BOUCHER AND BAKIYEV REASSURE EACH OTHER ON MANAS

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 04 BISHKEK 001053 SIPDIS DEPT FOR SCA/CEN (GORKOWSKI) AND SCA/FO E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/17/2018 TAGS: PREL MARR PGOV PINR KG SUBJECT: BOUCHER AND BAKIYEV REASSURE EACH OTHER ON MANAS AIR BASE BISHKEK 00001053 001.2 OF 004 Classified By: Amb. Tatiana Gfoeller, Reason 1.4 (b) and (d). ¶1. (C) Summary. In an hour long meeting with Assistant Secretary for South and Central Asia Richard Boucher, Kyrgyz President Bakiyev stated his commitment to working with the United States and others to fight terrorism and narcotics in Afghanistan and reaffirmed his country's multi-vector foreign policy based on good relations with all countries -- the U.S., Russia, Europe, China, and its neighbors. He described atmospherics at the October 10 summit of the five Central Asian presidents as good, with an understanding that Kyrgyzstan would provide water next summer in return for Uzbek gas and Kazakh coal this winter. He denied any pressure from Russia following the conflict in Georgia, and claimed that Russia does not dictate decisions of the Commonwealth of Independent States. Bakiyev relayed longstanding concerns regarding the U.S. failure to share its investigation results for the 2006 base incident involving the death of a Kyrgyz citizen, lack of U.S. compensation in a traffic accident case, and over U.S. democracy assistance. He said he hoped the weapons seizure incident would be resolved soon, and welcomed Boucher's suggestion that the Ambassador work with the Kyrgyz to seek resolution of the unresolved issues. End Summary. Manas Airbase Important for Afghan Stability -------------- ¶2. (C) President Bakiyev opened his October 17 meeting with Assistant Secretary Boucher by noting that he had had a good conversation with Secretary Rice on September 28. Boucher replied that the Secretary was not able to visit, but wanted to continue the conversation and asked him to come. Bakiyev thanked the U.S. for the assistance it provides Kyrgyzstan, which hosts the Manas coalition airbase. He asked for Boucher's assessment of the situation in Afghanistan, particularly concerning narcotics trafficking. Boucher thanked Bakiyev for being a good partner in fighting terrorism, and reiterated the importance of the base in the international effort to stabilize Afghanistan. He said that the U.S.'s primary interest was to support Kyrgyz independence and the welfare of its people. The U.S. had no interest in competing with any other country. ¶3. (C) Assistant Secretary Boucher then briefed President Bakiyev on current efforts to support local government around Afghanistan while fighting the insurgency consolidating itself in the south and east. On counternarcotics, Boucher urged Bakiyev to work more closely with neighbors like Tajikistan and with the regional information sharing structure, CARICC, that was based in Almaty. Bakiyev: Unresolved Bilateral Issues -------------- ¶4. (C) Bakiyev raised a number of issues that he said need to be resolved. First, was the December 2006 shooting incident. He was concerned that second anniversary of the incident, in which a Kyrgyz truck driver was shot and killed by a U.S. airman, was approaching, and Kyrgyzstan still has no answers to its questions about the U.S. investigation. Public opinion in Kyrgyzstan is that U.S. servicemen can do anything with impunity. This was compounded by another longstanding unresolved issue -- the traffic accident in which a Kyrgyz citizen, Yasynov, was injured but has not received compensation. If the U.S. supports Kyrgyz sovereignty, it should share the investigation information. Bakiyev said he had raised this during the visit of Senator Harry Reid in August, who promised he would take action. U.S. Has Issues, Too -------------- ¶5. (C) Boucher agreed that there were a number of issues that need to be resolved. He said that prior to his departure, he had checked on the shooting investigation. His BISHKEK 00001053 002.2 OF 004 understanding was that the report was being finalized, and once ready, Bakiyev would get the report. He noted that the widow had been paid compensation regardless of the report's findings. Boucher noted that the U.S. side had some unresolved issues on its list, too. He said he would like Ambassador Gfoeller to sit down with the President's team and work to resolve as many of these issues as we can. Boucher pledged the Ambassador would have Washington's support to get resolution. He added that the base personnel make every effort to be good guests in Kyrgyzstan, and the base was among the first to respond to the recent earthquake with emergency supplies. The base was also prepared to make infrastructure improvements to the airport, including construction of a new parking ramp. Central Asian Summit: Water and Energy -------------- ¶6. (C) Assistant Secretary Boucher noted that our cooperation also included the Millenium Challenge Account Threshold Program to reform the judiciary and police, and assistance to help address the energy, water and food security issues facing Kyrgyzstan this winter. Noting that Bakiyev's state of the union address that morning had focused on economic issues, he asked how the discussion of water and energy issues at last week's meeting of Central Asian leaders had proceeded. Bakiyev noted the historic importance of gathering all five presidents, and said they had agreed that they must cooperate more effectively. Bakiyev was pleased that Uzbekistan agreed to provide gas and Kazakhstan to provide coal so that power would not be cut off in Kyrgyzstan this winter; in return Bakiyev had assured his neighbors he would provide water next summer. ¶7. (C) In response to Boucher's question, Bakiyev said the atmospherics at the meeting were good; initially there were some arguments, but in the end the five reached understanding, and he hoped this spirit of cooperation would continue. Bakiyev said he understood that Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan need water, and that they are concerned that construction of new Kyrgyz hydro-power plants would reduce water flow downstream. Bakiyev said he told Karimov and Nazarbayev that construction of these plants would be done in phases, and he assured them it would not affect their water supply. Regional Energy Market -------------- ¶8. Boucher noted the long-term potential for Kyrgyzstan to be a net energy exporter of electricity to southern Kazakhstan, Tajikistan and south to Afghanistan, Pakistan and India. The key was to create a regional energy market, and the conditions to attract investment. Bakiyev agreed, and said his priority over the next 7-10 years was to focus on developing hydro power. Boucher encouraged this and noted the importance of developing coal, as well. Financial Crisis -------------- ¶9. (C) Bakiyev also asked Boucher about the financial crisis, noting that Kyrgyzstan was not yet much affected, as the Kyrgyz economy does not depend on financial markets and there are no large mortgage loans. But Bakiyev said he was concerned the crisis would reduce foreign investment. Boucher described the steps being taken to address the crisis. Russia, after Georgia -------------- ¶10. (C) In response to a question, Bakiyev said that Russia is and will remain a strategic partner, for economic, cultural, historic and other reasons. Russia is the largest investor and trading partner, and hundreds of thousands of Kyrgyz workers are living in Russia. Bakiyev said the BISHKEK 00001053 003.2 OF 004 conflict in Georgia concerned everyone, and both Georgia's attack and Russia's military response should be unthinkable. Kyrgyzstan hopes the U.S. and Russia will maintain stable relations; no one would benefit from conflict. He said many in Russia understand this well, and do not seek confrontation with the U.S. ¶11. (C) Relations within the Commonwealth of Independent States were not, Bakiyev said, as they were during the Soviet Union. There was no "big brother, little brother" dynamic. He denied that Russia had put any pressure on Kyrgyzstan over Georgia. Russia and the other Commonwealth countries understand that decisions must be taken mutually. "We are Asians," he said, "and while Nazarbayev and Karimov are my elders, and I treat them with deference, when it comes to relations between our countries, we are all equal." Warning Shot -------------- ¶12. (C) Bakiyev welcomed Ambassador Gfoeller's arrival, but told Boucher he hoped she would remember that her task is on building good relations. Her predecessor, Bakiyev claimed, had traveled and meddled in affairs in southern Kyrgyzstan and criticized him. "I can't agree to this," he said. Boucher said the U.S. always sends our best Ambassadors to Kyrgyzstan, and he is sure Ambassador Gfoeller will be successful, but to be successful she will need to travel around the country and get to know the Kyrgyz people. Weapons Seizure -------------- ¶13. (C) Having broached what was clearly a sensitive issue to him, Bakiyev next offered that one issue that was probably on the U.S. list of unresolved matters was the August 4 seizure of U.S. weapons from a special forces training team. Bakiyev said this needed to be settled and he hoped very soon it would be. "We don't need these kinds of issues -- this should be resolved soon." ¶14. (C) Bakiyev next raised his longstanding concern that the U.S. has not fulfilled its 2006 pledge to provide $150 million in assistance. "You want to count support to NGO's and political parties as assistance; we wanted to see other kinds of assistance." Boucher noted that we may have differing accounting procedures when tallying assistance, but our goal is that our presence should be a positive factor for Kyrgyzstan. Multi-Vector Foreign Policy -------------- ¶15. (C) In closing, Bakiyev reiterated Kyrgyzstan's pursuit of a multi-vector foreign policy based on good relations with the Europe, the U.S., China, the CIS, and Russia. Kyrgyzstan, an open, transparent country, he said, is committed to having strong, balanced relations with all countries. Boucher replied that this is exactly how the U.S. sees it. Participants -------------- ¶16. (C) In addition to Assistant Secretary Boucher and SCA Senior Advisor Hayden, Ambassador Gfoeller and DCM Litzenberger (notetaker) participated in the meeting with the President. In addition to meeting with President Bakiyev, Boucher had lunch with heads of University English Departments, and held a press conference. Comment -------------- ¶16. (C) Bakiyev appeared well, although he entered the room with a barely perceptible limp in his right leg. The meeting went well over an hour, much longer than the usual 45 minutes most Presidential meetings are allotted. Bakiyev was BISHKEK 00001053 004.2 OF 004 engaged, and warmed up as the discussion developed. He appeared pleased to have raised the list of concerns the Kyrgyz side harbors, and that the U.S. side listened and responded. He welcomed Boucher's suggestion to have the Ambassador attempt to work through these issues, and expressed the desire to move the relationship forward. On the way out, the Foreign Ministry notetaker noted to DCM with delight that "all the issues had been aired," which he viewed as very positive. We believe the Secretary's prompt personal intervention, followed quickly by Boucher's visit have had the needed positive impact and have consolidated relations for now. ¶17. (U) Assistant Secretary Boucher has cleared this cable. GFOELLER