KAZAKHSTAN: GEARING UP INSTITUTIONALLY FOR OSCE

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ASTANA 001857 SENSITIVE SIPDIS STATE FOR SCA/CEN, EUR/PRM E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PGOV PREL OSCE AF RS KZ SUBJECT: KAZAKHSTAN: GEARING UP INSTITUTIONALLY FOR OSCE CHAIRMANSHIP REF: A. ASTANA 1843 ¶B. ASTANA 1856 ASTANA 00001857 001.2 OF 002 ¶1. (U) Sensitive but unclassified. Not for public Internet. ¶2. (SBU) SUMMARY: During lunch on October 15, Doulat Kuanyshev, Kazakhstan's Ambassador-at-Large for OSCE Issues, described Kazakhstan's special state commission for the OSCE and again pressed the Ambassador for an OSCE summit in 2010. END SUMMARY. ¶3. (SBU) Doulat Kuanyshev, Kazakhstan's Ambassador-at-Large, whose portfolio includes OSCE Issues, and a former Ambassador to Paris and Vienna, told the Ambassador on October 15 that he is responsible for areas within the OSCE with the potential for conflict, especially the states of the former Yugoslavia (minus Slovenia). At the moment, he does not have an official OSCE appointment, but Kazakhstan's Foreign Minister, Kanat Saudabayev, could institutionalize an OSCE position for him once Kazakhstan assumes the Chairmanship. Kuanyshev confirmed Kazakhstan plans to appoint the current Secretary-General of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO),Bolat Nurgaliev, as the OSCE Special Representative on Protracted Conflicts once his SCO responsibilities end January 1, 2010. ¶4. (SBU) According to Kuanyshev, President Nazarbayev created a special state commission for the OSCE to coordinate issues during Kazakhstan's Chairmanship. This inter-agency body, headed by Foreign Minister Saudabayev, includes the Ministries of Defense, National Security (KNB),Internal Affairs, Transportation and Communications, Energy and Mineral Resources, Industry and Trade, Culture and Information, Environment, Education and Science, and Health. The Foreign Minister will brief, and Presidential Foreign Policy Adviser Kairat Sarybai will advise, President Nazarbayev on guidance provided by the special commission. Security Council Secretary Marat Tazhin, Prime Minister Karim Masimov, and Head of the Presidential Administration Aslan Musin will also be involved. Kuanyshev described the special commission as designed to provide internally for Kazakhstan "checks and balances, both of institutions and personalities." ¶5. (SBU) Kuanyshev predicted Kazakhstan will preserve a "continuity on OSCE priorities, with a bit more emphasis on topical, pivotal issues." He said that Saudabayev is especially focused on making the OSCE relevant internally for Kazakhstan, and "not just on the external projection of Kazakhstan's image." Continuing Kazakhstan's push for a summit (ref A),Kuanyshev stated that the OSCE needs an "event," and equated a successful Chairmanship with a summit. He pointed to the change in U.S. administrations as a source of optimism due to its "new, inclusive, participatory style." The Ambassador replied that both Kazakhstan's Foreign Minister and its Ambassador to the United States have been pressing this idea, which the U.S. government is currently examining. Kuanyshev prodded, "The OSCE is a game where everyone should win." Kuanyshev concluded, "The OSCE needs a summit. Where and when is not critical for Kazakhstan." ¶6. (SBU) On potential summit topics, the Ambassador stated that the United States does not agree an OSCE summit, should there be one, should address European security architecture, because the Corfu process is the appropriate venue for that discussion. Kuanyshev responded that Kazakhstan understands the U.S. position, but believes that other potential issues exist on which Kazakhstan could show leadership, such as Afghanistan or inter-ethnic/inter-religious tolerance. Kuanyshev commented that the topic of Afghanistan could show Kazakhstan's "cooperative style, intentions, and its efforts on Afghanistan in terms of education (ref B)." At the same time, he said, Kazakhstan is determining how to promote its role on inter-ethnic and inter-religious issues beyond the "human dimension basket." ¶7. (SBU) Kazakhstan hopes to use its Chairmanship to make "Central Asia more central on the OSCE map -- not as a student, but as a ASTANA 00001857 002.2 OF 002 player with problems that it could work to solve, like the Aral Sea," Kuanyshev argued. When the Ambassador replied that some regional leaders have expressed frustration of years and years of fruitless seminars and studies, Kuanyshev praised President Nazarbayev's ability to influence his presidential colleagues positively, including in Moscow. "Political decisions could overrule bureaucratic reservations," he claimed. He noted the regular consultations between Kazakhstani Deputy Foreign Minister Konstantin Zhigalov and the Russian Deputy Foreign Minister in charge of OSCE issues, whom he said was currently in Astana for OSCE discussions. HOAGLAND