VZCZCXRO9670
PP RUEHDBU RUEHLN RUEHVK RUEHYG
DE RUEHTA #1662/01 1301139
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 101139Z MAY 06
FM AMEMBASSY ALMATY
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 5238
INFO RUCNCIS/CIS COLLECTIVE
RUEHBUL/AMEMBASSY KABUL 0201
RUEHNE/AMEMBASSY NEW DELHI 0334
RUEHIL/AMEMBASSY ISLAMABAD 2045

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ALMATY 001662 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPARTMENT FOR SCA/CEN (J. MUDGE) 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV MARR MOPS PREL KZ
SUBJECT: KAZAKHSTAN: A/S BOUCHER AND NSC DIRECTOR MILLARD 
MEET WITH MINISTER OF DEFENSE ALTYNBAYEV 
 
 
¶1. (U) Summary: On May 4, Assistant Secretary Boucher and 
National Security Council Senior Director Elisabeth Millard 
met with Kazakhstani Minister of Defense Altynbayev to 
discuss the continuing cooperation between the U.S. 
Department of Defense and MOD.  Altynbayev's staff provided 
briefings on areas of cooperation that underscored the 
regional leadership role that Kazakhstan is taking.  End 
summary. 
 
-------------------------------- 
Strategic Partners in the Region 
-------------------------------- 
 
¶2. (U) Reading from a prepared speech, Altynbayev touched on 
several key areas of cooperation: Kazakhstan's continuing 
support in Iraq and Afghanistan, the Caspian Security 
initiative, and the interoperability of Kazakhstani and NATO 
forces. 
 
¶3. (U) To underscore Kazakhstan's commitment to regional 
security, Altynbayev pointed out that two of the seven 
officers in the room had completed military schooling in the 
U.S. and had been deployed to Iraq.  He then mentioned that 
General-Lieutenant (2-star) Sembinov would be traveling the 
following week to the U.S. 
 
------------------ 
Prepared Briefings 
------------------ 
 
¶4. (SBU) Altynbayev then turned the floor over to senior 
officers (O-5, O-6 level) to provide basic overview 
briefings.  The first briefing was an overview of the 
current status of U.S.-Kazakhstani programs.  It underscored 
the Ministry if Defense's four priorities in cooperation: 
FMF, IMET, counterterrorism, and military-to-military.  The 
briefing was notable in that it tied the funding back to the 
importance the Ministry of Defense attaches to NATO 
interoperability, regional/global security, and the war on 
terrorism.  The briefer reviewed a list of U.S.-provided 
technical assistance, including armored vehicles and 
aircraft.  He said that the Ministry plans to request six to 
eight more Huey II helicopters after next year, and up to 
six C-130s in 2007. 
 
¶5. (SBU) The second briefing focused on Kazakhstan's 
contribution to stability in the region, particularly its 
contributions in Iraq.  The briefer noted that the KAZBAT 
ordnance disposal contingent, sponsored by Central Command 
(CENTCOM), is currently deployed in Al-Kut in a 
multinational division subordinate to the Polish military, 
with a primary mission to deactivate unexploded live 
ordnance.  KAZBAT has also been training Iraqi forces in 
this mission since 2005.  The Ministry of Defense has also 
supported more than 3,000 overflights for Operation Enduring 
Freedom, and provided more than 15 million tenge ($121,000) 
in aid to the Afghani Army; an additional 34 million tenge 
in assistance ($274,000) is planned in 2006. 
 
¶6. (SBU) In the third briefing, the Ministry outlined its 
priorities for Caspian Security, the most important of which 
is building a Navy.  The other areas described included, 
again, NATO interoperability and counterterrorism.  On the 
wish list of "planned" acquisitions that might be sponsored 
by the U.S. were a 1,000-ton ship and a pier in Aktau. 
(Note: The briefer quickly glossed over the Ministry of 
Defense's "partnership" with the Border Guard, which is the 
only Kazakhstani entity that has seaworthy crafts capable of 
interdiction and engagement.  End note.) 
 
-------------------------------- 
Discussing Follow-on Cooperation 
-------------------------------- 
 
¶7. (SBU) A/S Boucher pointed out that security and stability 
in this region is important to maintaining Kazakhstani 
independence and to ensuring that its choices are its own. 
He underscored that such independence was more easily 
maintained by continued security cooperation with the U.S. 
and NATO, and assured Altynbayev that the U.S. will do 
everything it could to enhance a cooperative program.  A/S 
Boucher also pointed out that expanding security in the 
region will provide Kazakhstan with the ability to trade 
south (goods and energy). 
 
¶8. (SBU) A/S Boucher asked about cooperation with other 
 
ALMATY 00001662  002 OF 002 
 
 
regional powers, since the U.S. and Kazakhstan have 
commercial interests that span the Caspian.  Altynbayev 
answered that the only collective security treaty in place 
is with Russia, but the Kazakhstani government had recently 
signed cooperative agreements with Azerbaijan.  Altynbayev 
then pointed out that there is no military cooperation with 
Iran, and that attempts to work with Turkmenistan had been 
rebuffed.  He noted that Iran and Turkmenistan were not 
cooperating in signing a Caspian delimitation agreement.  In 
terms of the other countries, Altynbayev said that working 
with Uzbekistan was becoming more and more difficult, and 
that it seemed to be isolating itself.  However, Tajikistan 
and Kyrgyzstan were more eager to be partners, and even sent 
their cadets to study at Ministry of Defense institutes. 
 
¶9. (U) Altynbayev informed Boucher about the Ministry's 
regional center in Almaty, which included the Institute for 
Foreign Languages.  He noted that the OSCE and certain 
European countries were interested in participating in the 
center and teaching courses, and that there would be 
regional participation from Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan. 
 
ORDWAY