Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
08BISHKEK546
2008-05-28 12:33:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Bishkek
Cable title:
SHUFFLES IN KYRGYZ GOVERNMENT BRING NO NEW FACES
how-toVZCZCXRO4913 OO RUEHBI RUEHCI RUEHLH RUEHPW DE RUEHEK #0546 1491233 ZNY CCCCC ZZH O 281233Z MAY 08 FM AMEMBASSY BISHKEK TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 1052 INFO RUCNCLS/ALL SOUTH AND CENTRAL ASIA COLLECTIVE RUCNCIS/CIS COLLECTIVE RUEKJCS/OSD WASHDC RUMICEA/USCENTCOM INTEL CEN MACDILL AFB FL RHEFDIA/DIA WASHDC RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC RUEKJCS/JOINT STAFF WASHDC RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC RUEHVEN/USMISSION USOSCE 2929 RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 2314 RUEHNO/USMISSION USNATO BRUSSELS BE RUEHBS/USEU BRUSSELS RUEHLMC/MILLENNIUM CHALLENGE CORP
C O N F I D E N T I A L BISHKEK 000546
SIPDIS
DEPT FOR SCA/CEN - GEHRENBECK
E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/27/2018
TAGS: PGOV PINR PREL KDEM KG
SUBJECT: SHUFFLES IN KYRGYZ GOVERNMENT BRING NO NEW FACES
REF: A. BISHKEK 545
B. IIR 6 955 0179 08
Classified By: DCM Lee Litzenberger, for Reasons 1.4 (b) and (d)
C O N F I D E N T I A L BISHKEK 000546
SIPDIS
DEPT FOR SCA/CEN - GEHRENBECK
E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/27/2018
TAGS: PGOV PINR PREL KDEM KG
SUBJECT: SHUFFLES IN KYRGYZ GOVERNMENT BRING NO NEW FACES
REF: A. BISHKEK 545
B. IIR 6 955 0179 08
Classified By: DCM Lee Litzenberger, for Reasons 1.4 (b) and (d)
1. (C) Summary: In the past week, President Bakiyev has
shuffled personnel in several key positions, including at the
Ministry of Defense. Following the May 20 forced early
retirement of First Deputy Minister of Defense Oruzbayev (Ref
B),Bakiyev named Minister of Defense Isakov as Secretary of
the Security Council, replacing him as Minister with the
chief of the State Guard Service (also referred to as the
Presidential Protective Service),Lt. Gen. Kalyev. Bakiyev
also named parliamentarian Elmira Ibraimova as Vice Prime
Minister, replacing Dosbol Nur uulu, who has moved on to fill
the vacant State Secretary post. Although the changes came
as a surprise, there were no new faces -- and all are thought
to be Bakiyev loyalists. End Summary.
2. (U) By May 26, the following Cabinet-level appointments
were made by presidential decree:
--Lt. Gen. Ismail Isakov was appointed Secretary of the
Security Council. Isakov had been Minister of Defense from
March 25, 2005 until his appointment to the Security Council.
--Lt. Gen. Tokon Mamytov, who had been Security Council
Secretary since April 2007, was named "President's State
Advisor."
--Gen. Maj. Bakytbek Kalyev was appointed Minister of
Defense. Kaylev had served as Chief of the State Guard
Service from 2006 until his appointment as minister.
--Elmira Ibraimova was appointed Vice Prime Minister with
responsibility for social issues. Ibraimova had been serving
as the Ak Jol party leader in parliament. Prior to serving
in parliament, Ibraimova was the director of the World
Bank-funded ARIS community development and investment program
in Kyrgyzstan. Ibraimova had clashed recently with Speaker
of Parliament Madumarov (Ref A),and she was replaced as
party faction leader by Vice Speaker of Parliament Aziz
Tursunbayev.
-- Dosbol Nur uulu was named to the vacant post of State
Secretary. Nur uulu had been serving as vice prime minister
since February 2007, and prior to that was Minister of
Education, Science, and Youth Policy.
3. (C) Comment: It is not clear at this point what the
changes at Defense and the Security Council mean for U.S.
security equities. First Deputy Minister of Defense
Oruzbayev was a key interlocutor on issues of military
cooperation, and bilateral military-to-military relations
have been robust under Defense Minister Isakov. Both were
strong supporters of the U.S.-led Coalition Airbase at Manas
Airport. The Security Council under Lt. Gen. Mamytov has
been the lead Kyrgyz agency for issues regarding the
operation of the Manas Airbase in general and on compensation
for the base in particular. Mamytov was not a strong
supporter of the base. The appointment of Ibraimova as Vice
Prime Minister is seen as a promotion (especially considering
her background and interest in social development issues),
and may be one outcome of a struggle between Speaker of
Parliament Madumarov and the White House for control over the
ruling Ak Jol party in parliament. Except for the possible
change of Speaker (Ref A),at this point we do not know if
there will be further government changes in the short term.
YOVANOVITCH
SIPDIS
DEPT FOR SCA/CEN - GEHRENBECK
E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/27/2018
TAGS: PGOV PINR PREL KDEM KG
SUBJECT: SHUFFLES IN KYRGYZ GOVERNMENT BRING NO NEW FACES
REF: A. BISHKEK 545
B. IIR 6 955 0179 08
Classified By: DCM Lee Litzenberger, for Reasons 1.4 (b) and (d)
1. (C) Summary: In the past week, President Bakiyev has
shuffled personnel in several key positions, including at the
Ministry of Defense. Following the May 20 forced early
retirement of First Deputy Minister of Defense Oruzbayev (Ref
B),Bakiyev named Minister of Defense Isakov as Secretary of
the Security Council, replacing him as Minister with the
chief of the State Guard Service (also referred to as the
Presidential Protective Service),Lt. Gen. Kalyev. Bakiyev
also named parliamentarian Elmira Ibraimova as Vice Prime
Minister, replacing Dosbol Nur uulu, who has moved on to fill
the vacant State Secretary post. Although the changes came
as a surprise, there were no new faces -- and all are thought
to be Bakiyev loyalists. End Summary.
2. (U) By May 26, the following Cabinet-level appointments
were made by presidential decree:
--Lt. Gen. Ismail Isakov was appointed Secretary of the
Security Council. Isakov had been Minister of Defense from
March 25, 2005 until his appointment to the Security Council.
--Lt. Gen. Tokon Mamytov, who had been Security Council
Secretary since April 2007, was named "President's State
Advisor."
--Gen. Maj. Bakytbek Kalyev was appointed Minister of
Defense. Kaylev had served as Chief of the State Guard
Service from 2006 until his appointment as minister.
--Elmira Ibraimova was appointed Vice Prime Minister with
responsibility for social issues. Ibraimova had been serving
as the Ak Jol party leader in parliament. Prior to serving
in parliament, Ibraimova was the director of the World
Bank-funded ARIS community development and investment program
in Kyrgyzstan. Ibraimova had clashed recently with Speaker
of Parliament Madumarov (Ref A),and she was replaced as
party faction leader by Vice Speaker of Parliament Aziz
Tursunbayev.
-- Dosbol Nur uulu was named to the vacant post of State
Secretary. Nur uulu had been serving as vice prime minister
since February 2007, and prior to that was Minister of
Education, Science, and Youth Policy.
3. (C) Comment: It is not clear at this point what the
changes at Defense and the Security Council mean for U.S.
security equities. First Deputy Minister of Defense
Oruzbayev was a key interlocutor on issues of military
cooperation, and bilateral military-to-military relations
have been robust under Defense Minister Isakov. Both were
strong supporters of the U.S.-led Coalition Airbase at Manas
Airport. The Security Council under Lt. Gen. Mamytov has
been the lead Kyrgyz agency for issues regarding the
operation of the Manas Airbase in general and on compensation
for the base in particular. Mamytov was not a strong
supporter of the base. The appointment of Ibraimova as Vice
Prime Minister is seen as a promotion (especially considering
her background and interest in social development issues),
and may be one outcome of a struggle between Speaker of
Parliament Madumarov and the White House for control over the
ruling Ak Jol party in parliament. Except for the possible
change of Speaker (Ref A),at this point we do not know if
there will be further government changes in the short term.
YOVANOVITCH