KAZAKHSTAN: DFM ZHIGALOV SAYS KAZAKHSTAN WOULD

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 ASTANA 000435

SIPDIS

STATE FOR SCA/CEN, EUR/RPM, EUR/RUS, DRL/IRF, EEB

E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/12/2029
TAGS: PREL PINR ETRD KNNP KIRF OSCE NATO AF RS KZ
SUBJECT: KAZAKHSTAN: DFM ZHIGALOV SAYS KAZAKHSTAN WOULD
WELCOME POTUS VISIT, EXPRESSES CONCERNS ABOUT WTO TALKS

REF: A. ASTANA 0319

B. ASTANA 0412

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


1. (C) SUMMARY: New Deputy Foreign Minister Konstantin
Zhigalov told the Ambassador on March 11 that Kazakhstan
would very much welcome a POTUS visit. He said Kazakhstan
attaches great importance to hosting the Euro-Atlantic
Partnership Council's Security Forum in June. Zhigalov
explained that the Kazakhstanis hope to finalize a NATO
transit agreement for Afghanistan before the Forum, and
expressed concerns about the Taliban reconciliation process.
He promised Kazakhstan would be an honest broker as OSCE
chairman. Zhigalov complained about the pace of Kazakhstan's
WTO accession negotiations, arguing that some countries do
not understand Kazakhstan's concerns. He reiterated the
MFA's strong support for the ratification of the the
Cooperative Threat Reduction (CTR) agreement. END SUMMARY.

LOOKING FORWARD TO A POTUS VISIT


2. (C) During a March 11 introductory meeting, new Deputy
Foreign Minister Konstantin Zhigalov told the Ambassador that
Kazakhstan very much appreciated the early phone call in
November from then President-elect Obama to President
Nazarbayev. "This was a very good signal," he explained,
Zhigalov said Kazakhstan looks forward to hosting a POTUS
visit, which would be a "great impetus" for the bilateral
relationship.


3. (C) The Ambassador handed Zhigalov a copy of the
Secretary's response to Foreign Minister Tazhin's invitation
for her to attend the Euro-Atlantic Partnership Council's
Security Forum, which is being hosted by Kazakhstan June
24-25. He noted that her reply confirmed that the U.S.
government would participate. Zhigalov, who until February
was head of Kazakhstan's mission to NATO and the EU (as well
as ambassador to Belgium and Luxembourg),stressed that the
Security Forum is very important for Kazakhstan. The first
Security Forum was held in Sweden and the second in
Macedonia, he explained, and thus this is the first time the
event will be held in a CIS country. Kazakhstan is a
logical host, he continued, since it is the only Central
Asian country with a NATO Individual Partnership Action Plan
(IPAP).

CONCERNS ABOUT AFGHANISTAN


4. (C) Zhigalov said Kazakhstan hopes to finalize an
agreement with NATO on NATO transit of supplies to
Afghanistan before the Security Forum. He explained that in
addition to sending several officers to ISAF headquarters,
Kazakhstan is still considering deploying a medical unit to
Afghanistan. Zhigalov said he had taken note of Vice
President Biden's March 10 remarks on the Taliban at the
North Atlantic Council. "I think Afghan President Karzai has
a different view on this issue," he explained, "I suggest you
meet with the new Afghan Ambassador to Kazakhstan, whose
credentials I just accepted." (NOTE: Foreign Minister
Tazhin has previously expressed concern that Karzai might
take Taliban reconciliation too far, including inviting the
Taliban's core leadership to join an Afghan coalition
government. See ref A. END NOTE.)

"HONEST BROKER" AS OSCE CHAIRMAN


5. (C) Zhigalov noted that Tazhin hopes to visit the United
States in May, though the exact dates have not yet been set.
This visit, he stressed, will be important for the bilateral
relationship and will be an opportunity to discuss
Kazakhstan's agenda for its 2010 OSCE chairmanship, which

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will include a focus on Afghanistan. Zhigalov reassured the
Ambassador about the chairmanship, saying, "To be frank,
there's been much speculation because of our special
relationship with Russia. But Kazakhstan will play the role
of an honest broker as chairman. We learned a lot from our
participation in the OSCE quintet." Zhigalov argued that
Kazakhstan will bring some advantages to the table,
explaining, "We know the mentality of the eastern countries
better than some of our OSCE counterparts."


6. (C) The Ambassador asked about Kazakhstan's position on
Russia's proposal to begin discussion of a new European
security pact, adding that the United States is seeking more
concrete information about the proposal. Zhigalov responded
that Kazakhstan also needs more information. He noted Tazhin
was actually about to depart for Moscow for bilateral
meetings, after which he will go to Brussels for an EU Troika
gathering which Zhigalov will also attend.


7. (C) Acknowledging Kazakhstan's special relationship with
Russia, which the United States does not dispute, the
Ambassador suggested Kazakhstan could perhaps play a positive
role as Washington and Moscow work to redevelop their
relationship. Zhigalov responded that Astana very much wants
to see a better U.S.-Russia relationship because it would
benefit all. However, Kazakhstan in a "go between" role
would not be optimal, he said, because Astana would not
relish being "the meat in the sandwich" -- i.e., would not
care to be squeezed between Moscow and Washington.

CONGRESS OF RELIGIONS ALSO IMPORTANT


8. (C) Zhigalov said that shortly after the Euro-Atlantic
Partnership Council's Security Forum, Astana would be hosting
the third Congress of World and Traditional Religions.
(NOTE: The Congress is an initiative of President Nazarbayev
that was launched in 2003. It meets on a triennial basis.
END NOTE.) "This will also be a very important event for
us," Zhigalov argued, "Tolerance is going to be one of our
OSCE pillars. Please give this event your attention." The
Ambassador said the United States applauds Kazakhstan's
history of tolerance, but does have some concern about the
treatment of some minority religions. Zhigalov responded
sardonically, "Sometimes the best is the enemy of the good."

COMPLAINTS ABOUT WTO ACCESSION PROCESS


9. (C) The Ambassador explained to Zhigalov that Prime
Minister Masimov had asked for a message -- in the form of a
phone call -- from a senior U.S. official reaffirming the
U.S. commitment to Kazakhstan's WTO accession. SCA A/S
Boucher is ready to make that call, but Masimov has
apparently been too busy the past two weeks to take it.
Zhigalov said he was aware of the Ambassador's discussion
with Masimov and indicated the phone call is a good idea.


10. (C) Zhigalov then explained that in Brussels, he had been
involved in Kazakhstan's WTO accession talks with the EU, and
had had an "intensive dialogue" on the issue with former EC
Trade Commissioner Peter Mandelsohn, with Kazakhstan awaiting
a response from Mandelsohn's successor, Catherine Ashton.
Zhigalov complained that those talks had "reached their
limit" and said Kazakhstan's accession is now more about a
"political decision" than about expert talks. "This was my
cup of tea," he told the Ambassador, "and it's clear some
countries don't understand our concerns. We are asking for a
better understanding. Look at China and its huge labor
force. It may not be a problem for Europe, but if we were to
give China free access to our labor marker, it would be a big
problem for us." Zhigalov continued, "I'm occasionally asked
about the customs union with 'some other countries'" --
meaning the proposed Russia-Belarus- Kazakhstan customs union

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-- "but the fact is that those countries know what they want,
and they deliver very quickly."

SUPPORT FOR CTR AGREEMENT RATIFICATION


11. (C) The Ambassador noted that the Cooperative Threat
Reduction (CTR) agreement is currently under consideration in
the Mazhilis -- the lower house of parliament -- and said we
hope it is ratified very quickly. Zhigalov responded that
the MFA cannot put direct pressure on parliament, but said
the MFA is watching the process closely and strongly supports
ratification. The Ambassador noted Senate Chairman Tokayev
had given him his personal word on March 5 that agreement
would be ratified (ref B). Zhigalov smiled, "Tokayev is not
like (former Soviet Foreign Minister Andrey) Gromyko. If he
said yes, he meant it."


12. (C) COMMENT: Zhigalov is one of the very few ethnic
Russians in the MFA's top leadership. The fact that he is
married to an ethnic Kazakh may have given him a leg up. The
49-year-old Zhigalov, who speaks excellent English, was very
well prepared for the Ambassador's meeting. He did not shy
away from doing some name dropping, especially noting senior
U.S. diplomats with whom he is on good terms. The Ambassador
had met Zhigalov the night before at an EU dinner in honor of
visiting Special Representative for Central Asia Pierre
Morel, and so has now observed Zhigalov in both a diplomatic
social setting and a more formal office discussion. Zhigalov
appears to be highly intelligent, cosmopolitan, and a bit
sardonic -- in short, a true professional and an excellent
intellectual sparring partner. END COMMENT.
HOAGLAND