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C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 BISHKEK 001296 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR SCA/CEN 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/21/2019 
TAGS: PGOV PREL KG
SUBJECT: CONTINUING EFFORTS BY THE PRESIDENTIAL SECRETARIAT 
TO REFORM KYRGYZ SOCIETY AND POLICIES 
 
Classified By: Ambassador Tatiana C. Gfoeller, for Reasons 1.4 (b) and 
(d). 
 
¶1. (C) SUMMARY: During a friendly lunch at the Ambassador's 
residence, Oksana Malevanaya, the Head of the Presidential 
Secretariat, discussed the continuing Islamization of Kyrgyz 
society, its impact on human and women's rights, and the 
Secretariat's plans to address the increasing spread of Islam 
in Kyrgyzstan.  The dynamic, self-described "Jewish single 
mother" provided her feelings on the Kyrgyz religion law and 
the return of Radio Azattyk to Government radio and 
television, and also detailed the Secretariat's work to 
reform the judicial system and develop a new foreign policy 
framework.  End Summary. 
 
¶2. (C) The Ambassador lunched with Oksana Malevanaya, the 
Head of the Presidential Secretariat, on December 8 to 
discuss the Secretariat's latest activities and seek 
Malevanaya's thoughts on a number of human and women's 
rights-related issues.  The meeting was cordial and 
Malevanaya appeared willing to speak frankly regarding her 
opinions on several sensitive issues. 
 
CONCERNS ABOUT GROWING RELIGIOUSITY 
----------------------------------- 
 
¶3. (C) Malevanaya discussed several of the Secretariat's 
current efforts, including a plan to address the increasing 
Islamization of Kyrgyzstan.  Malevanaya admitted that 
President Bakiyev in particular had become concerned with the 
spread of Islam throughout southern Kyrgyzstan, and had asked 
the Secretariat to devise a plan to slow this trend. 
According to Malevanaya, the President acknowledged that 
while the Soviet System had many faults, one of its positive 
attributes in his mind was the creation of a secular state. 
President Bakiyev had become especially concerned with 
Islam's negative impact on Kyrgyz women. 
 
¶4. (C) Malevanaya noted to the Ambassador that the form of 
Islam practiced in Kyrgyzstan was not a pure Islam but 
instead contained certain Pagan traditions that were not 
practiced by other Muslim nations.  Though still in the early 
stages, Malevanaya planned to emphasis Kyrgyzstan's 
pre-Islamic religions (such as Tengrianism) and traditions 
and the idea of tolerance as opposed to strict orthodoxy. 
Malevanaya admitted that while the Government would continue 
to pay lip service to the idea of a tolerant/moderate version 
on Islam in Kyrgyzstan, Malevanaya did not think a moderate 
form of Islam was possible.  Therefore, while the plan would 
nominally uphold Islamic traditions, the actual goal was to 
support and encourage more secular, progressive ideals. 
 
¶5. (C) Malevanaya continued by expressing alarm at the 
financial resources arriving to Kyrgyzstan from the Gulf 
states, especially Saudi Arabia, and Egypt that were being 
used to reshape religion in Kyrgyzstan.  Malevanaya claimed 
that the money was in certain cases being used to bribe 
Kyrgyz families into sending their children to madrassas. 
Malevanaya attributed this foreign influence and the spread 
of Islam in general to the corrupt and nave manner of the 
Government during the early 1990s.  She claimed that leaders 
as well as common Kyrgyz citizens were unaware of Islam's 
anti-human/women's rights positions during that time, and 
that foreigners with large financial resources who were 
looking to increase the influence of Islam were able to act 
freely then. 
 
RELIGIOUS FREEDOM & HUMAN RIGHTS 
-------------------------------- 
 
¶6. (C) The Ambassador regretted the law on religion adopted 
in early 2009, noting that the law was too restrictive and 
violated human and religious rights.  Malevanaya agreed with 
 
BISHKEK 00001296  002 OF 003 
 
 
the Ambassador, noting that the original goal of the law was 
to restrict Wahabbists and other radical Islamic 
proselytizers.  The result, however, was that the law 
restricted the action of inoffensive and non-violent 
Christian followers, while allowing radical Islam and the 
funding of it to continue.  Malevanaya observed that the 
intended Islamic groups were too secretive to be impacted by 
the law and that only law-abiding religious entities were 
being affected.  Malevanaya stated that she would be working 
on revising this law such that it more properly addressed the 
true threat of radical Islamic groups. 
 
¶7. (C) The Ambassador criticized the current human rights 
situation in the country, noting the recent killing and 
beatings of journalists and the politically motivated trials 
against opposition supporters.  Malevanaya agreed and 
acknowledged that the Government needed to do more to improve 
the human rights climate.  She added that the Government was 
exploring ways to boost the authority of the Ombudsman in 
order to give the Office more authority to ensure that the 
Government respected human rights.  The Ambassador also 
raised the idea of holding a women's rights conference in 
Bishkek and sought Malevanaya's willingness to participate in 
the forum.  Malevanaya pledged her utmost cooperation for 
such an event, and promised to send the Ambassador possible 
themes as well as information on prominent Kyrgyz women who 
could also participate. 
 
¶8. (C) The Ambassador raised the issue of Radio Azattyk with 
Malevanaya, and strongly urged her, along with the new 
Director of the Kyrgyz National Television and Radio Company 
(KTR), to reconsider placing Radio Azattyk back on the air. 
Malevanaya replied frankly that she was a supporter of 
freedom of speech, but stated that Radio Azattyk had 
developed a stance that every decision made by the Government 
was incorrect.  Malevanaya noted that President Bakiyev had 
been insulted by the attacks waged against him by Azattyk, 
and that Azattyk conducted attacks not only against the 
President's policies but against him personally.  Malevanaya 
explained that BBC news had returned to KTR because it took a 
more fair and balanced approach.  After being further pushed 
by the Ambassador, Malevanaya agreed to a future conversation 
and/or meeting with Radio Liberty officials at which time she 
would be willing to explain her concerns.  Malevanaya 
admitted that she could be persuaded to change her position 
and support the return of Radio Azattyk programming were 
Azattyk to agree to a more balanced approach. 
 
ADDITIONAL GOVERNMENT REFORMS 
----------------------------- 
 
¶9. (C) In addition to the already mentioned activities of the 
Secretariat, Malevanaya explained that she was currently 
involved in devising a program of judicial reform that the 
President hoped to introduce before the end of the year. 
Additionally, Malevanaya noted that the Secretariat, and not 
the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, was drafting a new strategy 
for Kyrgyz external relations that President Bakiyev planned 
to share with the general public during a televised speech on 
December 24. 
 
¶10. (C) The Ambassador questioned Malevanaya regarding the 
recent closure of the Drug Control Agency (DCA) and its 
absorption into the Ministry of Internal Affairs (MIA), 
noting the previously strong cooperation between the DCA and 
the U.S. Government.  Malevanaya noted that there had 
previously been too many overlapping agencies and that for 
this reason, the DCA's responsibilities had been assumed by 
the Ministry of Interal Affairs.  Malevanaya stated that in 
principle, the Government's position on drug cooperation 
would not change.  Malevanaya stated she had recently 
received a report detailing the Government's revised drug 
plans, but admitted to not yet having fully digested the 
 
BISHKEK 00001296  003 OF 003 
 
 
report. 
 
BIOGRAPHY NOTES 
--------------- 
 
¶11. (C) In discussing her family, Malevanaya stated proudly 
that she is "a Jewish single mother."  She explained that her 
maternal great grandfather had moved from France to Russia in 
1914, in some capacity having to do with World War I.  There, 
he met and married a Russian woman, and the two settled in 
Moscow.  Malevanaya's father's family was from Ukraine and 
Lodz, Poland.  After marrying, Malevanaya's parents resided 
in Russia before moving to Kyrgyzstan at an unspecified time. 
 Malevanaya herself was born in Kyrgyzstan. 
 
¶12. (C)  Malevanaya spoke of her sister Larisa, who works as 
a journalist and is considered an expert in human rights. 
Malevanaya told the Ambassador that she has a 15 year old 
daughter, Alissa, and a 1.5 year old son, Donat.  When 
speaking of her husband, Malevanaya claimed to the Ambassador 
that he had "died tragically" in March 2009 without providing 
any additional details.  Based on the stated timing of her 
husband's death and the widely reported relationship between 
Malevanaya and former Presidential Chief of Staff Medet 
Sadyrkulov, Embassy suspects that Malevanaya was referring to 
Sadyrkulov in this instance. 
GFOELLER