KAZAKHSTAN: THE CONFLICTED POST-SOVIET MIND:

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 ASTANA 001196

SIPDIS

STATE FOR SCA/CEN, EUR/ACE, DRL

E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/20/2019
TAGS: PGOV PREL PHUM KDEM SOCI KZ
SUBJECT: KAZAKHSTAN: THE CONFLICTED POST-SOVIET MIND:
NGOS, CONTROL, DEMOCRACY

Classified By: AMBASSADOR RICHARD E. HOAGLAND: 1.4 (B),(D)


1. (C) SUMMARY: After a regional official who was assigned
as the Ambassador's "minder" during a two-day visit to Aktau
interfered with the Ambassador's meeting with NGO
representatives, the same official spoke frankly in private
about Kazakhstan's post-Soviet history, NGOs, and democracy.
Though he was a "single source," we suspect his views are not
uncommon. END SUMMARY.

OLD-THINK, OLD-ACT WITH NGOS


2. (C) During his July 15-16 visit to the dynamic Caspian
sea-port city, Aktau, the Ambassador met with Deputy Governor
Askar Nurgaliyev, who provided a professional power-point
briefing -- a real dog-and-pony show -- on the economic
status and development plans for Aktau and Mangistau oblast
(province). The Ambassador was then scheduled to leave the
government building for a meeting elsewhere with heads of
local NGOs that the Embassy had organized in advance.
However, he was told to stay put, because the governor's
office had moved the NGO meeting at the last minute, and
without the Embassy's knowledge, to the government office "as
a matter of efficiency." Despite the Ambassador's request to
wait until all invited guests had arrived, the head of the
governor's environmental office started the meeting. (NOTE:
The Embassy later learned that the NGOs had been contacted by
the regional government in advance and were told not to say
anything negative about the government. END NOTE.)


3. (C) After praising the role of NGOs and the importance of
civil society working responsibly with the government to
improve the lives of citizens, the Ambassador asked the NGO
representatives to introduce themselves and to give a short
summary of their work. Most spent their brief time not
talking about their work but complaining about the difficulty
of getting grants. After about 20 minutes, Rakhimbek
Amirzhanov, the special adviser to the governor who was
assigned as the Ambassador's stick-like-glue escort, called
an end to the meeting because "Deputy Governor Nurgaliyev
wants to see you again." When the Ambassador returned to
Nurgaliyev's office, the deputy governor had nothing more to
say than to wish him a pleasant visit in Mangistau oblast.


4. (C) The NGO heads were still in the corridor outside the
office, and a few tried to chat briefly with the Ambassador,
but Amirzhanov, who appeared to be in his early 40s and
previously had worked for the Kazakhstani oil services
company, Neftstroiservis Ltd., pointedly tapped his watch and
hustled the Embassy delegation away. When they were outside
and out of ear-shot of anyone else, Amirzhanov, noting the
Ambassador's irritation, tried to explain that he had learned
his "ultra-efficiency" when he had been an exchange student
in Japan.


5. (C) During the two-day visit, it became evident that
Amirzhanov indeed was the Ambassador's "official minder," but
it likewise became evident that he had a mind of his own and
was not shy about expressing his opinions, so long as no one
else could hear them. During an hour-long road trip to Kuryk
Village to view the massive Ersai fabrication yard that
produces components for the oil-drilling platforms in the
Caspian, and that will eventually become the main port for
the Kazakhstan Caspian Transportation System to ship oil to
Azerbaijan, Amirzhanov meditated on history, the role of
NGOs, the need for devolution of power, and democracy.

A MEDITATION ON HISTORY


6. (C) Amirzhanov told the Ambassador, "You know, it would
have been much better if you had defeated the Soviet Union in
a war. After World War II, you distributed common-sense
booklets to every survivor in Germany and Japan about
democracy and the free market. As early as 1942, you were
planning and preparing for post-war rebuilding after your

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victory. In our case, however, you had no plan (when the
Soviet Union collapsed),we weren't physically destroyed, and
you didn't occupy us to rebuild us. It would have been
better if you had, because now we are still Soviet trying to
figure out how to be a free-market democracy. We've done
better than some, but we are still Soviet."

ON NGOS


7. (C) Amirzhanov said, "I like what you said, that NGOs
should work responsibly with the government to improve
society." The Ambassador interjected, "I didn't mean NGOs
shouldn't criticize or even sometimes oppose the government."
Amirzhanov said, "I understand that. During good times,
they can have as much freedom as they want; but during
difficult times, like we have now, we must be vigilant that
they don't get out of control and take to the streets. That
could lead to serious negative consequences." The Ambassador
suggested, "Your government is too strong to worry about
that." Amirzhanov replied, "I think I agree with you, but we
have to prevent that first step that could lead to chaos."

ON DEVOLUTION OF POWER


8. (C) Amirzhanov said, "You have to understand I was born
in the Soviet Union. I am a Soviet man, but I have been
lucky to have had international experience, and so I
understand more." The Ambassador asked, "What do you
understand?" Amirzhanov replied, "I understand that all of
our officials -- bureaucrats; national, regional, and local
officials; judges -- all of them are responsible up the chain
to "Papa" (President Nazarbayev) and not down the chain to
the people. He pays them to support him -- not directly, of
course, but that's why we have such terrible corruption. We
need elected officials so that they will be responsible to
the people. We need independent judges -- they aren't
stupid, of course, but they aren't independent."

THE SOVIET MAN PROPOSES


9. (C) Amirzhanov said, "Do you remember the film,
"Jefferson in Paris'? He told his daughter, 'Give democracy
to the educated, and they will lead.' That's what we -- at
least many of us -- want to do. We have to wait until we
have a well-educated critical mass to allow a freer
democracy. Our educational system collapsed with the
collapse of the Soviet Union. We now have to wait until we
can build a new educated class, so that the mob doesn't
destroy everything. You could help us (improve education to
achieve democracy),but you don't seem to be very interested.
You are the richest country in the world, but most of your
money goes for war, doesn't it."
HOAGLAND