KAZAKHSTAN: DAS KROL DISCUSSES OSCE WITH DEPUTY FOREIGN

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 ASTANA 001950 SENSITIVE SIPDIS STATE FOR SCA/CEN, EUR/RPM, DRL E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PREL PGOV PHUM OSCE KZ SUBJECT: KAZAKHSTAN: DAS KROL DISCUSSES OSCE WITH DEPUTY FOREIGN MINISTER ZHIGALOV ASTANA 00001950 001.2 OF 003 ¶1. (U) Sensitive but unclassified. Not for public Internet. ¶2. (SBU) SUMMARY: Deputy Foreign Minister Konstantin Zhigalov told SCA DAS George Krol and NSC's Director for Central Asia Kurt Donnelly on October 29 that as OSCE Chairman, Kazakhstan will be "unbiased" and "equally fulfill all three baskets." Its Chairmanship will focus on Afghanistan and CIS protracted conflicts in the security dimension, the Aral Sea in the economic dimension, and tolerance in the human dimension. Zhigalov emphasized that Kazakhstan is open to discussion of its own record on human rights, but did not want to be in the awkward position as OSCE chair of distributing Astana OSCE Center reports on Kazakhstan's behavior. He claimed the Center itself had suggested suspending its reporting during Kazakhstan's chairmanship. Zhigalov argued that Zhovtis was treated equally under the law. DAS Krol emphasized that reports of significant irregularities in the trial continue to cause concern in the international community. To Zhigalov's request that the United States support an OSCE Summit in 2010 Krol and Donnelly indicated Washington had not yet determined its final position, but much depended on the substance of a possible summit. Zhigalov adamantly denied reports that Kazakhstan would cancel the annual OSCE Human Dimension Implementation Meeting (HDIM) should a Summit occur. END SUMMARY. "AN HONEST BROKER" ¶3. (SBU) SCA DAS Krol and NSC's Director for Central Asia Kurt Donnelly met on October 29 with Deputy Foreign Minister Konstantin Zhigalov, whose portfolio covers the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE). Kazakhstan's OSCE Coordinator Serzhan Abdykarimov also attended the meeting. Krol told Zhigalov that Kazakhstan's OSCE Chairmanship will be historic and bring an important new perspective to the organization. Krol stressed the United States gives equal importance to all three OSCE dimensions -- security, economic, and the human dimension -- but wants no weakening of the human dimension, especially in the operation of ODIHR. ¶4. (SBU) Zhigalov asserted Kazakhstan will be the "first impartial chair of the OSCE," because it will be the first non-NATO or non-EU state to head the organization. "I promise you, we will be an honest broker," he said. "We are going to hear biased views, sometimes from Russia, sometimes from the United States," he noted, "but believe me, we will try to be impartial." He told us he recently returned from Georgia and will travel shortly to Spain (incoming EU President) and Serbia. He said State Secretary-Foreign Minister Saudabayev will be in Moscow around November 17 for consultations with Russia's Foreign Minister Lavrov on bilateral and OSCE issues. SECURITY DIMENSION -- AFGHANISTAN AND PROTRACTED CONFLICTS ¶5. (SBU) Zhigalov agreed with DAS Krol that the Corfu process should continue and noted that Kazakhstan might host the third stage of the talks. "We support Russia's proposal (for a new European security structure) in principle," he said, "and believe the OSCE is the best forum to discuss it." At the same time, Kazakhstan "does not object" to Russia's push to raise this issue at other international fora. Calling Afghanistan a "top priority," he pledged to build consensus on the OSCE's role in the country. Zhigalov highlighted that Kazakhstan has transit agreements with the United States, France, Germany, and "soon with NATO," and also noted that Kazakhstan will detail two to four liaison officers to NATO Headquarters in the near future. On protracted conflicts, Kazakhstan will focus on those in the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS),but he added "we will not forget about the Balkans." ECONOMIC DIMENSION -- ARAL SEA ¶6. (SBU) Zhigalov said that Kazakhstan identified its candidates for the posts of Special Representatives on Transport and Ecology. He noted that the nominee for Special Representative on Ecology, British parliamentarian Stevenson, is a recipient of Kazakhstan's ASTANA 00001950 002.2 OF 003 Medal of Mercy for his work on Semipalatinsk, the Soviet nuclear test site. As Chairman, Kazakhstan will focus on the "Aral Sea problem," said Zhigalov, "which is not a regional, but global problem." Krol noted Secretary Clinton's personal interest in the Aral Sea. Zhigalov suggested that "it would underscore the importance of the issue" if the Secretary mentioned the Aral Sea in her speech at the Athens Ministerial. HUMAN DIMENSION -- TOLERANCE AND OPENNESS ¶7. (SBU) DAS Krol stressed that as OSCE Chairman, Kazakhstan must ensure that ODIHR's mandate is protected, and that the human rights sector is not diminished. Zhigalov reassured Krol that Kazakhstan "will fulfill all three baskets equally." Zhigalov stressed that Kazakhstan is open to discussion of its own record on human rights and democracy. He noted that the EU-Kazakhstan High-Level Dialogue on human rights took place in Astana last week, and that the Swedish chair was "satisfied with the outcomes." He also highlighted the "record number of Kazakhstani NGOs" who participated in the OSCE's Human Dimension Implementation Meeting (HDIM) in Warsaw and noted that "one member of the U.S. delegation" told him he thought Kazakhstan's participation "was quite successful." In line with its focus on tolerance, Kazakhstan plans to organize a conference with the involvement of all three Special Representatives on religious tolerance. ZHOVTIS: "MAIN ISSUE IS RULE OF LAW" ¶8. (SBU) DAS Krol raised the recent trial and sentencing of human rights defender Zhovtis, noting the irregularities in the trial are receiving a high degree of scrutiny from the U.S. Congress and human rights NGOs, causing many to question Kazakhstan's ability to uphold OSCE principles. "The main issue here is rule of law," objected Zhigalov, "and Zhovtis was treated like others in his situation." He noted that Zhovtis could have avoided going to prison if he had admitted his guilt -- "in our legal practice, an admission of guilt and reconciliation with the family usually results in the dismissal of the case." "It was his choice," stressed Zhigalov. (NOTE: Zhovtis has argued that he is not guilty of vehicular manslaughter, which presupposes negligence, because he could not have avoided the accident. END NOTE.) Zhigalov highlighted that Zhovtis' trial and appeal hearings were open to international organizations, diplomatic missions, and the press. "Our main goals were transparency and rule of law," stressed Zhigalov. Krol agreed that rule of law is the crux issue, but emphasized that it was precisely the reports of serious irregularities in the legal process and the non-adherence to Kazakhstan's own legislation that cause such concern in the international community. The Zhovtis case will continue to cast a shadow on Kazakhstan's chairmanship. OSCE CENTER WILL CEASE SPOT REPORTS ¶9. (SBU) DAS Krol asked Zhigalov about reports that the Astana OSCE Center will stop producing spot reports during Kazakhstan's Chairmanship. Zhigalov admitted the existence of such an agreement, but asserted that the idea came from the OSCE Head of Center Alexandr Keltchewsky. "We had two choices -- temporarily shut down the mission, or cease spot reporting," said Zhigalov, "and Ambassador Keltchewsky proposed to temporarily stop the reporting." Zhigalov highlighted that this is the first time in OSCE history that an OSCE Center exists in the country chairing the organization. The Chairman reviews and distributes the reports of all the OSCE Centers, and "it would have been very awkward for us to distribute reports on ourselves," argued Zhigalov. DAS Krol noted that this decision may be taken as an attempt by Kazakhstan to shield itself from criticism. "That would be an extremely biased approach," adamantly objected Zhigalov. The OSCE Center is still free to inform diplomatic missions present in Kazakhstan, he said. "On the contrary, (the decision to cease spot reports) is an example of our objectiveness," he argued. SUMMIT ¶10. (SBU) As the meeting drew to a close, Adykarimov whispered the ASTANA 00001950 003.2 OF 003 word "summit" to Zhigalov, who took the hint to raise the idea of an OSCE Summit in 2010, claiming he was waiting for the U.S. side to bring it up. He asserted French President Sarkozy, Spain's Foreign Minister Moratinos, and all the CIS countries support the idea. Possible topics for the Summit could include Afghanistan, CFE Treaty, and European Security. Krol said the United States is still considering whether a summit made sense noting it would depend on substance. A high-level meeting on Afghanistan might be attractive to the United States. A summit devoted to European Security would not. Krol also noted the last full OSCE Summit in 1999 took two years of preparation. ¶11. (SBU) Concluding, Krol asked whether there is any truth to reports that Kazakhstan will cancel the annual HDIM if a Summit occurs. Both Zhigalov and Abdykarimov emphatically objected. Abdykarimov insisted that the OSCE review conferences on security and human dimension are mandatory, and that only the Ministerial could be canceled. "This is yet another example of the biased approach (to Kazakhstan)," said Zhigalov. "We are not avoiding our human-dimension responsibility," he argued. "In fact, we will co-sponsor a conference in Copenhagen next year, which will deal primarily with the human dimension." ¶12. (SBU) COMMENT: Zhigalov's stress on taking an "unbiased" approach clearly signals a challenging chairmanship that should encourage us to continue to work closely with the Kazakhstanis in the run up to and throughout their chairmanship to ensure that our OSCE objectives are advanced. At least the Kazakhstanis are open to close discussion with us even if their attitudes and approaches do not always correspond with our own. On the OSCE summit, we tried to manage Kazakhstani expectations, but this will also require continued engagement and clear messaging. It is clear Kazakhstan remains sensitive to criticism over its handling of the Zhovtis case and wants to avoid criticism of its human rights behavior during its OSCE Chairmanship. Here we need to strike the right chord to elicit constructive action rather than denial. ¶13. (U) DAS Krol and Director Donnelly cleared this cable. HOAGLAND