(U) KUDOS FOR REPORTING ON KAZAKHSTAN ARRESTS

C O N F I D E N T I A L STATE 102964 NOFORN SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/02/2034 TAGS: PINR ECON EFIN ENRG PGOV KZ SUBJECT: (U) KUDOS FOR REPORTING ON KAZAKHSTAN ARRESTS (C-RE9-01910) REF: A. ASTANA 000677 ¶B. ASTANA 000680 ¶C. ASTANA 000535 ¶D. ASTANA 001439 ¶E. ASTANA 001255 ¶F. ASTANA 000953 Classified By: MICHAEL P. OWENS, ACTING DIR, INR/OPS. REASON: 1.4(C). ¶1. (C/NF) WASHINGTON ANALYSTS GREATLY APPRECIATED REFTELS' COVERAGE OF THE ARRESTS OF KAZAKHSTANI GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS ON CORRUPTION CHARGES AND RECENT CAMPAIGN TO FIGHT THE SYSTEMIC NATURE OF CORRUPTION. THE INSIGHTS ON THE ENDEMIC LEVEL OF CORRUPTION, AND THE EPIDEMIC OF RECENT ARRESTS OF MUKHTAR DZHAKISHEV, NURLAN ISKAKOV, SERIK BURKITBAYEV, ZHAKSYBEK KULEKEYEV, AND MUKTAR ABLYAZOV, WERE OF SIGNIFICANT VALUE. WE WOULD GREATLY APPRECIATE ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION, ESPECIALLY THE NAMES AND SPECIFIC DETAILS REGARDING THE ARRESTS AND CHARGES OF ANY ADDITIONAL INDIVIDUALS, AS WELL AS THOSE PREVIOUSLY LISTED, AS TIME AND RESOURCES PERMIT. ¶A. (C) DOES THIS RECENT CAMPAIGN TO FIGHT GOVERNMENT CORRUPTION HAVE A FOCUS SOLELY ON GOVERNMENT AND OPPOSITION OFFICIALS? HOW ARE THOSE WHO ARE ARRESTED BEING SELECTED? ¶B. (C) WHAT INDICATIONS, IF ANY, ARE THERE THAT THIS CAMPAIGN IS A KAZAKHSTANI COMMITTEE FOR NATIONAL SECURITY (KNB) POWERGRAB? ARE OTHER ORGANIZATIONS BESIDES THE KNB RESPONSIBLE FOR ANY ARRESTS OR DOES IT APPEAR THAT KNB IS ASSERTING ITS AUTHORITY? ¶C. (C) WHAT INDICATIONS EXIST THAT THESE ARRESTS ARE AN EFFORT TO CLEAR THE WAY FOR A CHOSEN SUCCESSOR TO NAZARBAYEV? ¶D. (C) PLEASE PROVIDE ANY INFORMATION REGARDING AFFILIATIONS, ARRESTS, AND CHARGES ON THE FOLLOWING INDIVIDUALS, AS TIME AND RESOURCES ALLOW: -KAZHIMURAT MAYERMANOV, DEPUTY DEFENSE MINISTER -YURIY TLEUMURATOV, CHAIRMAN OF THE FINANCIAL CONTROL COMMITTEE AT THE MINISTRY OF FINANCE -VIKTOR KHRAPUNOV, MINISTER OF EMERGENCY SITUATIONS -NURMAN BAYANOV, DEPUTY HEAD OF THE STATISTICS AGENCY -KHAKIMZHAN ZHAMBURBAYEV, KAZAKH TRANSPORT AND COMMUNICATION MINISTRY'S COMMITTEE FOR TRANSPORT CONTROL -YERDEN QAZHYBEK, FORMER HEAD OF THE LANGUAGES DEPARTMENT OF THE CULTURE AND INFORMATION MINISTRY -SULTAN NOGAYEV, HEAD OF THE NORTH KAZAKHSTAN DEPT. OF THE FINANCIAL POLICE -ASKAR NURMAGAMBETOV, HEAD OF THE CONSTRUCTION DEPARTMENT OF THE MAYOR OF ASTANA'S OFFICE TEMIRLAN KARIBEKOV, HEAD OF THE ASTANA HEALTHCARE DEPARTMENT ¶2. (U) PLEASE CITE C-RE9-01910 IN THE SUBJECT LINE OF REPORTING IN RESPONSE TO THE ABOVE QUESTIONS. CLINTON