SECURITY COUNCIL SECRETARY ON NON-PROLIFERATION AND OTHER SECURITY ISSUES

S E C R E T SECTION 01 OF 02 ASTANA 002000

SIPDIS

STATE FOR SCA/CEN, EUR/RUS, PM (CHRISTOPHER PETRONE)
NSC FOR JOYCE CONNERY

E.O. 12958: 11/12/2029
TAGS: PGOV, PREL, PINR, MARR, KNNP, RS, AF, KZ
SUBJECT: SECURITY COUNCIL SECRETARY ON NON-PROLIFERATION AND OTHER
SECURITY ISSUES

REFTEL: STATE 115233

Classified By: Ambassador Richard E. Hoagland, 1.4 (b),(d)

1. (S) SUMMARY: On November 10, the Ambassador discussed
non-proliferation and other security issues -- the transfer of BN-350
spent-fuel, the Semipalatinsk and Alatau projects, and amendments to
the overflight (reftel) and Northern Distribution Network (NDN)
agreements -- with Security Council Secretary Marat Tazhin. Tazhin
offered full cooperation to coordinate the non-proliferation issues,
indicated a new overflight path should be approved, and said
Kazakhstan was still considering the NDN request. In a separate
meeting, Deputy Foreign Minister Umarov explained why a response to
the NDN requests is taking time. END SUMMARY.

BN-350 SPENT-FUEL TRANSPORT

2. (S) The Ambassador thanked the government of Kazakhstan for
providing its emergency response plan for the BN-350 spent fuel
shipment, and asked Tazhin if he had been fully briefed on the
transport, security, and response plans concerning BN-350 -- and if
he was comfortable with them. Tazhin replied that he had reviewed
the arrangements. "We believe that everything can be accomplished
according to the agreed-upon schedule," Tazhin told the Ambassador,
adding that the Minister of Transport and the Minister of Energy and
Mineral Resources, along with the appropriate specialists, were
scheduled to meet November 12 to further coordinate details. Citing
long-standing collaboration, the Ambassador pressed that our experts
meet soonest to review all plans.

3. (S) In response to the Ambassador's question about whether
Kazakhstan needs any additional equipment, including for Baikal-1,
Tazhin said Kazakhstan has all the resources it needs, although he
promised to confirm with Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources
Sauat Mynbayev. The Ambassador told Tazhin the United States would
like to explore opportunities to further ensure security cooperation
for the BN-350 transfers. He asked if Tazhin had heard that
Ambassador Idrissov in Washington has reportedly discussed this
possibility with OSD. Tazhin replied he was unaware of such
discussions.

ACCELERATION OF WORK AT SEMIPALATINSK

4. (S) The Ambassador thanked the Kazakhstani government for
supporting a faster pace of work at Semipalatinsk this year, and
pressed for even greater acceleration next year, given that 20 new
sites might be identified for various work. Tazhin replied he would
coordinate the officials responsible for this project to explore
concrete ways to achieve further acceleration.

ALATAU PROJECT

5. (S) Tazhin declined to comment when the Ambassador asked about
next steps and expert-level cooperation on the blending down of
highly enriched uranium (HEU) at the Alatau Institute of Nuclear
Physics. Tazhin said the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources is
primarily responsible for this project.

MINISTRY OF TRANSPORTATION READY TO APPROVE NEW OVERFLIGHT ROUTE

6. (S) The Ambassador told Tazhin the United States recently
delivered a diplomatic note requesting a new north-south flight path
to accommodate a new polar flight path over Russian territory
(reftel). Tazhin responded that the Ministry of Transportation is
ready to approve this route, and he would discuss the question with
the Minister of Transportation on November 11.

MILITARY EXPERTS NEED TO REVIEW REQUEST TO AMEND NDN AGREEMENT

7. (S) The Ambassador informed Tazhin that on October 20, the United
States submitted a diplomatic note requesting a slight amendment --
to allow wheeled armored vehicles for transporting troops -- to our

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original note about the Northern Distribution Network. Tazhin
responded that Kazakhstan's military experts must review the
diplomatic note, said he would talk to the Minister of Transport
about this issue on November 11, and would discuss it with the
Minister of Defense soon as well.

8. (S) During a November 11 one-on-one meeting between the
Ambassador and Deputy Foreign Minister Kairat Umarov on another
sensitive issue, Umarov volunteered that our request to amend the NDN
agreement to include MATVs is "a very sensitive issue." He said
Kazakhstan possesses information that Taliban and other terrorists
being pushed from Pakistan and southern Afghanistan are moving north
and might try to disrupt the NDN in Central Asia. If the NDN starts
to transport military vehicles, "that might invite attacks." Umarov
said, "It is essential that the NDN continue to appear strictly
commercial." He added that Kazakhstan is not rejecting our request,
but it is "prudently taking time to explore every angle and have a
full internal debate."

HOAGLAND