KAZAKHSTAN'S DELEGATION TO THE PRESIDENTIAL

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ASTANA 000175 SENSITIVE SIPDIS STATE FOR SCA/CEN, EEB/ESC, S/P, R/PPR STATE PLEASE PASS TO USTDA E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PGOV PREL ECON EINV SOCI KZ SUBJECT: KAZAKHSTAN'S DELEGATION TO THE PRESIDENTIAL ENTREPRENEURSHIP SUMMIT REF: (A) STATE 4423 (B) 09 ASTANA 2157 (C) 09 STATE 112495 (D) 09 ASTANA 2099 ASTANA 00000175 001.3 OF 002 ¶1. (U) Sensitive but unclassified. Not for public Internet. ¶2. (U) SUMMARY AND ACTION REQUEST: See paragraph 5 for Action Request. All three of Kazakhstan's approved nominees to the Presidential Entrepreneurship Summit have confirmed their participation in the Summit on April 26-27. Post will continue to conduct representational and public diplomacy events to promote the goals of the Summit and to facilitate partnerships among business owners and other community leaders in support of entrepreneurship and economic opportunity in Kazakhstan. END SUMMARY. ¶3. (SBU) Kazakhstan's delegation to the Presidential Entrepreneurship Summit will include: -- Nurlan Kapparov, a 39-year old multi-millionaire who got his start in the oil business and now runs a successful international corporation with interests in the energy, tourism, and construction sectors. Kapparov is also Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Jambyl Foundation, co-founder of the Harvard Club of Central Asia (HCCA),and co-founder of Kazakhstan's chapter of the Young Presidents Organization. -- Yerzhan Mandiyev, 37, president of AziaAvto, which assembles Niva, Skoda, and General Motors vehicles. Mandiyev is an active promoter of entrepreneurial values and represents the interests of domestic entrepreneurs as a member of the management board of the Atameken Union of Entrepreneurs and the Presidential Council of Entrepreneurs. -- Raimbek Batalov, 39, founder and Chairman of Raimbek Group, a diversified food products company established in 1992. In 2002, Batalov was elected Chairman of the Board of the Forum of Entrepreneurs, a position he continues to hold today. Batalov has also been a member of the Presidential Council of Entrepreneurs since 2006. ¶4. (SBU) Kapparov and Batalov have valid U.S. visas and travel to the United States regularly on business. Mandiyev has visited the United States previously on business, but does not currently have a valid U.S. visa. The Consular Section has been apprised of the purpose of Mandiyev's visit to the United States, and has scheduled an interview for him on March 3. ¶5. (SBU) ACTION REQUEST: Yerzhan Mandiyev has asked for USG assistance to arrange a meeting with representatives from General Motors (GM),which licenses vehicles sold by AziaAvto. According to Mandiyev, the Cadillac vehicles his company assembles urgently need a Cadillac premium part. He informed Econ Officer on February 3 that AziaAvto reached agreement with GM through their European office in Budapest to produce Cadillac vehicles. However, as a result of GM's reorganization, the Budapest office no longer recognizes the licensing arrangement, and AziaAvto cannot renew orders for parts from the United States. Mandiyev has requested a meeting with GM executives in Washington, D.C. or Detroit during his visit to the United States for the Summit. Post would appreciate guidance and recommendations from EEB and the Department of Commerce in particular. END ACTION REQUEST. ¶6. (SBU) On February 25, the Ambassador will host an evening reception for all 12 of Kazakhstan's original nominees to the Presidential Entrepreneurship Summit (ref D). In addition, the Ambassador has invited diplomats from the Middle East and Europe in order to highlight the connection between the Summit and the President's June 2009 Cairo speech. Post will continue to host, facilitate, and promote public diplomacy events with entrepreneurs and community leaders as the date of the Summit approaches. In ASTANA 00000175 002.3 OF 002 addition, Post will continue to engage with potential partners, companies, foundations, philanthropists, NGOs, and leaders from educational institutions to generate commitments and forge partnerships that could be profiled at the Summit in USG officials, remarks, fact sheets and press releases. SPRATLEN