Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
08BISHKEK466
2008-05-13 10:15:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Bishkek
Cable title:  

MANAS AIR BASE SHOOTING INVESTIGATION: INFORMING

Tags:  PGOV PREL MARR KG 
pdf how-to read a cable
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C O N F I D E N T I A L BISHKEK 000466 

SIPDIS

DEPT FOR SCA/CEN

E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/12/2018
TAGS: PGOV PREL MARR KG
SUBJECT: MANAS AIR BASE SHOOTING INVESTIGATION: INFORMING
THE KYRGYZ

Classified By: Amb. Marie L. Yovanovitch, Reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).

C O N F I D E N T I A L BISHKEK 000466

SIPDIS

DEPT FOR SCA/CEN

E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/12/2018
TAGS: PGOV PREL MARR KG
SUBJECT: MANAS AIR BASE SHOOTING INVESTIGATION: INFORMING
THE KYRGYZ

Classified By: Amb. Marie L. Yovanovitch, Reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).


1. (U) This cable contains an Action Request. See paragraph
five below.


2. (C) Via diplomatic note and a personal demarche by
Foreign Minister Karabayev, the Kyrgyz have recently raised
officially their concern that the U.S. has still not provided
the results of its investigation into the December 2006
shooting incident at Manas Air Base. The U.S., at the time
of the incident, promised to provide the Kyrgyz with the
results of our investigation. Post understands the U.S.
investigation and follow-up process may be concluding, and it
is therefore critical to plan and coordinate now the
sequencing of how we convey the results to the Kyrgyz
government, to the family of the slain truck driver, and to
the media. Our focus should be on demonstrating that the
U.S. conducted its investigation thoroughly and impartially
to completion, and that our military judicial process was not
influenced by political concerns.


3. (C) In light of our official commitment, reiterated
since the incident by visiting senior U.S. State and Defense
Department officials, to provide to the Kyrgyz the results of
our investigation, it is essential that the U.S. officially
inform the Kyrgyz government of the results prior to any
release to the media in the U.S. or elsewhere regarding this
case. Preferably, a senior DOD official could convey this
information in person in Bishkek to senior GOKG officials,
following which the official could meet with the press to
make a brief announcement and respond to questions. This
could be timed to coincide with any press release made in the
U.S.


4. (C) Post understands that this will require careful
cooperation with elements of OSD, Central Command, Offutt Air
Force Base and the OSI, which conducted the investigation,
due to the legal concerns involved. It is essential that
this be done so as to preclude the political consequences of
a release to the media of the results of the investigation
prior to our ability to convey this information privately to
the Kyrgyz government. Were Kyrgyz government leaders to
learn first of the results from the international media, it
would inevitably undermine their continued political support
for the base. Eighteen months after the incident, much
public anger over the shooting has died down. Mishandling
how we manage the release of the results of the report could
easily, and unnecessarily, re-ignite the flames and fuel the
appeals of those who would like to close the base.
Regardless of the results of the investigation we expect
negative blowback, but how we convey the information can be a
significant factor in the intensity, duration, and strategic
consequences of this blowback.


5. (C) Action Request. That the Department, in
coordination with all relevant elements of the Department of
Defense, agree on a sequenced roll-out strategy for the
investigation that ensures that we will be able to inform the
Kyrgyz government officially of the results of the
investigation before any information is released to the press.
YOVANOVITCH