Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
08BISHKEK710
2008-07-07 12:03:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Bishkek
Cable title:
AMBASSADOR'S MEETING WITH NEW KYRGYZ SPEAKER
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C O N F I D E N T I A L BISHKEK 000710
SIPDIS
DEPT FOR SCA/CEN
E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/07/2018
TAGS: PGOV PREL PINR KG
SUBJECT: AMBASSADOR'S MEETING WITH NEW KYRGYZ SPEAKER
REF: BISHKEK 545
Classified By: DCM Lee Litzenberger, Reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).
C O N F I D E N T I A L BISHKEK 000710
SIPDIS
DEPT FOR SCA/CEN
E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/07/2018
TAGS: PGOV PREL PINR KG
SUBJECT: AMBASSADOR'S MEETING WITH NEW KYRGYZ SPEAKER
REF: BISHKEK 545
Classified By: DCM Lee Litzenberger, Reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).
1. (C) On July 1, Ambassador and DCM met with the new Speaker
of Parliament, Aitibai Tagayev. Tagayev, an MP from the Ak
Jol party, was a relative unknown in Kyrgyz politics prior to
being selected to replace Adahkan Madumarov, who was ousted
as Speaker on May 29 (reftel). During the brief meeting,
Tagayev displayed limited knowledge of current legislation,
and was reluctant to engage in a substantive discussion.
Curiously, although Tagayev clearly understood Russian, which
the Ambassador used throughout, he chose to speak exclusively
in Kyrgyz, claiming that other deputies insist he speak
Kyrgyz when meeting with foreigners. A staff interpreter
translated his remarks into English.
2. (C) Asked about the controversial broadcasting law, which
was passed by parliament and signed by President Bakiyev June
4, Tagayev said that the law would be re-introduced to
parliament for further review and evaluation in September.
Ambassador agreed that the broadcast law would benefit from
further review and encouraged the participation of OSCE in
the development of this and other draft legislation. Asked
about other legislative initiatives, Tagayev noted that
parliament, in preparation for the presidential elections in
2010, would discuss the current electoral code. Tagayev also
boasted about the new tax code, which reduced general taxes
for the population (VAT) from twenty to twelve per cent, but
he asserted that the legislation was approved, when in fact
it has only passed the first reading and had yet to be
approved by the full parliament. His staff corrected him in
Kyrgyz.
3. (C) Comment: When Tagayev was named Speaker, the
consensus view was that he had no political ambitions of his
own (unlike his predecessor Madumarov) and would be loyal to
the Bakiyev administration. Tagayev, who hails from a small
village in the southern Osh oblast, seemed uncomfortable with
the formal aspects of an official meeting with foreign
diplomats. After initial greetings and informal discussions
about the Ambassador's time in Kyrgyzstan, Tagayev gave the
impression that the meeting was finished and thanked her for
the visit, and when Ambassador expressed her desire to ask
some questions about parliamentary activity, Tagayev had a
deer-in-the-headlights look and had few specifics to offer.
While Tagayev may grow into the position, at this point he
seems to be a person without ideas of his own who will not
deviate from the Kyrgyz White House script.
YOVANOVITCH
SIPDIS
DEPT FOR SCA/CEN
E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/07/2018
TAGS: PGOV PREL PINR KG
SUBJECT: AMBASSADOR'S MEETING WITH NEW KYRGYZ SPEAKER
REF: BISHKEK 545
Classified By: DCM Lee Litzenberger, Reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).
1. (C) On July 1, Ambassador and DCM met with the new Speaker
of Parliament, Aitibai Tagayev. Tagayev, an MP from the Ak
Jol party, was a relative unknown in Kyrgyz politics prior to
being selected to replace Adahkan Madumarov, who was ousted
as Speaker on May 29 (reftel). During the brief meeting,
Tagayev displayed limited knowledge of current legislation,
and was reluctant to engage in a substantive discussion.
Curiously, although Tagayev clearly understood Russian, which
the Ambassador used throughout, he chose to speak exclusively
in Kyrgyz, claiming that other deputies insist he speak
Kyrgyz when meeting with foreigners. A staff interpreter
translated his remarks into English.
2. (C) Asked about the controversial broadcasting law, which
was passed by parliament and signed by President Bakiyev June
4, Tagayev said that the law would be re-introduced to
parliament for further review and evaluation in September.
Ambassador agreed that the broadcast law would benefit from
further review and encouraged the participation of OSCE in
the development of this and other draft legislation. Asked
about other legislative initiatives, Tagayev noted that
parliament, in preparation for the presidential elections in
2010, would discuss the current electoral code. Tagayev also
boasted about the new tax code, which reduced general taxes
for the population (VAT) from twenty to twelve per cent, but
he asserted that the legislation was approved, when in fact
it has only passed the first reading and had yet to be
approved by the full parliament. His staff corrected him in
Kyrgyz.
3. (C) Comment: When Tagayev was named Speaker, the
consensus view was that he had no political ambitions of his
own (unlike his predecessor Madumarov) and would be loyal to
the Bakiyev administration. Tagayev, who hails from a small
village in the southern Osh oblast, seemed uncomfortable with
the formal aspects of an official meeting with foreign
diplomats. After initial greetings and informal discussions
about the Ambassador's time in Kyrgyzstan, Tagayev gave the
impression that the meeting was finished and thanked her for
the visit, and when Ambassador expressed her desire to ask
some questions about parliamentary activity, Tagayev had a
deer-in-the-headlights look and had few specifics to offer.
While Tagayev may grow into the position, at this point he
seems to be a person without ideas of his own who will not
deviate from the Kyrgyz White House script.
YOVANOVITCH