(U) KUDOS FOR BIOGRAPHIC REPORTING ON CENTRAL

S E C R E T STATE 105291 NOFORN E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/30/2033 TAGS: PINR KG KZ TI TX UZ SUBJECT: (U) KUDOS FOR BIOGRAPHIC REPORTING ON CENTRAL ASIAN OFFICIALS FOR JULY - SEPTEMBER 2008 REF: A. ASHGABAT 000893 ¶B. ASHGABAT 001075 ¶C. ASHGABAT 001176 ¶D. ASHGABAT 001240 ¶E. ASTANA 001279 ¶F. ASTANA 001435 ¶G. BISHKEK 000709 ¶H. BISHKEK 000712 ¶I. BISHKEK 000898 ¶J. BISHKEK 000989 ¶K. BISHKEK 000992 ¶L. DUSHANBE 001122 ¶M. DUSHANBE 001083 ¶N. DUSHANBE 001041 ¶O. TASHKENT 000818 ¶P. TASHKENT 000855 ¶Q. TASHKENT 000966 ¶R. TASHKENT 000977 Classified By: SUZANNE MCCORMICK, DIR., INR/I. REASON: 1.4(C). ¶1. (C) In the runup to the 63rd Session of the UN General Assembly, INR/B prepared 20 biographic reports on Central Asian officials for use by senior-level policymakers. INR/B relied heavily on posts' reporting in pulling together these biographic reports. INR/B also would like to thank posts for their reporting on Central Asian officials over the past three months. Refs A-R represent the type of reporting on which INR/B relies in meeting the needs of senior-level policymakers. ¶A. (C) Ref A ("Turkmenistan: It's All in the (Berdimuhamedov's) Family") was especially valuable to INR/B in that it shed light on the President's family - a subject on which INR/B has surprisingly little information. ¶B. (SBU) INR/B appreciated the biographic information on Deputy Premier for Construction Deryageldi Orazov and Textile Industry Minister Hojamyrat Metekov that was provided in Ref B ("Turkmenistan: Cabinet Meeting Focuses on State Visits, New Petroleum Law, and Personnel Changes"). ¶C. (SBU) Ref C ("Turkmenistan: DAS Krol Meets with Mejlis Speaker Nurberdiyeva") not only offered language on how Nurberdiyeva came across in the meeting with DAS Krol - "cordial and polite" - but also highlighted the tendency of Turkmen officials to take on the role of uncritical cheerleaders for Berdimuhamedov's policies. ¶D. (C) Ref D ("Turkmenistan: Berdimuhamedov Restates the Familiar") illustrated how Berdimuhamedov's provincial outlook and his limited understanding of his country's energy sector factor into his comments to foreign officials. ¶E. (SBU) Ref E ("Kazakhstan - Astana Celebrates 10th Anniversary in Grand Style") captured how important Astana is to President Nazarbayev and how Nazarbayev probably sees the capital as a key part of his legacy. ¶F. (SBU) Ref F ("Trip Report on Minister of Emergency Situations, General-Lieutenant Vladimir Bozhko, visit to Arizona and Washington D.C., 28 July - 3 Aug") provided language on Bozhko's demeanor - "engaged and enthusiastic" - during his meetings in the United States. Ref F also described Bozhko's positive attitude toward working with US emergency preparedness and response organizations. ¶G. (C) Ref G ("Ambassador Raises Democracy, Ramp in Farewell Call on Kyrgyz President Bakiyev") captured the atmospherics of the meeting as well as what factors may be driving Bakiyev's attitude toward the United States. Given that Bakiyev's trip to Germany in March ignited a flurry of speculation in the media about his health, INR/B greatly appreciated Ref G's language on the President's physical appearance and mobility. ¶H. (C) Similarly, Ref H ("Ambassador Reviews Ramp and Energy Issues with Kyrgyz PM") provided useful characterizations of PM Chudinov - "engaging and relatively unguarded in his comments" - and also illustrated the occasional breakdowns in communication between the Cabinet of Ministers and the Presidential Administration. ¶I. (C) Ref I ("Acting CENTCOM Commander LTG Dempsey Meets with Senior Kyrgyz Officials") included language on Defense Minister Kalyev and DFM Ibraimov that will help INR/B better assess what roles these two officials play in Bishkek's policymaking. ¶J. (C) Ref J ("Ambassador's Meeting with Kyrgyz Minister of Internal Affairs") offered outstanding language on Kongantiyev, noting his "disingenuous and aggressive" manner and his apparent lack of interest in resolving or explaining the Internal Affairs Ministry's recent actions against US interests. ¶K. (C) Similarly, Ref K ("Ambassador's Meeting with Kyrgyz Prosecutor General Satybaldiyev") nicely contrasted Satybaldiyev's claims that he wants to be accessible to US officials with his unhelpful comments concerning the seizure of weapons and equipment from a U.S. military training team. ¶L. (C) Ref L ("Tajikistan - Presidential Adviser on South Ossetia and Abkhazia") provided excellent language on Rahmatulloev, noting that his carefully chosen remarks ultimately came across as "dubious" and "ambiguous." ¶M. (C) INR/B appreciated the background information on prominent politician/political analyst Hoji Akbar Turajonzoda and his insights on Tajikistan's leadership dynamics in Ref M ("Tajikistan: A Bad Moon Rising?"). ¶N. (C) Ref N ("Acting CENCOM Commander LTG Dempsey Meets with President Rahmon") did a good job of capturing Rahmon's approach toward relations with the United States, including Rahmon's "usual pleas for US funding of targeted investment in infrastructure" and his "I-told-you-so-from-the-start attitude" regarding regional security issues. ¶O. (C) INR/B appreciated Ref O ("OSCE Notes on Karimov Meeting Offer Insights Into Uzbek Foreign Policy") and agrees with post's assessment that President Karimov's comments about the OSCE reveal how he views the world. ¶P. (S) Similarly, Ref P ("Uzbekistan: President Karimov Ready to Move Forward on Relations with U.S.") nicely identified the "murky territory" between Karimov's rhetoric and the reality on the ground in Uzbekistan. ¶Q. (C) INR/B also appreciated Ref Q ("Uzbekistan: Biographic Information on Hakimboy Ashirovich Halimov"). ¶R. (S/NF) Ref R ("Uzbekistan: Political Intrigue, Concern About a Color Revolution") provided one pundit's fascinating look at the personalities and leadership dynamics around President Karimov. ¶2. (SBU) Thanks again. As always, INR/B welcomes additional biographic information from posts on Central Asian officials. RICE