KYRGYZ RESPOND TO TIFA LETTER

UNCLAS BISHKEK 000114 SIPDIS SIPDIS DEPT FOR SCA/CEN DEPT PASS TO USTR - ERRION E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: ECON EFIN ETRD PREL KG SUBJECT: KYRGYZ RESPOND TO TIFA LETTER REF: A. 07 STATE 170917 ¶B. STATE 01132 ¶1. Per Ref A request, Embassy relayed Assistant U.S. Trade Representative Shaun Donnelly's letter to Kyrgyz Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) International Economic Cooperation Department head Jeenbek Kulubayev, who represented Kyrgyzstan at the 2007 U.S.-Central Asia Trade and Investment Framework Agreement (TIFA) Council meeting. Per Ref B request, Embassy submitted via diplomatic note a request for MFA comment on plans for the 2008 U.S.-Central Asia TIFA meeting. Embassy also shared Ref B points with the Kyrgyz Ministry of Economic Development and Trade. ¶2. On January 31, we received Kulubayev's written response to the Donnelly letter. The Kyrgyz support having the meeting in late June in a Central Asian country. Kulubayev suggests adopting country-specific work plans in the context of TIFA, and he proposes that targeted technical assistance to improve border and customs posts be an issue for discussion at the meeting. ¶3. Embassy's unofficial translation of Kulubayev's letter follows: Dear Mr. Shaun Donnelly, Please allow me to express my sincere appreciation for the highly organized work and for the warm reception during my participation at the TIFA Council meeting in July 2007. Taking into consideration the importance of TIFA for the economy of the Kyrgyz Republic and the region of Central Asia, I would like to note the following. Being an active member-state of TIFA, the Kyrgyz side welcomes the next meeting in one of the Central Asian countries at the end of June 2008. Also, with the goal of achieving practical results in the work of the program, I think it is expedient to work out an individual approach to each country, taking into consideration its potential and specifics in the different spheres of economy, which would allow, in turn, to promote the economic growth of each country individually. I am confident that adopting such an important document as a TIFA Country-Specific Work Plan will allow us to identify to identify real tasks and purposes of the program for the medium and long term periods. At the same time, specifically targeted technical assistance to the countries in the region in equipping technologically border and customs posts, which would allow faster crossing of borders and promote the expansion of bilateral trade between neighboring Central Asian countries, could be one of the program's practical tasks and an issue for discussion at the forthcoming summit. Please let me express my belief in further fruitful cooperation between our countries within the context of TIFA and articulate my hope that the suggestions made by Kyrgyzstan would also receive positive consideration at the forthcoming TIFA meeting in 2008. Respectfully, ¶J. Kulubayev ¶4. Kulubayev has been appointed as the next Kyrgyz ambassador to Malaysia, and he confirmed to us that he would be taking up that assignment soon. YOVANOVITCH