Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
09BISHKEK381
2009-04-23 11:12:00
UNCLASSIFIED
Embassy Bishkek
Cable title:
Joint Bishkek Embassy - Manas Air Base School Renovation
how-toVZCZCXRO7147 RR RUEHAST RUEHBI RUEHCI RUEHDBU RUEHLH RUEHLN RUEHNEH RUEHPW RUEHSK RUEHVK RUEHYG DE RUEHEK #0381 1131112 ZNR UUUUU ZZH R 231112Z APR 09 FM AMEMBASSY BISHKEK TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 2109 INFO RUCNCIS/CIS COLLECTIVE RUCNCLS/ALL SOUTH AND CENTRAL ASIA COLLECTIVE RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING 3042 RHEFDIA/DIA WASHDC RUEKJCS/OSD WASHDC RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC RUEKJCS/JOINT STAFF WASHDC RUEHGV/USMISSION GENEVA 1337 RUEHVEN/USMISSION USOSCE 3383 RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 2769 RUEHNO/USMISSION USNATO BRUSSELS BE RUEHBS/USEU BRUSSELS RUEHLMC/MILLENNIUM CHALLENGE CORP RUMICEA/USCENTCOM INTEL CEN MACDILL AFB FL
UNCLAS BISHKEK 000381
SIPDIS
DEPARTMENT FOR SCA/CEN
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PREL KG
SUBJECT: Joint Bishkek Embassy - Manas Air Base School Renovation
Project Breaks New Ground
UNCLAS BISHKEK 000381
SIPDIS
DEPARTMENT FOR SCA/CEN
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PREL KG
SUBJECT: Joint Bishkek Embassy - Manas Air Base School Renovation
Project Breaks New Ground
1. (U) On April 14, Ambassador gave remarks at a groundbreaking
ceremony for a school renovation project in Birdik village. The
project was developed by the Embassy's Office of Military
Cooperation (OMC),funded by CENTCOM, and is being implemented in
cooperation with Manas Air Base. The ceremony was attended by the
Base Commander and other Base personnel, local dignitaries, village
residents, and local press representatives. Village residents
literally stood in line to thank the OMC Chief, who shepherded the
project through several lengthy approval processes.
2. (U) Since the closure of a Soviet-era chicken processing plant
and the school that it supported, there has been no school in
Birdik, a small village about one hour's drive from Bishkek. With
no available bus service, older children have had to make a rugged
three kilometer hike to a neighboring village to attend school,
while younger children have been effectively cut off from
educational opportunities.
3. (U) Three years ago, OMC recognized that a relatively small
investment could make a significant and concrete improvement in the
lives of the residents of Birdik by giving their children the
opportunity to attend school. Equally important, this investment
presented a public diplomacy opportunity to show that the United
States' interests and activities in Kyrgyzstan extend well beyond
Manas Air Base.
4. (U) OMC has previously assisted in renovating three schools and
an orphanage, but the scale of the Birdik school project posed a
challenge. This project involved reconstructing the school around
the gutted concrete walls of the previous school, and the necessary
level of funding exceeded the contracting authority of the Embassy's
officers. The project was at an impasse until the Ambassador raised
it personally with General Petraeus of CENTCOM during his January
visit to Bishkek and sought his help. As the result, the Commander
of Manas Air Base provided a way around the difficulty by agreeing
that the Base's contracting office could perform the necessary
contracting work. When complete, the building will provide spaces
for up to 250 children in grades K-4 to attend school.
5. (U) Comment: Several local newspapers, including Vecherney
Bishkek, the country's largest circulation paper, covered the event,
and both the Embassy and the Base garnered excellent press.
GFOELLER
SIPDIS
DEPARTMENT FOR SCA/CEN
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PREL KG
SUBJECT: Joint Bishkek Embassy - Manas Air Base School Renovation
Project Breaks New Ground
1. (U) On April 14, Ambassador gave remarks at a groundbreaking
ceremony for a school renovation project in Birdik village. The
project was developed by the Embassy's Office of Military
Cooperation (OMC),funded by CENTCOM, and is being implemented in
cooperation with Manas Air Base. The ceremony was attended by the
Base Commander and other Base personnel, local dignitaries, village
residents, and local press representatives. Village residents
literally stood in line to thank the OMC Chief, who shepherded the
project through several lengthy approval processes.
2. (U) Since the closure of a Soviet-era chicken processing plant
and the school that it supported, there has been no school in
Birdik, a small village about one hour's drive from Bishkek. With
no available bus service, older children have had to make a rugged
three kilometer hike to a neighboring village to attend school,
while younger children have been effectively cut off from
educational opportunities.
3. (U) Three years ago, OMC recognized that a relatively small
investment could make a significant and concrete improvement in the
lives of the residents of Birdik by giving their children the
opportunity to attend school. Equally important, this investment
presented a public diplomacy opportunity to show that the United
States' interests and activities in Kyrgyzstan extend well beyond
Manas Air Base.
4. (U) OMC has previously assisted in renovating three schools and
an orphanage, but the scale of the Birdik school project posed a
challenge. This project involved reconstructing the school around
the gutted concrete walls of the previous school, and the necessary
level of funding exceeded the contracting authority of the Embassy's
officers. The project was at an impasse until the Ambassador raised
it personally with General Petraeus of CENTCOM during his January
visit to Bishkek and sought his help. As the result, the Commander
of Manas Air Base provided a way around the difficulty by agreeing
that the Base's contracting office could perform the necessary
contracting work. When complete, the building will provide spaces
for up to 250 children in grades K-4 to attend school.
5. (U) Comment: Several local newspapers, including Vecherney
Bishkek, the country's largest circulation paper, covered the event,
and both the Embassy and the Base garnered excellent press.
GFOELLER