INSTRUCTIONS ON MANAS

S E C R E T STATE 017012 E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/23/2019 TAGS: MARR MOPS PGOV PREL KG SUBJECT: INSTRUCTIONS ON MANAS REF: BISHKEK 00150 Classified By: A/S Boucher for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d) ¶1. (S) The Ambassador should seek an appointment with officials at the highest level possible who can speak authoritatively for President Bakiyev and convey the following points. ¶2. (S) Begin Talking Points: -- I am under instructions from the highest levels of my government to deliver a specific message about our presence at Manas Airbase. -- You formally notified us on Friday February 20 of your decision to abrogate our agreement regarding access to the Manas airbase. We are prepared to commence an orderly withdrawal of our presence within the 180 day period stipulated in the agreement. -- Our leaving Manas will mean the end of a substantial and reliable stream of existing base payments. It will mean the discontinuation of hundreds of millions of dollars per year for the fuel contract at Manas, $17.4M per year in direct compensation to your government, over $23M per year in fees paid to Manas International Airport, and over $23M per year paid to local contractors and charities by the Air Base. -- All of this provides employment and contributes directly to Kyrgyzstan's economy. Other base-related assistance currently budgeted or under discussion with you (including $30M for the new long-range air traffic control system and $36.6M for permanent infrastructure improvements at the base) would no longer be justified. -- This is a regrettable step. Manas has been an important element of our common struggle against violent extremism and contributes to the coalition's operations in Afghanistan. -- But Manas is not irreplaceable. We have assessed the alternatives to Manas and determined we have adequate options that will facilitate military operations in Afghanistan without the Manas base. -- On February 2 we proposed to more than double direct base compensation to approximately $40M. That proposal contained an offer to establish a joint economic development fund and to seek funding for new counter terrorism and counter narcotics programs. The total package of additional lease compensation and other new programs was over $100M. -- Despite your notification to us to close the base, if you are prepared to engage seriously on our February 2 proposal, we would be prepared to send out a negotiating team to finalize a new agreement. -- To be clear, we cannot negotiate based on your February 2 counter proposal. More specifically, we cannot meet your demand for $300 million for leasing the base annually. And moving the base to Osh is not an option. -- Our negotiating team would be prepared to see if there is justification for a somewhat larger payment than our February 2 base compensation offer, but only if it's possible to reach an agreement in short order. CLINTON