KAZAKHSTAN: PRESIDENT'S ADVISOR WARNS OF AN "INFORMATION

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 ASTANA 001439

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TAGS: PHUM PREL PGOV PINR KDEM KCOR OSCE KZ
SUBJECT: KAZAKHSTAN: PRESIDENT'S ADVISOR WARNS OF AN "INFORMATION
WAR"

REF: (A) ASTANA 1402
(B) ASTANA 1255
(C) ASTANA 0943


1. (U) Sensitive but unclassified. Not for public Internet.


2. (SBU) SUMMARY: In an August 22 interview published in the
newspaper "Liter," Yermukhamet Yertysbayev, President Nazarbayev's
advisor on political issues, railed against the "runaway
billionaires" who have declared an "information war" designed to
besmirch Kazakhstan's international reputation and denied rumors
about making President Nazarbayev President-for-Life. Yertysbayev
sided with the prosecutors in discussing several recent court cases
involving journalists, and he warned that any pressure on the
authorities investigating the Kazatomprom case "will not bring good
results." In his view, political opposition is "a component of
Western culture" that has failed to take root in Kazakhstan. He
dismissed rumors of early elections, noting the single-party
parliament's "positive role" in support of the anti-crisis program.
Yertysbayev asserted that the OSCE is "undergoing a certain crisis"
that Kazakhstan could help resolve. On the future of Kazakhstan's
multi-vector policy, Yertysbayev said that he would like to see the
"European vector" become Kazakhstan's main direction. END SUMMARY.


"AN INFORMATION WAR ON KAZAKHSTAN"


3. (SBU) In an interview in the widely read daily "Liter"
headlined "Yertysbayev: An Information War Has Been Declared Against
Kazakhstan," Yertysbayev described the situation in the country as
generally stable but claimed that that the nation's rivals, the
"runaway billionaires" -- presumably the former Bank Turan Alem
(BTA) Chairman Mukhtar Ablyazov and the President's former
son-in-law, Rakhat Aliyev -- have begun an "information war"
designed to disgrace Kazakhstan in advance of its 2010 OSCE
chairmanship. "For three months, public opinion has been
indoctrinated to discredit Kazakhstan in the eyes of the world
community," he asserted. He railed against the opposition press for
comparing the government's anti-corruption investigations with
Stalin's repressions of 1937. The fight against corruption is a
legitimate attempt to weed out dishonest government officials and
lessen the "corruption tax" on citizens in times of economic crisis,
he asserted. Yertysbayev also ascribed the growing rumors about
making President Nazarbayev President-for-life, which have appeared
almost exclusively in opposition media, to this "anti-government"
information campaign. He categorically denied that such a project
is in the works and generally advised "Liter" readers to stop paying
heed to "mass hallucinations" and trust government sources.

"YESERGEPOV KNEW HE WAS VIOLATING THE LAW"


4. (SBU) Yertysbayev was unequivocal that the courts were correct
to convict Ramazan Yesergepov, the editor and owner of newspaper
"Alma-Ata Info" (reftel A),although he allowed that the three-year
sentence may have been "too harsh." "Yesergepov knew he was
violating the law and still published [classified] documents, not
altogether for unselfish reasons," Yertysbayev asserted, making
reference to the allegation that Yesergepov was paid for writing the
article that landed him in trouble. "What does this have to do with
freedom of speech?" asked Yertysbayev. "This idea is being imposed
on us that freedom of speech is absolute," he continued, "that
private telephone conversations and secret government documents can
be published." (NOTE: Yertysbayev was clearly referring to several
controversial, and at times embarrassing, conversations between
high-placed government officials thought to be transcripts of
wire-taps that Rakhat Aliyev had kept from when he was Deputy
Chairman of the Committee for National Security (KNB) and then
posted on the Internet, to the great consternation of the Ak Orda,
the Presidential Administration. END NOTE.)


5. (SBU) Asked about OSCE's Representative for Freedom of the
Media Miklos Haraszti's public criticism of the Yesergepov ruling,
Yertysbayev said that "Haraszti is a very intelligent and
progressive person, but he trusts unofficial information too much."

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The Law on State Secrets is very clear, said Yertysbayev, and a
journalist that obtains and publicizes classified information
illegally shall be punished.

BTA'S LIBEL SUIT IS "ABSOLUTELY JUSTIFIED"


6. (SBU) Yertysbayev believes that BTA bank is "absolutely
justified" in suing the opposition newspaper "Respublika" for
allegedly undermining the bank's credibility among clients and
investors. BTA filed suit against the newspaper on August 19,
alleging that the newspaper's public speculations that the bank was
close to failure led to a run on the bank's deposits in excess of
1.4 million tenge (approximately $9 million). Yertysbayev defended
the suit, saying that "Respublika" has run a "continuous campaign to
disgrace the bank," thus undermining the government's efforts to
keep the bank afloat. Yertysbayev criticized Kazakhstan for
"lacking the unity of government and society" that he believes exist
in countries like the United States, Spain, France, and Japan. He
quoted President Nazarbayev -- "Without unity between the government
and the people, we will not overcome the current economic crisis."

KAZATOMPROM CASE "SHOULD NOT BE POLITICIZED"


7. (SBU) Yertysbayev shied away from making statements on the case
against the former head of state-owned nuclear company Kazatomprom
Mukhtar Dzhakishev, saying simply that he prefers to wait for the
verdict because this is "a complicated case with serious charges"
(reftel C). He did, however, sharply criticize Dzhakishev's lawyer
Daniyar Kanafin for "politicizing a purely criminal case" and
generating a public reaction that could "destabilize the situation."
(NOTE: As reported in reftel B, the KNB recently sought Kanafin's
disbarment for fostering a negative image of Kazakhstan, a request
which the Almaty Bar Association denied. END NOTE.) A lawyer "who
ignores clear legal norms and forms a negative public opinion of
government agencies" does a disservice to his client, argued
Yertysbayev. "Pressure on the investigation, the upcoming trial, on
the country's rulers, even with the involvement of the international
community, will not bring positive results," he asserted.

OPPOSITION "HAS FAILED TO TAKE ROOT"


8. (SBU) Yertysbayev gave a glum assessment of the prospects for
opposition parties: "Neither ten years ago, nor now, nor in the
future does the opposition have a chance. Opposition is an
essential component of Western culture which has failed to take root
on Kazakhstani soil, even in Russia it failed to take root. It's
unlikely that the opposition in Georgia and Ukraine would have come
to power without American support."

NO EARLY ELECTIONS


9. (SBU) Yertysbayev categorically denied that Kazakhstan will have
early elections before it assumes the OSCE chairmanship. "The
President said he sees no reasons for early elections," he stressed.
Asked about the comments he made last year in favor of elections,
Yertysbayev said that the only way it could happen would be if the
Mazhilis unanimously voted for it. "I do not think it will happen
now," he said, "because the single-party parliament has played such
a positive role in the support of the government's anti-crisis
program."

THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THE OSCE CHAIRMANSHIP


10. (SBU) Yertysbayev commented that Kazakhstan's OSCE chairmanship
is an event of "historic and symbolic significance," the first time
a post-Soviet, predominantly Muslim country will head the
organization. He outlined Kazakhstan's priorities for the
chairmanship - to promote inter-religious tolerance, regional
security, and non-proliferation, and to tackle issues of energy and
food security. Yertysbayev also asserted that the OSCE is
"undergoing a particular crisis," and here as well Kazakhstan's
chairmanship carries "certain significance." Kazakhstan could serve
the role of an independent broker because it has constructive
relationships with all OSCE members, "regardless of political

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conditions," he said. When asked about the future of Kazakhstan's
multi-vector policy, Yertysbayev admitted that he personally would
like to see the "European vector" become Kazakhstan's main
direction, the one that Kazakhstan uses as a model for further
development.


11. (SBU) BIO-NOTE AND COMMENT: Yertysbayev, who is serving as
advisor to President Nazarbayev for the third time, is known for his
sometimes unorthodox, but always intriguing, statements to the
press. During his tenure as the Minister of Culture from 2006 to
2008, Yertysbayev was sued twice for publicly insulting reporters by
calling them "scoundrels and rogues," and he was at the epicenter of
several scandals involving irregular tender procedures. Last year
he caused a stir when he said that Kazakhstan should hold early
elections so that it would enter the OSCE chairmanship with at least
a two-party parliament, and the subsequent rumors were only put to
rest when Nazarbayev publicly stated that he sees no reasons for
early elections. Yertysbayev's reference in this interview to the
effectiveness of the single-party parliament mirrors recent public
comments from Nur Otan party functionaries and appears to confirm
that Kazakhstan is not preparing for early elections. Even though
some see him as the odd man out, Yertysbayev remains an Ak Orda
insider and is a member of the President's inner circle. He may
stray from the party line at times, but we believe that he could not
have published this interview without the knowledge, and the
approval, of his superiors. END COMMENT.

HOAGLAND