KYRGYZ SECURITY COUNCIL: WHERE'S OUR $150 MILLION?

C O N F I D E N T I A L BISHKEK 000861

SIPDIS

DEPT FOR SCA/CEN

E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/21/2018
TAGS: PGOV PREL MARR EAID KG
SUBJECT: KYRGYZ SECURITY COUNCIL: WHERE'S OUR $150 MILLION?

REF: BISHKEK 836

Classified By: CDA Lee Litzenberger, Reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).


1. (C) Charge met August 21 with Kyrgyz Security Council
Deputy Secretary Amangeldi Bakirov and Chief Inspector Alik
Mamyrkulov to discuss U.S. assistance and spending in
Kyrgyzstan. Bakirov had asked for a detailed accounting of
U.S. assistance in 2008. Mamyrkulov insisted that the United
States owed Kyrgyzstan $150 million in support annually for
use of the Manas Coalition Air Base. Mamyrkulov said that
the $150 million could include payments related to the base,
military programs, and other "useful" assistance, but the
government did not count spending by USAID, Peace Corps, and
"other programs that don't benefit Kyrgyzstan" in this total.



2. (C) As he had done in previous meetings, Charge explained
that in July 2006, the United States and Kyrgyzstan reached
agreement on a protocol for land rents and other financial
arrangements for the base, totaling $17.4 million per year.
Charge further explained that at the signing of the 2006
protocol, the United States and Kyrgyzstan issued a joint
statement which said that the United States "expected to
provide approximately $150 million" in compensation and
assistance over the next year, i.e. 2007. Charge said that
the $150 million figure represented an estimate of the
benefits derived by Kyrgyzstan from the overall relationship
with the United States, including USAID programs, Peace
Corps, and humanitarian assistance. Charge added that the
United States had, in fact, provided approximately $150
million in total compensation, payments, and assistance in
2007 and was on track to provide even more in 2008.


3. (C) Mamyrkulov claimed that the EMBASSY had never answered
former Security Council Secretary's Mamytov's letter asking
for a detailed breakdown of 2007 assistance and spending.
Charge explained that former Ambassador Yovanovitch had met
several times with Mamytov to discuss 2007 assistance
figures, and at their last meeting, Mamytov had said he was
"satisfied." Charge offered to send Bakirov and Mamyrkulov
the same information.


4. (C) Bakirov asked for increased U.S. assistance directly
to the Kyrgyz government to help deal with expected food and
energy shortages this winter. He suggested forming a working
group to "coordinate" U.S. assistance for the next fiscal
year, so that we could match U.S. assistance to "Kyrgyz
priorities." Charge said that the United States was looking
at ways to provide targeted assistance for the coming winter,
and he pointed out that U.S. assistance was already closely
coordinated with the Prime Minister's office, with individual
ministries, and with the donor community.


5. (C) Comment: There was nothing new in this conversation:
the Kyrgyz government continues to insist that the United
States "owes" Kyrgyzstan $150 million per year for the base,
and it does not count major components of U.S. assistance
toward that sum. President Bakiyev, in his August 5 meeting
with CODEL Reid (reftel),similarly complained that the U.S.
government was "failing to meet its obligation" to provide
$150 million and that Kyrgyzstan was not receiving "even half
that amount." We will continue to provide the Kyrgyz
government with detailed information about U.S. assistance,
but the Kyrgyz government is not in listening mode and will
continue to use their (mis)interpretation of the $150 million
figure as a tool to push for greater U.S. assistance.
LITZENBERGER