KYRGYZ FOREIGN MINISTER COMPLAINS ABOUT NDI

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 BISHKEK 000676 SIPDIS DEPT FOR SCA/CEN E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/24/2019 TAGS: PGOV PREL EAID KDEM KG SUBJECT: KYRGYZ FOREIGN MINISTER COMPLAINS ABOUT NDI REF: A. BISHKEK 427 ¶B. BISHKEK 237 ¶C. BISHKEK 443 ¶D. BISHKEK 374 BISHKEK 00000676 001.2 OF 002 Classified By: Charge d'Affaires Lee Litzenberger, Reasons 1.4 (b) and (d). ¶1. (C) Summary: Foreign Minister Sarbayev complained to Charge June 17 that the National Democratic Institute (NDI) was biased against the government and that its programming was "not consistent" with the bilateral assistance agreement. Sarbayev claimed that with some in the government accusing the United States of interference in Kyrgyz domestic politics, he was under pressure to "shut down NDI." Sarbayev further complained about the "negative attitude toward Kyrgyzstan" of the NDI Country Director and also questioned his visa status. Charge responded that NDI's programming was open to both pro-government and pro-opposition parties. Charge subsequently met with the NDI Country Director to suggest certain measures to build confidence with the government, including inviting representatives from the Central Election Commission and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to attend all training sessions. End Summary. ¶2. (C) During a June 17 meeting, Kyrgyz Foreign Minister Kadyrbek Sarbayev "warned" Charge about problems with NDI and NDI's bias against the government. He complained specifically of one Russian-citizen NDI trainer who had "pre-judged" the July 23 presidential election as fraudulent, allegedly beginning a training for election observers by saying, "This election will be falsified. Here is what you need to do . . . ." Sarbayev said he also had received "many reports" that NDI was conducting training sessions only with opposition parties, such as Ata Meken and the Social Democrat Party. ¶3. (C) Sarbayev said that NDI's programming was "not consistent" with the 1993 bilateral assistance agreement, which calls for all assistance activities to be subject to agreement by both governments. Sarbayev said that some in the government were accusing the United States of interfering in Kyrgyz domestic politics through such programming, and he claimed that he was under pressure to "shut down NDI." ¶4. (C) Sarbayev then raised the NDI Country Director, Amcit Scott Kearin, whom he accused of having a "negative attitude" toward Kyrgyzstan. Recounting his March 11 conversation with Kearin at the Ambassador's residence (Ref B),Sarbayev complained that NDI had not taken up his suggestion to prepare programs and host roundtables focused on "real issues" such as water, youth, religious extremists, rather than working "to support the opposition." Sarbayev said that he was "very aware" of Kearin's visa status, questioning why Kearin had an "investor" visa when he was in the country implementing an assistance program. (Note: the NDI Country Director's visa dates from five years ago when he was building a house in Bishkek. End Note.) ¶5. (C) Charge strongly rebutted the charge that the United States was interfering in domestic politics. He said that the U.S. would be honest in its assessment of the July 23 election, and if it is fair and clean, we will applaud the conduct. However, if the conduct of the elections falls below standards, as did the December 2007 parliamentary elections, then we will say so. Charge repeated that NDI invited both pro-opposition and pro-government parties to attend its political party trainings. ¶6. (C) On June 19, Charge met with NDI Country Director Kearin to relay the concern that the impression the Foreign Minister has of NDI's activities could threaten both the program and the Director's visa. Charge encouraged NDI to build confidence with the government, suggesting measures BISHKEK 00000676 002.2 OF 002 such as inviting representatives from the Central Election Commission and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to attend all training sessions and other steps to increase the transparency of programming. Kearin informed Charge that NDI was halting all political party work during the campaign period, as is standard practice. Kearin said he would provide a letter explaining this halt in political party work and outlining all of NDI's remaining election observation training which Charge could share with the Foreign Minister. ¶7. (C) Comment: While complaining strongly that certain democracy programming is biased, Sarbayev again stopped short of shutting down programming (see Ref A). In a later conversation, Sarbayev indicated to Charge that he wants to avoid any "incident" with NDI in the run-up to the elections. However, there are many hardliners in the government who oppose altogether the type of programming that NDI and other democracy implementers conduct. Taking steps to increase the transparency of such programming may help, but with the election campaign just beginning, NDI and its Country Director will continue to attract the close scrutiny of the government. End Comment. LITZENBERGER