and corruption, as officials knowingly chose to
sell electricity despite dangerously low water levels. One
member of the group claimed that members of President
Bakiyev's family were involved in the electricity sales. The
Winrock representative agreed that mismanagement has
contributed to the crisis, but added that extended drought,
dilapidated infrastructure that loses 30% of water to leaks,
and problems getting water users to measure and pay for usage
have also played a role.

SOCIAL AND ETHNIC DIFFERENCES REMAIN IN SOUTH
--------------


4. (C) Members of the group also highlighted persistent
social divides in southern Kyrgyzstan. The Winrock rep said
that ethnic Uzbeks work hard to maintain a separate identity
in Kyrgyzstan, making sure their children learn the Uzbek
language and traditions before Russian or Kyrgyz. He said

that Kyrgyz try to exclude other ethnic groups from power
structures but end up fighting among themselves. He finds
groups of mixed ethnicity or even purely Uzbek groups to be
the most efficient and business-oriented. The AKDF rep, an
ethnic Kyrgyz, disputed this strongly, saying that her
organization finds Kyrgyz easy to work with. One member of
the group noted that ethnic Russians are continuing to move
out of the south and that few remain.

FORMAL POLITICAL STRUCTURES CONFUSED AND WEAK
--------------


5. (C) The OSCE field office rep said southern businessmen
are getting more involved in politics out of fear for their
investments, and may clash with one another or with the
government in the run-up to local elections on October 5. He
has noticed that Chinese businessmen, who normally keep a low
profile, are now paying for protection in parliament and
other political offices as well. He believes that incumbents
will use administrative resources to keep their positions,
though many key local posts are filled with pro-Bakiyev
politicians outside of the electoral process. The ACTED rep
agreed that national attempts at power decentralization have
not succeeded in creating clear political structures. The
confusion hurts business and encourages corruption.

RUSSIA CONTINUES TO BE MOST POPULAR FOREIGN POWER
-------------- --------------

BISHKEK 00001000 002.2 OF 002




6. (C) The group concurred that Russia's popularity in the
south is strong and growing. The simple presence of a
Russian consulate in Osh helps, though its outreach efforts
are lackluster and it has become known for corruption itself.
One of the group said Russia's popularity is primarily a
result of the dominance of Russian television and Putin's
strong image. Another said that Russia is seen as a
guarantor of security in the region, but is also respected
for its investments in banking and telecommunications. The
Winrock rep said his contacts see the Russian language as a
way to earn more money both in Kyrgyzstan and abroad.


7. (C) The representatives all agreed that Russian
citizenship is a prized possession in the Kyrgyz Republic and
that more and more ethnic Kyrgyz are applying to receive it.
One of the representatives, a Frenchman married to an Uzbek,
said that this is true throughout Central Asia. His own wife
(who is eligible for French citizenship through marriage) had
recently applied for and received Russian citizenship. "She
told me it was more useful in the FSU than being French," he
marveled.


8. (C) Comment: The international organization
representatives conveyed a host of concerns about life in
southern Kyrgyzstan, but they did not expect anything
dramatic to happen in the near term with the public tired of
political protests.
GFOELLER