(U) KUDOS FOR BIOGRAPHIC REPORTING ON

S E C R E T STATE 011161

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/03/2035
TAGS: PINR KZ
SUBJECT: (U) KUDOS FOR BIOGRAPHIC REPORTING ON
KAZAKHSTANI OFFICIALS DURING JULY-DECEMBER 2009

REF: A. ASTANA 001366

B. ASTANA 001438

C. ASTANA 001450

D. ASTANA 001512

E. ASTANA 001518

F. ASTANA 001902

G. ASTANA 001903

H. ASTANA 002158

I. ASTANA 002200

Classified By: ELISSA G. PITTERLE, DIRECTOR, INR/OPS


1. (C) WASHINGTON ANALYSTS APPRECIATE AND RELY HEAVILY ON
POST'S REPORTING ON KAZAKHSTANI OFFICIALS FOR USE BY U.S.
POLICYMAKERS. REFS A-I ARE REPRESENTATIVE OF POST'S
OUTSTANDING BIOGRAPHIC REPORTING OVER THE PAST SIX MONTHS.


A. (C) REF A PROVIDED EXCELLENT LANGUAGE ON HOW THE NEW
MINISTER OF DEFENSE DZHAKSYBEKOV CAME ACROSS DURING THE
MEETING - "RELAXED AND PERSONABLE, WELL-BRIEFED," AND
"DEMONSTRATING A CONSULTATIVE LEADERSHIP STYLE." WE ALSO
APPRECIATED POST'S ASSESSMENT OF DZHAKSYBEKOV'S
ENGLISH-LANGUAGE CAPABILITY.


B. (C) SIMILARLY, REF B INCLUDED A DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF
KULIBAYEV, "PRESIDENT NAZARBAYEV'S TANNED AND PERFECTLY
MANICURED BILLIONAIRE SON-IN-LAW." IN ADDITION TO THE DATA
POINTS ON KULIBAYEV'S ENGLISH-LANGUAGE CAPABILITY, WE READ
WITH INTEREST THE CHARACTERIZATION OF THE VERY INFLUENTIAL
KULIBAYEV AS HAVING THE "GRACE OF A STATESMAN" AND PRESENTING
HIMSELF AS "CLEARLY IN COMMAND."


C. (C) THE PERSONAL INFORMATION IN REF C HELPED FLESH OUT
PREVIOUS, MORE TWO-DIMENSIONAL DESCRIPTIONS OF DEPUTY
MINISTER OF DEFENSE ADMIRAL RATMIR KOMRATOV.


D. (C) REF D NICELY ILLUSTRATED HOW EASILY SAUDABAYEV CAN
CHANGE HIS DEMEANOR - FROM "UNCHARACTERISTICALLY RESERVED,
ALMOST GRIM" TO BROADLY SMILING AND EMBRACING - IN MEETINGS
WITH U.S. OFFICIALS.


E. (C) REF E PROVIDED GOOD CAREER BACKGROUND ON DEPUTY
FOREIGN MINISTER KAIRAT UMAROV AS WELL AS DATA POINTS ON HIS
RELATIONSHIP WITH SAUDABAYEV.


F. (SBU) WE APPRECIATED THE INFORMATION ON A REGIONAL
OFFICIAL IN REF F, INCLUDING THE DESCRIPTION OF AKIM
(GOVERNOR) KRYMBEK KUSHERBAYEV AS "URBANE" AND
"SOPHISTICATED."


G. (C) REF G PROVIDED INSIGHTFUL LANGUAGE ON YERMUKHAMED
YERTYSBAYEV, A "LOOSE-CANNON GADFLY," WHO IS OPERATING UNDER
A "DARK CLOUD IN THE CURRENT CORRUPTION CLEAN-UP CAMPAIGN."


H. (S) REF H NICELY CONTRASTED ADIL SHAYAKHMETOV'S MORE
POSITIVE DEMEANOR - "RELATIVELY RESERVED AND BUSINESSLIKE BUT
NOT UNFRIENDLY" - WITH THE BRUSQUE AND ABRUPT BEHAVIOR OF HIS
PREDECESSOR, AMANGELDY SHABDARBAYEV.


I. (SBU) WE APPRECIATED LANGUAGE IN REF I, INCLUDING KARIM
MASIMOV'S "STRONG GRASP OF THE BIG PICTURE AND SMALLEST
DETAIL" AND HIS "ABILITY TO ADAPT TO CHANGING CIRCUMSTANCES."


2. (SBU) THANKS AGAIN. WE ENCOURAGE POST TO CONTINUE ITS
SOLID RECORD OF BIOGRAPHIC REPORTING.
CLINTON