Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
10ASTANA268
2010-02-26 05:26:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Astana
Cable title:
KAZAKHSTAN: SPECIAL REPRESENTATIVE HOLBROOKE'S
how-toVZCZCXRO3934 RR RUEHBI RUEHCI RUEHDBU RUEHFL RUEHKW RUEHLA RUEHLH RUEHNEH RUEHNP RUEHPW RUEHROV RUEHSL RUEHSR DE RUEHTA #0268 0570526 ZNY CCCCC ZZH R 260526Z FEB 10 ZDK FM AMEMBASSY ASTANA TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 7545 INFO RUCNCLS/ALL SOUTH AND CENTRAL ASIA COLLECTIVE RUCNCIS/CIS COLLECTIVE 2537 RUEHZL/EUROPEAN POLITICAL COLLECTIVE RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING 1883 RUEHUL/AMEMBASSY SEOUL 1497 RUEHKO/AMEMBASSY TOKYO 2589 RUEHBUL/AMEMBASSY KABUL 0469 RHMFISS/CDR USCENTCOM MACDILL AFB FL RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC RUCPDOC/DEPT OF COMMERCE WASHINGTON DC RHMFISS/DEPT OF ENERGY WASHINGTON DC RUEATRS/DEPT OF TREASURY WASHINGTON DC RHEFAAA/DIA WASHDC RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC 2081 RUEKJCS/JOINT STAFF WASHDC RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC 1928
C O N F I D E N T I A L ASTANA 000268
SIPDIS
STATE FOR SCA/CEN, S/SRAP, EUR/RPM, NEA, DRL
E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/06/2059
TAGS: PGOV PREL MARR AF KZ
SUBJECT: KAZAKHSTAN: SPECIAL REPRESENTATIVE HOLBROOKE'S
MEETING WITH PRIME MINISTER MASIMOV, FEBRUARY 21
REF: ASTANA 0267
Classified By: Ambassador Richard E. Hoagland, 1.4 (b),(d)
C O N F I D E N T I A L ASTANA 000268
SIPDIS
STATE FOR SCA/CEN, S/SRAP, EUR/RPM, NEA, DRL
E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/06/2059
TAGS: PGOV PREL MARR AF KZ
SUBJECT: KAZAKHSTAN: SPECIAL REPRESENTATIVE HOLBROOKE'S
MEETING WITH PRIME MINISTER MASIMOV, FEBRUARY 21
REF: ASTANA 0267
Classified By: Ambassador Richard E. Hoagland, 1.4 (b),(d)
1. (U) This is an action request, see paragraph 5.
2. (C) Special Representative for Afghanistan and Pakistan
Ambassador Richard Holbrooke met with Prime Minister Karim
Masimov in Astana on February 21. Deputy Foreign Minister
Kairat Umarov and MFA Americas Director Askar Tazhiyev, as
well as the Ambassador, attended the 30-minute meeting that
was followed by a 50-minute Holbrooke-Masimov one-on-one.
Masimov warmly welcomed Holbrooke and thanked him for
visiting Kazakhstan, noting Astana's desire for more, and
more frequent, very high-level meetings.
3. (C) In the 30-minute meeting, Holbrooke:
-- pressed for Kazakhstan to move quickly to grant the U.S.
request for a north-south overflight route to supply U.S.
troops in Afghanistan;
-- made clear that the withdrawal of some U.S. troops from
Afghanistan that would begin in July 2011 should not be
interpreted as a sign that the United States is wavering on
its commitment to Afghanistan. He said we would not repeat
the mistakes of 1989, after the Soviet withdrawal from
Afghanistan, when the United States abandoned Afghanistan and
curtailed our relationship with Pakistan. Holbrooke said,
"We are not leaving!"
4. (C) During the 50-minute one-on-one, Holbrooke and
Masimov discussed the Nuclear Security Summit (NSS),the
possible OSCE summit, the U.S. request for north-south
overflight, our request for armored but not weaponized
wheeled military vehicles (MATVs) to transit Kazakhstani
territory via the Northern Distribution Network, and the need
to release imprisoned human rights activist Yevgeniy Zhovtis.
In a discussion of possible sequencing of moves, Holbrooke
said that, at a minimum, Kazakhstan should approve the
north-south overflight request before the NSS. (NOTE: In a
subsequent meeting (reftel),State Secretary-Foreign Minister
Kanat Saudabayev revealed that approval to transit MATVs
would be one of the deliverables Nazarbayev would take prior
to the NSS. END NOTE.) Masimov expected Zhovtis to be
released after the proposed Obama-Nazarbayev meeting
presumably in the general amnesty expected in the summer.
5. (C) ACTION REQUEST: Also, Masimov told Holbrooke that at
the request of former Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, he
will visit Lebanon and Jordan in March. Holbrooke said he
would ask NEA to provide, through Amb. Hogland, background
papers for the Prime Minister,s trip. (COMMENT: It is
unusual for Masimov to travel officially outside of
Kazakhstan, and even more so for him to undertake a
diplomatic mission. We will also follow up with the Israeli
Embassy in Astana. END COMMENT).
6. (U) Ambassador Holbrooke has cleared this cable.
HOAGLAND
SIPDIS
STATE FOR SCA/CEN, S/SRAP, EUR/RPM, NEA, DRL
E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/06/2059
TAGS: PGOV PREL MARR AF KZ
SUBJECT: KAZAKHSTAN: SPECIAL REPRESENTATIVE HOLBROOKE'S
MEETING WITH PRIME MINISTER MASIMOV, FEBRUARY 21
REF: ASTANA 0267
Classified By: Ambassador Richard E. Hoagland, 1.4 (b),(d)
1. (U) This is an action request, see paragraph 5.
2. (C) Special Representative for Afghanistan and Pakistan
Ambassador Richard Holbrooke met with Prime Minister Karim
Masimov in Astana on February 21. Deputy Foreign Minister
Kairat Umarov and MFA Americas Director Askar Tazhiyev, as
well as the Ambassador, attended the 30-minute meeting that
was followed by a 50-minute Holbrooke-Masimov one-on-one.
Masimov warmly welcomed Holbrooke and thanked him for
visiting Kazakhstan, noting Astana's desire for more, and
more frequent, very high-level meetings.
3. (C) In the 30-minute meeting, Holbrooke:
-- pressed for Kazakhstan to move quickly to grant the U.S.
request for a north-south overflight route to supply U.S.
troops in Afghanistan;
-- made clear that the withdrawal of some U.S. troops from
Afghanistan that would begin in July 2011 should not be
interpreted as a sign that the United States is wavering on
its commitment to Afghanistan. He said we would not repeat
the mistakes of 1989, after the Soviet withdrawal from
Afghanistan, when the United States abandoned Afghanistan and
curtailed our relationship with Pakistan. Holbrooke said,
"We are not leaving!"
4. (C) During the 50-minute one-on-one, Holbrooke and
Masimov discussed the Nuclear Security Summit (NSS),the
possible OSCE summit, the U.S. request for north-south
overflight, our request for armored but not weaponized
wheeled military vehicles (MATVs) to transit Kazakhstani
territory via the Northern Distribution Network, and the need
to release imprisoned human rights activist Yevgeniy Zhovtis.
In a discussion of possible sequencing of moves, Holbrooke
said that, at a minimum, Kazakhstan should approve the
north-south overflight request before the NSS. (NOTE: In a
subsequent meeting (reftel),State Secretary-Foreign Minister
Kanat Saudabayev revealed that approval to transit MATVs
would be one of the deliverables Nazarbayev would take prior
to the NSS. END NOTE.) Masimov expected Zhovtis to be
released after the proposed Obama-Nazarbayev meeting
presumably in the general amnesty expected in the summer.
5. (C) ACTION REQUEST: Also, Masimov told Holbrooke that at
the request of former Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, he
will visit Lebanon and Jordan in March. Holbrooke said he
would ask NEA to provide, through Amb. Hogland, background
papers for the Prime Minister,s trip. (COMMENT: It is
unusual for Masimov to travel officially outside of
Kazakhstan, and even more so for him to undertake a
diplomatic mission. We will also follow up with the Israeli
Embassy in Astana. END COMMENT).
6. (U) Ambassador Holbrooke has cleared this cable.
HOAGLAND