Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
08BISHKEK886
2008-08-28 10:13:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Bishkek
Cable title:
DEMARCHES ON RUSSIAN RECOGNITION OF SOUTH OSSETIA
how-toVZCZCXRO0496 OO RUEHBI RUEHCI RUEHLH RUEHPW DE RUEHEK #0886/01 2411013 ZNY CCCCC ZZH O 281013Z AUG 08 FM AMEMBASSY BISHKEK TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 1310 INFO RUCNCLS/ALL SOUTH AND CENTRAL ASIA COLLECTIVE RUCNCIS/CIS COLLECTIVE RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING 2626 RHEFDIA/DIA WASHDC RUEKJCS/OSD WASHDC RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC RUEKJCS/JOINT STAFF WASHDC RUEHGV/USMISSION GENEVA 1004 RUEHVEN/USMISSION USOSCE 3017 RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 2402 RUEHNO/USMISSION USNATO BRUSSELS BE RUEHBS/USEU BRUSSELS RUEHLMC/MILLENNIUM CHALLENGE CORP RUMICEA/USCENTCOM INTEL CEN MACDILL AFB FL
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 BISHKEK 000886
SIPDIS
DEPT FOR SCA/CEN AND EUR/RUS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/28/2018
TAGS: PGOV PREL MARR KG
SUBJECT: DEMARCHES ON RUSSIAN RECOGNITION OF SOUTH OSSETIA
AND ABKHAZIA DELIVERED TO KYRGYZ OFFICIALS
REF: A. STATE 91894
B. STATE 91366
C. STATE 90978
D. STATE 89769
BISHKEK 00000886 001.2 OF 002
Classified By: Charge d'Affaires Lee Litzenberger, Reasons 1.4 (b) and
(d).
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 BISHKEK 000886
SIPDIS
DEPT FOR SCA/CEN AND EUR/RUS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/28/2018
TAGS: PGOV PREL MARR KG
SUBJECT: DEMARCHES ON RUSSIAN RECOGNITION OF SOUTH OSSETIA
AND ABKHAZIA DELIVERED TO KYRGYZ OFFICIALS
REF: A. STATE 91894
B. STATE 91366
C. STATE 90978
D. STATE 89769
BISHKEK 00000886 001.2 OF 002
Classified By: Charge d'Affaires Lee Litzenberger, Reasons 1.4 (b) and
(d).
1. (C) Over the past week, Charge has engaged repeatedly with
senior Kyrgyz officials to discuss the Russia-Georgia
conflict and Russia's recognition of South Ossetia and
Abkhazia. Charge delivered points during separate meetings
with Deputy Foreign Minister Ermek Ibraimov, MFA Western
Countries Director Kanat Tursunkulov, Security Council
Secretary Lt.-Gen. Ismail Isakov, and presidential foreign
policy advisor Islan Ryskulov. All of our interlocutors
referred to President Bakiyev's earlier statement that the
conflict should be resolved peacefully through negotiations
and according to the norms of international law.
2. (C) DFM Ibraimov told Charge that the situation in Georgia
presented a "difficult question" for Kyrgyzstan, and
Kyrgyzstan favored discussion of these issues in
international fora. He said that the conflict, as well as
the status of South Ossetia and Abkhazia, would be discussed
at the SCO in Dushanbe, and he expected the issues to be a
major focus of discussions at the CIS Summit in Bishkek in
October. Speaking before Russia's recognition of the
breakaway Georgian Republics, Ibraimov thought it likely that
the CIS would agree to form some kind of mechanism -- likely
a conference of foreign ministers -- to seek the peaceful
resolution of all the frozen conflicts facing the CIS. He
thought the CIS would issue a statement in support of
"stability," but acknowledged the difficulties of attempting
to address a dispute between two CIS member states, one of
whom was Russia.
3. (C) MFA Western Countries Director Tursunkulov said that
the Kyrgyz government would take a "balanced" approach to the
issues, but would support "territorial integrity" over
"self-determination" in the end. Tursunkulov explained that
the situation in Kyrgyzstan's south -- a substantial ethnic
Uzbek population, many ethnic Tajiks, and some borders not
demarcated -- presented a particular concern, and, as a
result, the Kyrgyz government would always seek to affirm the
principle of territorial integrity.
4. (C) Security Council Secretary Isakov noted that both U.S.
and Russian naval ships were present in the Black Sea and
stressed that Kyrgyzstan was concerned that the situation not
"escalate". Kyrygzstan would push for issues to be resolved
through the "international legal framework." Isakov noted
that when the CIS was formed, all member states affirmed the
principle of territorial integrity, and he hoped that the
upcoming CIS summit would affirm this principle. Isakov
stressed the need to get assistance to the people who had
suffered. Isakov said that the Kyrgyz government was
concerned that any NATO action, such as ships coming into
Georgian ports, could lead to an "escalation" of the
situation. Charge explained that U.S. ships were delivering
humanitarian assistance, and that we were asking the Russians
to allow the humanitarian assistance to be delivered.
5. (C) Isakov asked for further information about what
happened in South Ossetia to spark the conflict. He said
that people in Kyrgyzstan lacked "full information" because
they received most of their information via Russian sources.
He complained that western sources, such as CNN, were only in
English, and, therefore, not accessible.
6. (C) Comment: All of our Kyrgyz counterparts stressed the
importance of peaceful resolution of disputes through
negotiation, the framework of international law, and the
BISHKEK 00000886 002.2 OF 002
principle of territorial integrity. While it is unlikely the
Kyrgyz will take a position publicly critical of Russia,
neither are they rushing to defend its assault on Georgia.
LITZENBERGER
SIPDIS
DEPT FOR SCA/CEN AND EUR/RUS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/28/2018
TAGS: PGOV PREL MARR KG
SUBJECT: DEMARCHES ON RUSSIAN RECOGNITION OF SOUTH OSSETIA
AND ABKHAZIA DELIVERED TO KYRGYZ OFFICIALS
REF: A. STATE 91894
B. STATE 91366
C. STATE 90978
D. STATE 89769
BISHKEK 00000886 001.2 OF 002
Classified By: Charge d'Affaires Lee Litzenberger, Reasons 1.4 (b) and
(d).
1. (C) Over the past week, Charge has engaged repeatedly with
senior Kyrgyz officials to discuss the Russia-Georgia
conflict and Russia's recognition of South Ossetia and
Abkhazia. Charge delivered points during separate meetings
with Deputy Foreign Minister Ermek Ibraimov, MFA Western
Countries Director Kanat Tursunkulov, Security Council
Secretary Lt.-Gen. Ismail Isakov, and presidential foreign
policy advisor Islan Ryskulov. All of our interlocutors
referred to President Bakiyev's earlier statement that the
conflict should be resolved peacefully through negotiations
and according to the norms of international law.
2. (C) DFM Ibraimov told Charge that the situation in Georgia
presented a "difficult question" for Kyrgyzstan, and
Kyrgyzstan favored discussion of these issues in
international fora. He said that the conflict, as well as
the status of South Ossetia and Abkhazia, would be discussed
at the SCO in Dushanbe, and he expected the issues to be a
major focus of discussions at the CIS Summit in Bishkek in
October. Speaking before Russia's recognition of the
breakaway Georgian Republics, Ibraimov thought it likely that
the CIS would agree to form some kind of mechanism -- likely
a conference of foreign ministers -- to seek the peaceful
resolution of all the frozen conflicts facing the CIS. He
thought the CIS would issue a statement in support of
"stability," but acknowledged the difficulties of attempting
to address a dispute between two CIS member states, one of
whom was Russia.
3. (C) MFA Western Countries Director Tursunkulov said that
the Kyrgyz government would take a "balanced" approach to the
issues, but would support "territorial integrity" over
"self-determination" in the end. Tursunkulov explained that
the situation in Kyrgyzstan's south -- a substantial ethnic
Uzbek population, many ethnic Tajiks, and some borders not
demarcated -- presented a particular concern, and, as a
result, the Kyrgyz government would always seek to affirm the
principle of territorial integrity.
4. (C) Security Council Secretary Isakov noted that both U.S.
and Russian naval ships were present in the Black Sea and
stressed that Kyrgyzstan was concerned that the situation not
"escalate". Kyrygzstan would push for issues to be resolved
through the "international legal framework." Isakov noted
that when the CIS was formed, all member states affirmed the
principle of territorial integrity, and he hoped that the
upcoming CIS summit would affirm this principle. Isakov
stressed the need to get assistance to the people who had
suffered. Isakov said that the Kyrgyz government was
concerned that any NATO action, such as ships coming into
Georgian ports, could lead to an "escalation" of the
situation. Charge explained that U.S. ships were delivering
humanitarian assistance, and that we were asking the Russians
to allow the humanitarian assistance to be delivered.
5. (C) Isakov asked for further information about what
happened in South Ossetia to spark the conflict. He said
that people in Kyrgyzstan lacked "full information" because
they received most of their information via Russian sources.
He complained that western sources, such as CNN, were only in
English, and, therefore, not accessible.
6. (C) Comment: All of our Kyrgyz counterparts stressed the
importance of peaceful resolution of disputes through
negotiation, the framework of international law, and the
BISHKEK 00000886 002.2 OF 002
principle of territorial integrity. While it is unlikely the
Kyrgyz will take a position publicly critical of Russia,
neither are they rushing to defend its assault on Georgia.
LITZENBERGER