KAZAKHSTAN PUSHES FOR OSCE SUMMIT WITH A/S BLAKE

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ASTANA 002161

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS

STATE FOR SCA/CEN, EUR/RPM, DRL

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PREL PHUM KDEM OSCE KZ
SUBJECT: KAZAKHSTAN PUSHES FOR OSCE SUMMIT WITH A/S BLAKE

REF: (A) ASTANA 2141
(B) ASTANA 1978
(C) ASTANA 2159

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


2. (SBU) SUMMARY: State Secretary-Foreign Minister Kanat
Saudabayev and President Nazarbayev's foreign policy advisor Kairat
Sarybai separately pressed Assistant Secretary Blake for U.S.
support for a 2010 summit of the Organization for Cooperation and
Security in Europe (OSCE). Blake noted that the United States is
looking for assurances any summit would have a substantive outcome.
He also noted that progress in all three OSCE dimensions,
preservation of ODIHR, as well as progress on Kazakhstan's domestic
human-dimension issues, particularly the Zhovtis case, would help
garner support for a Summit. Sarybai argued that Zhovtis was
treated equally under the law, and Saudabayev urged for him to apply
for a presidential pardon. Both stressed that a high-level U.S.
visit to Kazakhstan or a bilateral meeting between Presidents Obama
and Nazarbayev in Washington would signal the "deepening mutual
relationship" between the United States and Kazakhstan. END
SUMMARY.

OSCE SUMMIT


3. (SBU) In separate December 15 meetings with Assistant Secretary
of State for South and Central Asian Affairs Robert Blake, State
Secretary-Foreign Minister Kanat Saudabayev and President Nursultan
Nazarbayev's foreign policy advisor Kairat Sarybai pressed for the
United States to support a 2010 OSCE summit. Both thanked the
United States for its agreement to include a summit reference in the
Athens Ministerial final declaration. Saudabayev welcomed U.S.
input on possible topics. Blake reminded both that the OSCE
Permanent Council must certify the achievement of sufficient
progress in all three dimensions before deciding on a summit. He
suggested to Saudabayev that Kazakhstan ensure improvement in the
OSCE human dimension, defend the mandate of the Office of Democratic
Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR),and expand OSCE's role in
Afghanistan in order to garner the necessary support. He noted that
the potential summit topic of a new European security structure
would likely meet resistance and that substance focused on
Afghanistan would be "much better." Saudabayev acknowledged the
difficulty of addressing the security architecture of Europe at a
summit, and noted that Afghanistan will likely be the only topic in
the end. Blake underlined that a summit not preclude the annual
Human Dimension Implementation Meeting (HDIM). Saudabayev
passionately reassured Blake that the "HDIM would go on as planned.
We fully support ODIHR's work," he argued. "It is the organization
that keeps us all moving forward."

ZHOVTIS CASE "CASTS A SHADOW"


4. (SBU) A/S Blake noted to both interlocutors that progress on
Kazakhstan's domestic human-dimension issues, particularly the case
of prominent civil-society activist Yvgeniy Zhovtis, also would help
garner support for the summit (ref A). "The case casts a shadow" on
Kazakhstan's OSCE ambitions, said A/S Blake. Sarybai firmly argued
that Zhovtis' international stature should not warrant special legal
treatment. "He was treated as 'citizen Zhovtis'," said Sarybai. He
highlighted the government's Human Rights Action Plan as proof of
"Kazakhstan's steady progress" towards democracy.


5. (SBU) Saudabayev agreed with Blake that "[the Zhovtis affair] is
the last thing [Kazakhstan] needs." The penal colony is "not
letting a fly land on Zhovtis, but he continues to cause
controversy," complained Saudabayev. (NOTE: Zhovtis was officially
sanctioned twice for refusing to accept jobs offered by the
penal-colony administration (ref A). END NOTE.) One way to resolve
the case is for Zhovtis to ask for a presidential pardon, said
Saudabayev. "You can help by convincing (Zhovtis) to apply," he
asserted, adding that he would personally assure the Pardon
Commission reviewed the case quickly. "It can be done by the end of
this year." (NOTE: Zhovtis' lawyers have told us that Zhovtis
refuses to apply for a pardon, because it would require him to admit
his legal guilt, which he denies (ref B). END NOTE.)

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6. (SBU) Blake also suggested that decriminalization of libel in
Kazakhstan and implementation of the human rights national action
plan would help convince the United States of Kazakhstan's sincerity
in making progress domestically. Noting his productive meeting with
civil society representatives in Almaty (ref C),he recommended that
Saudabayev consider meeting civil society groups in the United
States on the margins of the Annual Bilateral Consultations in
February. Saudabayev welcomed the idea, and said he would follow up
with his Ambassador in Washington.

PUSH FOR HIGH-LEVEL ENGAGEMENT


7. (SBU) Both Saudabayev and Sarybai pressed for a bilateral
meeting between Presidents Obama and Nazarbayev on the margins of
the April Global Nuclear Security Summit and highlighted that a
high-level U.S. visit would signal a "deepening mutual
relationship." Saudabayev noted that China's President Hu Jintao
travelled to Kazakhstan twice in the past year, and Russia's
President Medvedev has visited "incalculable times" since taking
office. President Nazarbayev has never wavered in his partnership
with the United States, argued Saudabayev. A bilateral meeting in
Washington or President Obama's visit to Kazakhstan would "prove the
strength of the relationship." Blake responded that resolution of
some issues discussed could encourage high-level visits.


8. (SBU) COMMENT: The Athens Ministerial declaration has given a
major boost to the Kazakhstanis' hopes for a summit just as they
prepare to take over the OSCE chairmanship. They continue,
sincerely we believe, to seek our support and guidance to turn this
wish into a reality. The Zhovtis case, however, casts a shadow over
Kazakhstan's ambitions. Although Foreign Minister Saudabayev seems
to fully grasp the optics, his hope that Zhovtis will apply a pardon
is unrealistic. Despite sincere concern in some quarters, we see no
evidence that Kazakhstan will undercut the OSCE's human dimension
during their chairmanship. Continued positive engagement on our
part will help to ensure that Kazakhstan's words become reality.
END COMMENT.


9. (SBU) A/S Blake cleared this cable.

HOAGLAND