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FM AMEMBASSY BISHKEK
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 7048
INFO RUCNCIS/CIS COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUEHAK/AMEMBASSY ANKARA PRIORITY 0515
RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING PRIORITY 1461
RUEHBUL/AMEMBASSY KABUL PRIORITY 0164
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC PRIORITY
RHEFDIA/DIA WASHDC PRIORITY
RUEKJCS/JOINT STAFF WASHDC PRIORITY
RHMFISS/USCENTCOM INTEL CEN MACDILL AFB FL PRIORITY
RUEHNO/USMISSION USNATO BRUSSELS BE PRIORITY
RUEHVEN/USMISSION USOSCE PRIORITY 1840
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK PRIORITY 1223
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC PRIORITY
RUEHBS/USEU BRUSSELS PRIORITY
RUEKJCS/OSD WASHDC PRIORITY

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 BISHKEK 000435 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/29/2016 
TAGS: KCOR PGOV PREL KCRM EAID ECON KG
SUBJECT: BUSINESS AS USUAL - KYRGYZ PRIVATE SECTOR 
FRUSTRATED BY GOVERNMENT CORRUPTION 
 
REF: A. 05 BISHKEK 1677 
     ¶B. BISHKEK 132 
 
Classified By: Ambassador Marie L. Yovanovitch, reasons 1.4 (b) and (d) 
 
 ¶1.  (C) SUMMARY:  Although corruption seemed to subside 
immediately after the March, 2005 overthrow of the Akayev 
government, local and foreign businesspeople now complain 
that government corruption is the same as under Akayev, or in 
some cases worse.  Many blame below subsistence-level 
government salaries that force employees to demand bribes 
from businesspeople.  Others note that they don't mind paying 
a bribe, but gripe about the fact that since the March "Tulip 
Revolution," it has become unclear whom to pay and how much. 
Clearly corruption is a serious impediment for American 
businesses and businesspeople due to the Foreign Corrupt 
Practices Act.  Most of the local and many of the 
non-American foreign businesspeople, however, see corruption 
as just another cost of doing business in Kyrgyzstan.  END 
SUMMARY. 
 
CORRUPTION TAKES A (SHORT) VACATION . . . 
----------------------------------------- 
 
¶2.  (C) Immediately following the March, 2005 "Tulip 
Revolution," then-Prime Minister Bakiyev spoke out decisively 
during televised speeches against corruption and promised 
that government corruption would no longer be tolerated. 
These statements actually may have had a positive (if 
temporary) effect.  Local and foreign businesspeople noted 
that, in the months following the March events, corrupt 
behavior by Kyrgyz government officials appeared to subside. 
 
¶3.  (C) Traffic police who routinely extorted money from 
businessmen driving expensive foreign automobiles began 
pulling over only those who actually broke the traffic rules, 
and then provided receipts for the fines.  Importers reported 
that customs officials had stopped requesting bribes and 
goods were clearing customs in hours, rather than weeks. 
Stephen Ansel, the then-General Manager of the Bishkek Hyatt 
Regency, said his hotel's importers noticed a significant 
decrease in the time and fees needed to clear their shipments 
through customs. 
 
. . . BUT COMES BACK WORSE THAN EVER 
------------------------------------ 
 
¶4.  (C) Unfortunately, government corruption levels quickly 
rebounded, and the administration's anti-corruption efforts 
(noted in reftel) proved hollow.  Initially, government 
anti-corruption efforts appeared to focus on taking revenge 
against those businesses believed (in some cases, 
erroneously) to be associated with the Akayev family.  Umar 
Shavurov, Executive Director of Kyrgyzstan's International 
Business Council (IBC) provided Pol/Econ Chief the results of 
a survey the IBC conducted in February 2006 of its members on 
government corruption.  The survey results indicated that 17 
percent of IBC member-respondents noted less corruption since 
the revolution, 39 percent reported no change, 13 percent 
reported slightly more corruption, and 30 percent noted much 
more corruption.  Shavurov commented that some of the IBC 
members have complained about an increase in visits by tax 
and other government inspectors. 
 
CORRUPTION PRESENT AT ALL LEVELS OF GOVERNMENT 
--------------------------------------------- - 
 
¶5.  (C) Although corruption is present at all levels of 
government, medium to small-scale businesses encounter 
corruption most when dealing with low-level bureaucrats. 
Shavurov told Pol/Econ Chief that IBC members most often 
experienced corruption when dealing with government officials 
who handle taxes, inspections, customs, and the provision of 
licensing.  Ermek Niyazov, director of Ermex, a computer firm 
in Bishkek, noted that corrupt tax and customs officials 
cause him the largest amount of grief.  He said that since 
those officials have the legal right to inspect every single 
 
BISHKEK 00000435  002 OF 003 
 
 
fiscal transaction or every imported item, they often drag 
out the customs clearance or tax inspection process 
indefinitely until they are offered a bribe. 
 
¶6.  (C) Bermet Karabekova, Enterprise Development Specialist 
of USAID contractor Pragma, told the Embassy that the Kyrgyz 
tax and customs regulations are very complicated, and corrupt 
officials use the complexity to confuse or intimidate 
businesspeople.  She also noted that the registration of a 
new business takes several months and often requires dozens 
of official certificates and licenses.  She has heard of 
instances when corrupt officials will propose to streamline 
the process for a "fee."  Many businesspeople will pay this 
bribe to save time. 
 
LOW WAGES, LACK OF POLITICAL WILL FUEL CORRUPTION 
--------------------------------------------- ---- 
 
¶7.  (C) A principal cause of mid and low-level government 
corruption appears to be that salaries are too low  to 
support a government employee's family without 
"enhancements."  Omurbek Abdrakhmanov, President of the 
Bishkek Business Council, lamented the pervasiveness of 
official corruption.  But he did not place blame on corrupt 
low-level official, whom he said had to find some way to feed 
his family.  Abdrakhmanov blamed a bloated bureaucracy, which 
has not substantially changed since  Soviet times, and low 
wages for creating a system that stifles business.  Computer 
Company Director Niyazov echoed the view that bureaucratic 
positions need to be eliminated, but noted that increasing 
the salaries of many customs officials even to $1,000 per 
month would have no effect since their illegal income is 
sometimes $10,000 per month.  He believes the only way to 
fight corruption is for the Kyrgyz government to demonstrate 
real political will to severely punish corrupt officials. 
 
"INSTABILITY IS WORSE THAN CORRUPTION" 
-------------------------------------- 
 
¶8.  (C) Some local and non-American foreign businesspeople 
expressed dismay over the prevalence of government 
corruption, but they still plan to pay whatever bribe needs 
to be paid.  Shavurov noted that most IBC members felt that 
political instability, civil unrest, and the government's 
inability to protect a business' assets are greater risks to 
doing business than corruption.  Abdrakhmanov also said that 
local businesspeople feared instability more than corruption, 
and in the end would pay a bribe if it would save them money 
or time.  This attitude puts American investors at a 
disadvantage because they are subject to the U.S. Foreign 
Corrupt Practices Act, which criminalizes bribery.  Large 
investors such as the Hyatt have enough political and 
financial clout to rebuff corrupt officials, yet smaller 
investors find it more difficult. 
 
¶9.  (U) The American Chamber of Commerce in Kyrgyzstan, 
created in January 2005, has grown from six dues-paying 
members to more than 45 in the last year.  This steep growth 
is in part due to the fact that it has become more active in 
publicly speaking out against improper behavior of government 
officials.  Its recently-developed website has an area where 
members can report government corruption.  The Chamber has 
been directly involved in issuing open letters and organizing 
media events that have spoken out against issues ranging from 
harassment of American corporate officials to artificial 
delays of imports by customs officials. 
 
¶10.  (U) The European Union-funded International Business 
Council (IBC) of Kyrgyzstan is older, larger, and takes a 
much more conservative approach, preferring to issue policy 
papers and organize working groups on various issues, rather 
than directly criticize the government.  Interestingly, 
Eduard Rausch, Chairman of the International Business 
Council, has also joined Amcham.  Rausch joined after having 
been impressed with AmCham's effective advocacy on behalf of 
U.S.-owned tobacco fermenter Dymon Tobacco, which was 
experiencing problems with the tax authorities.  David 
 
BISHKEK 00000435  003 OF 003 
 
 
Larson, AmCham Director in Kyrgyzstan, told Pol/Econ Chief 
that other IBC members had joined Amcham for similar reasons. 
 
COURAGE TO SPEAK OUT 
-------------------- 
 
¶11.  (C) Although many local and foreign business leaders are 
uncomfortable speaking publicly against corruption, there is 
a greater willingness to protest via a business council. 
Yusuf Ugur, the president of Beta Stores, (Kyrgyzstan's 
largest supermarket) noted diplomatically that he has never 
had problems with present or past Kyrgyz leadership.  (NOTE: 
his supermarket was completely gutted and partially burned 
during the looting of March 24, 2005, causing millions of 
dollars in damage.  END NOTE.)  However, he did admit that 
corruption and the present perception of political 
instability was a problem that did not encourage investment. 
 
¶12.  (C) COMMENT:  Many local and foreign investors believe 
that corruption is a permanent part of the Kyrgyz investment 
landscape and are reluctant to stand up alone against corrupt 
officials.  Business councils such as AmCham, the IBC, and 
Bishkek Business Council can provide cover and defense for 
businesses struggling with corruption.  Initiatives such as 
the Millennium Challenge Threshold program, which encourage 
the government to make serious efforts to combat government 
corruption, can also serve to strengthen Kyrgyz political 
will to address structural problems that foster corruption 
within its government.  END COMMENT. 
YOVANOVITCH