FOREIGN MINISTER COMPLAINS AMERICAN ACTIONS,

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 BISHKEK 000374 SIPDIS C O R R E C T E D C O P Y -- DECLAS INSTRUCTIONS ADDED SIPDIS DEPARTMENT FOR SCA/CEN - GEHRENBECK E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/15/2018 TAGS: PREL PGOV KG SUBJECT: FOREIGN MINISTER COMPLAINS AMERICAN ACTIONS, INCLUDING AMBASSADOR'S, UNDERMINE BILATERAL RELATIONS Ref: 06 Bishkek 460 BISHKEK 00000374 001.6 OF 003 Classified by Ambassador Marie L. Yovanovitch, for Reasons 1.4 (b) and (d). ¶1. (C) Summary: Foreign Minister Karabayev called in the Ambassador April 15 to complain about three USG-sponsored individuals, whose activities in Kyrgyzstan allegedly are damaging U.S.-Kyrgyz relations. Karabayev also complained about the Ambassador's March 26 speech on freedom of assembly and freedom of the press. Karabayev charged that two individuals were trying to create "ethnic strife" in the minority Uzbek community, though he was not specific about what they had done. Karabayev also complained about the NDI Country Director for making "political statements" that were outside the bounds of acceptable conduct. Karabayev stressed that this was an "informal" meeting, and asked that the Ambassador "control" these people. Karabayev said that if he heard anything further about their activities, he would initiate proceedings to remove them from the country (he was not including the Ambassador in this warning). End Summary. ¶2. (U) Kyrgyz Foreign Minister Karabayev called in the Ambassador April 15. Karabayev was accompanied at the meeting by Deputy Foreign Minister Ermek Ibraimov and MFA Western Countries Department head Kanat Tursunkulov. Pol- Econ Chief accompanied the Ambassador. ¶3. (C) Angry and emotional, Karabayev charged that the activities of three U.S. government-sponsored individuals in Kyrgyzstan were threatening stability in the country and undermining U.S.-Kyrgyz bilateral relations. Karabayev claimed that a "Fulbright scholar" with a stipend from ACCELS, working together with a "Peace Corps volunteer," was trying to create "ethnic strife" in Kyrgyzstan. Karabayev said that he had received reports that the two were meeting with ethnic Uzbek NGOs and members of the Uzbek diaspora, and they were "discrediting Kyrgyz policies." Karabayev defended the government's policies toward ethnic minorities, noting that there were ethnic Uzbek members of parliament, as well as Uzbek-language newspapers and television. Karabayev said that stirring up ethnic tensions could lead to bloodshed, as it had in the past. ¶4. (C) Note: Much of Karabayev's information regarding names and affiliations appears to have been garbled. We believe that the first individual Karabayev was referring to is a Fulbright Hays Scholar, who is in Kyrgyzstan studying Uzbek language. We believe that the second individual is in Kyrgyzstan also studying Uzbek language as part of the National Flagship Language Program, which is managed by ACCELS. The second individual is a former Peace Corps volunteer. We will ask the MFA for further clarification. End Note. ¶5. (C) Turning to a separate case, Karabayev said that the National Democratic Institute (NDI) country director had made "political statements" against the Kyrgyz government that were outside the bounds of acceptable conduct. Karabayev referred to a recent open hearing on a draft law on political parties. He noted that other international representatives, including from the International Republican Institute and the Adenauer Foundation, had made "polite" presentations at the hearing, but the NDI country director had made rude statements that "dumped mud" on the Kyrgyz government. Such statements, said Karabayev, just "feed the opposition" and hurt stability in the country. Karabayev said that this conduct was unacceptable from the representative of a U.S. government program. ¶6. (C) Karabayev protested that he and his ministry had BISHKEK 00000374 002.2 OF 003 done much to build up the bilateral relationship and to defend the Manas Coalition Airbase, despite the skepticism and opposition of some people in the government. Karabayev complained that his efforts within the government, and with President Bakiyev personally, to promote the U.S. relationship are completely undercut by reports that U.S. government-sponsored individuals carry out activities threatening the stability of the state. Karabayev said that it was difficult enough to build up the country and the state, and such problems did not help. ¶7. (C) Karabayev stressed that he had called this "informal" meeting -- there would be no official note on the matter -- because of "our strong relationship." Karabayev asked that the Ambassador "control" these individuals and their activities. Karabayev said that "everyone has the right to make a mistake," which is why he was not rushing to throw them out, but these individuals need to be careful. If he heard anything more about their activities, he said, he would personally initiate steps to remove them from the country. ¶8. (C) Karabayev also complained to the Ambassador about her recent public remarks defending freedom of assembly and free speech, and criticizing the city of Bishkek's new restrictions on public gatherings. He said that such statements "create enemies for the U.S" and undermine the MFA's work. Karabayev defended the current conditions in Kyrgyzstan, noting that the opposition had just staged a large "kurultai" (people's assembly) without problems, and claiming that the newspapers could print "anything." He said that such official U.S. judgments and criticism hurt the government's efforts to balance values and promote development. Kyrygzstan, he said, was and always would be a democracy. The Kyrgyz themselves knew their own deficiencies; they needed time and the U.S. needed to be patient. The Kyrgyz were addressing problems step by step; for example, an ODHIR delegation would come to Kyrgyzstan at the Minister's invitation to review the election law. Karabayev asked that we focus on the "positive" aspects, and added that progress could be made only in a quiet, stable environment. "You'll see," he said, "once there is stablity, external relations will get better too." ¶9. (C) The Ambassador requested further details about the particular cases, but the Minister provided no additional information. The Ambassador said that she would look into the cases, and assured Karabayev that the U.S. had no interest in stirring instability in Kyrgyzstan. She noted, however, that the Minister needed to be very sure of his facts before he made allegations that American citizens were fomenting "ethnic strife" and made threats of removing them from the country. She said that she was reminded of the official complaints regarding her own visit to Jalalabad and Osh in early 2006, when the MFA insisted that her meetings with Uzbek groups was to organize opposition to the government (Reftel). 10 (C) Turning to the concerns regarding her speech, the Ambassador said she would send the Foreign Minister a copy of her speech (emailed to SCA),which emphasized the rights -- and the responsibilities -- of citizens in a free society. She said that stability, in Kyrgyzstan and the region as a whole, is an important priority for the U.S., as are helping the Kyrgyz develop democracy and a market economy. The U.S. would continue to pursue these goals, and sought to do so in a constructive and transparent manner, working with the Kyrgyz. ¶11. (C) Following the meeting with the Minister, Western Countries Director Tursunkulov said that the reports on the individuals had come from "our colleagues." (Note: We understood this to mean the GKNB. End Note.) He added BISHKEK 00000374 003.4 OF 003 that a large volume of reports on American activities was sent to the Kyrgyz White House, and that the MFA did not have the information to rebut them. He said he did not know who, specifically, was behind the reports or what the agenda was, but said he thought that the bilateral relationship could be headed towards a repeat of summer 2006 (Note: When two American Embassy officials were declared persona non grata with no warning and for no reason. End Note.) ¶12. (C) Comment: Karabayev is an emotional man, but the meeting today set a new benchmark. He is clearly under pressure and gave the impression of someone who was worried about his relationship -- and his credibility -- with President Bakiyev and might even fear for his job. He referred repeatedly to meetings with Bakiyev, where he is forced to defend the Manas Air Base, and said that actions and statements of American individuals, including the Ambassador, undermined all his efforts to keep the bilateral relationship moving forward. ¶13. (C) Next steps: we are seeking meetings with the three individuals that Karabayev complained about, so we can gain more clarity about the facts and so we can warn them to be careful. Once we have a better sense of what took place with the three individuals, we will respond to the Foreign Minister. We will also seek meetings with others, including GKNB Chief Sutalinov and Presidential Chief of Staff Sadyrkulov to try to get a better fix on where these allegations are coming from and what the agenda is. ¶14. (C) We note, however, that this is not a fight we can win with mere facts: there is enormous suspicion here about "Color Revolutions" and the role of the U.S. and no understanding that the USG does not control NDI and other American, nongovernmental organizations. Moreover, the Minister's decision not to insist on the three Americans' departure was clearly predicated on the hope that the Ambassador will take action to muzzle the Americans. ¶15. (C) While we face complaints about American citizen actions in Kyrgyzstan with some regularity, this is the first time since 2006 that the issues have been raised to the Foreign Minister's level and that the GOKG has complained about the Ambassador. It is too early to tell whether the relationship will see a repeat of the events of the infamous summer of 2006, but it is possible that we will have a difficult spring. YOVANOVITCH