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Viewing cable 06ALMATY3273, BOUCHER TO DZHAKSYBEKOV: CONCRETE PROGRESS ON

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Reference ID Created Released Classification Origin
06ALMATY3273 2006-09-18 06:45 2011-08-24 01:00 UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY US Office Almaty
VZCZCXRO5590
PP RUEHDBU RUEHLN RUEHVK RUEHYG
DE RUEHTA #3273/01 2610645
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 180645Z SEP 06
FM AMEMBASSY ALMATY
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 6963
INFO RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC
RUCNCIS/CIS COLLECTIVE
RUEHIL/AMEMBASSY ISLAMABAD 2077
RUEHBUL/AMEMBASSY KABUL 0259
RUEHNE/AMEMBASSY NEW DELHI 0384
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 ALMATY 003273 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPARTMENT FOR SCA/CEN (M. O'MARA) 
 
PLEASE PASS USTR 
 
NSC FOR MILLARD, MERKEL 
 
E.O. 193056: N/A 
TAGS: PREL PGOV KDEM ETRD MOPS AF KZ
SUBJECT: BOUCHER TO DZHAKSYBEKOV: CONCRETE PROGRESS ON 
DEMOCRACY NEEDED BEFORE NAZARBAYEV VISIT 
 
 
1. (SBU) Summary: In a September 8 meeting with Presidential 
Administration head Dzhaksybekov, Assistant Secretary 
Boucher outlined U.S. hopes for President Nazarbayev's 
upcoming visit to Washington, pressing on the importance of 
showing concrete progress on democratic reform.  In the 
context of the visit, the two also discussed Chairmanship of 
the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe for 
2009, which Dzhaksybekov said President Nazarbayev will not 
raise with President Bush.  Dzhaksybekov highlighted 
Kazakhstan's efforts in the war on terrorism and requested a 
statement of U.S. support during the visit for Kazakhstan's 
early World Trade Organization accession.  End summary. 
 
2. (U) Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central 
Asian Affairs Richard Boucher met on September 8 in Astana 
with Presidential Administration head Adilbek Dzhaksybekov. 
The Ambassador and Pol-Econ chief (notetaker) were also 
present.  From the Kazakhstani side, head of the MFA's 
European Cooperation Department Yerkin Akinzhanov 
participated. 
 
------------------------------ 
Nazarbayev Visit to Washington 
------------------------------ 
 
3. (SBU) A/S Boucher informed Dzhaksybekov that his primary 
reason for visiting Astana was to discuss issues related to 
President Nazarbayev's upcoming visit to Washington.  The 
U.S. expected the visit to be very positive, reflecting the 
strategic breadth and depth of bilateral cooperation. 
Kazakhstan had made significant strides on economic and 
energy issues, as well as on security and regional 
development.  The President would be looking forward to 
hearing President Nazarbayev's views on the process of 
building democratic institutions, Boucher added.  Noting 
that there had been much public discussion of Kazakhstan's 
democratic reform plans, including by Deputy Foreign 
Minister Aliyev at the recent session of the Democratization 
Commission, Boucher asked what new developments Nazarbayev 
would share with the President.  A/S Boucher pointed out 
that the U.S. press would likely be critical of Kazakhstan's 
record on democracy, making it all the more important to be 
able to point to concrete progress. 
 
4. (SBU) Dzhaksybekov responded that the Kazakhstani 
government is looking forward to President Nazarbayev's 
visit to Washington, which is viewed as one of the biggest 
events of the year.  He noted that Kazakhstan considered its 
ties to the U.S. a priority, along with its relationships 
with Russia and China.  Dzhaksybekov recalled that during 
the recent G-8 summit in St. Petersburg Nazarbayev had 
reiterated his commitment to economic and political 
stability while developing democratic principles. 
Kazakhstan strives to be a full-fledged member of the 
international community, in the spirit of partners such as 
the U.S., according to Dzhaksybekov.  Although the 
international community sometimes criticized developments in 
Kazakhstan, such as recent amendments to the media law, 
these measures enjoy public support.  In the case of the 
media law amendments, Dzhaksybekov said, the public demanded 
that the government control the situation; the amendments in 
question would ensure that no one could use the media to 
settle scores, create instability, incite interethnic 
hatred, or promote extremist views.  On the other hand, 
Dzhaksybekov claimed, media that want to criticize the 
government "face no obstacles."  He asked Boucher to inform 
the President that public impressions of Kazakhstan as a 
country without freedom of speech are not accurate; in fact, 
papers such as Vremya and numerous independent radio 
stations are often quite critical. 
 
---------------- 
Political Reform 
---------------- 
 
5. (SBU) Dzhaksybekov told A/S Boucher that Nazarbayev would 
inform the President about the work underway on political 
reform.  The Democratization Commission, which would work 
until the end of 2006, was looking at ways to strengthen the 
role of parliament, establish representative bodies at the 
 
ALMATY 00003273  002 OF 003 
 
 
local level, ensure satisfactory conditions for political 
parties, increase the ability of citizens to influence their 
government, guarantee the independence of ministers, and 
preserve the role of the president as the guarantor of 
stability.  After the Democratization Commission presents 
its proposals, Nazarbayev would comment on them publicly. 
 
6. (SBU) A/S Boucher told Dzhaksybekov that the U.S. 
supports the vision of democratic reform that Kazakhstan has 
outlined, and recognizes that each country must find its own 
path.  He noted that the areas that Dzhaksybekov had listed, 
such as strengthening the role of parliament, local 
representative bodies, and political parties, were important 
aspects of building the democratic institutions that will 
guarantee long-term stability.  Boucher asked whether there 
would be concrete progress to point to during the visit, 
such as a new election law or the inclusion of the 
opposition in the Democratization Commission.  The more 
serious and visible dialogue is taking place in Kazakhstan, 
Boucher noted, the more confidence others will have that 
progress is occurring.  Dzhaksybekov did not respond to the 
question directly. 
 
--------------------- 
OSCE Chairmanship Bid 
--------------------- 
 
7. (SBU) Dzhaksybekov told A/S Boucher that he had read the 
U.S. nonpaper on Kazakhstan's bid to chair the OSCE in 2009. 
"While I can't say I agree with your point of view," he 
added, "not obtaining the chairmanship will have no impact 
on the Kazakhstani economy or the internal situation." 
Dzhaksybekov explained that Kazakhstan was seeking to chair 
the OSCE for reasons of principle.  U.S. support would 
confirm the wisdom of Kazakhstan's policy course, be seen as 
important moral support, and provide an example to other 
countries such as Russia "where there is only a faade of 
democracy" rather than real change from the inside as in 
Kazakhstan. 
 
8. (SBU) Kazakhstan faces many challenges such as 
corruption, Dzhaksybekov conceded.  Nevertheless there are a 
growing number of people such as managers and journalists 
who have an "independent mentality" and criticize the status 
quo.  "The next government" will therefore have to listen to 
society, Dzhaksybekov concluded.  Reiterating the work 
underway on political reform, including judicial reform, 
strengthening the independence of parliament, and expanded 
direct elections, Dzhaksybekov explained that Nazarbayev's 
policy was carefully calculated to allow Kazakhstanis to 
live in a free but secure society, given the risks present 
in the region.  Under current circumstances it will "not be 
fatal" if Kazakhstan does not receive the chairmanship in 
2009, Dzhaksybekov said.  Nazarbayev would not raise the 
issue during his meetings in Washington.  A/S Boucher agreed 
that the topic did not need to be debated during the visit, 
adding that the U.S. welcomes Kazakhstan's desire to play a 
more active role in the OSCE. 
 
---------------- 
War on Terrorism 
---------------- 
 
9. (SBU) Kazakhstan supports the U.S. in Afghanistan and in 
Iraq, Dzhaksybekov reminded A/S Boucher.  The Kazakhstani 
presence in Iraq was becoming increasingly difficult to 
maintain due to internal pressure, he claimed.  Dzhaksybekov 
said that Nazarbayev's advisors have at times advised him to 
sQ