VZCZCXRO7874
OO RUEHDBU
DE RUEHEK #1722/01 3401448
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
O 061448Z DEC 06
FM AMEMBASSY BISHKEK
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 8656
INFO RUCNCIS/CIS COLLECTIVE IMMEDIATE
RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING IMMEDIATE 1831
RUEHDBU/AMEMBASSY DUSHANBE IMMEDIATE 1400
RUEHBUL/AMEMBASSY KABUL IMMEDIATE 0282
RHEFDIA/DIA WASHDC IMMEDIATE
RUEKJCS/OSD WASHDC IMMEDIATE
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC IMMEDIATE
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC IMMEDIATE
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC IMMEDIATE
RUEKJCS/JOINT STAFF WASHDC IMMEDIATE
RUEHGV/USMISSION GENEVA IMMEDIATE 0391
RUEHVEN/USMISSION USOSCE IMMEDIATE 2243
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK IMMEDIATE 1628
RUEHNO/USMISSION USNATO BRUSSELS BE IMMEDIATE
RUEHBS/USEU BRUSSELS IMMEDIATE
RUEHLMC/MILLENNIUM CHALLENGE CORP IMMEDIATE
RUMICEA/USCENTCOM INTEL CEN MACDILL AFB FL IMMEDIATE

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 BISHKEK 001722 
 
SIPDIS 
 
NOFORN 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR SCA/CEN 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/07/2016 
TAGS: PREL MOPS PGOV KG
SUBJECT: SHOOTING INCIDENT AT MANAS AIRBASE, KYRGYZSTAN 
 
BISHKEK 00001722  001.2 OF 003 
 
 
Classified By: Amb. Marie L. Yovanovitch, Reason 1.4 (b) and (d). 
 
¶1.  (U)  This is an Action Cable; see paras 11-14 below. 
 
¶2.  (C/NF)  SUMMARY:  On the afternoon of December 6, A 
KYRGYZ NATIONAL was SHOT AND KILLED BY a U.S. AIR FORCE 
SECURITY AIRMAN WHILE MAKING a routine FUEL DELIVERY at Manas 
Coalition Airbase in Kyrgyzstan.  According to the airman, 
the KYRGYZ NATIONAL REPORTEDLY attacked him with A KNIFE, AND 
he responded in self defense.  The incident is under 
investigation by both Air Force and Kyrgyz authorities.  The 
Ambassador has been called in to see President Bakiyev on 
December 7 about the incident; the President will also raise 
the issue of the unresolved collision at the airfield between 
a U.S. military plane and a Kyrgyz civilian airliner. 
Separately, PM Kulov relayed to the Ambassador that he had 
heard a radically different version of the incident that 
indicates the Kyrgyz driver was innocently slain by the 
airman.  There has been intense media interest in the 
incident, and we expect coverage on December 7 to be 
extremely negative toward the U.S. and the continued presence 
of the base.  How we respond in the next 24 hours will be 
critical to our efforts to contain this incident; please see 
paras 11-14 for Embassy recommendations.  End Summary. 
 
 
THE INCIDENT 
 
¶3.  (C/NF)  On December 6, Manas Base Commander informed 
Embassy that AT APPROXIMATELY 1500 HOURS that day A KYRGYZ 
NATIONAL WAS SHOT AND KILLED BY A U.S. AIRFORCE SECURITY 
AIRMAN.  THE KYRGYZ NATIONAL WAS A FUEL TRUCK DRIVER AND WAS 
MAKING A SCHEDULED FUEL DELIVERY TO THE MANAS COALITION 
AIRBASE.  THE KYRGYZ driver WAS WAITING IN A HOLDING TENT 
WHILE THE FUEL TRUCK WAS BEING INSPECTED, which is normal 
procedure. 
 
¶4.  (C/NF)  According to the Manas Base Commander Col. Reese, 
AS THE AIRMAN OPENED THE FLAP OF THE TENT TO INFORM THE 
KYRGYZ THAT THE VEHICLE WAS CLEAR, HE SAW THE KYRGYZ NATIONAL 
BRANDISHING A KNIFE OVER HIS HEAD AND MOVING TOWARDS HIM.  AT 
THAT TIME, THE AIRMAN DREW HIS WEAPON AND FIRED TWO SHOTS at 
THE KYRGYZ NATIONAL. Base officials rendered Emergency First 
Aid to the Kyrgyz national and transported him to the Base 
ER.  He was declared dead on arrival at the ER. 
 
¶5.  (C/NF)  THE AREA has been SECURED by THE OFFICE OF 
SPECIAL INVESTIGATIONS AND A MORE THoROUGH INVESTIGATION is 
UNDERWAY.  Investigators have custody of both the weapon used 
by the Airman and the knife belonging to the Krygyz national. 
 REPRESENTATIVES OF THE KYRGYZ MINISTRY OF INTERIOR, NATIONAL 
INTELLIGENCE SERVICE, PROSECUTOR GENERAL'S OFFICe AND 
MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS inspected the site and spoke with 
Col. Reese.  In addition, the deputy chief of the 
Presidential Administration and Acting National Security 
Advisor also visited the base and spoke to Col. Reese.  THERE 
was ALSO A sizeable MEDIA PRESENCE AT THE AIRBASE, but the 
journalists had dispersed as of 1800 local time. 
 
KYRGYZ REACTION:  EMOTION, FRUSTRATION, OUTRAGE 
 
¶6.  (C)  The Ambassador was called by the Minister of 
Transportation, who was extremely emotional and said this 
event has caused airport personnel to raise the issue of 
shutting down the base completely.  The Ambassador relayed 
her understanding of the incident ) that it was an act of 
self-defense ) and cautioned him to refrain from jumping to 
conclusions as the facts were still being ascertained.  She 
noted it was important to keep the tragedy in context and not 
make it a political issue. 
 
¶7.  (C)  The Ambassador also spoke by phone to Prime Minister 
 
BISHKEK 00001722  002.2 OF 003 
 
 
Kulov, who listened carefully as she relayed the events.  He 
responded that he had heard a very different version of what 
occurred.  His understanding was that the Krygyz driver was 
sitting in a tent, cleaning a small, perhaps home-made knife. 
 A U.S. Airman demanded that the Kyrgyz driver leave the 
tent, and a verbal altercation ensued.  As the driver was 
leaving, the U.S. Airman apparently became frightened, and 
shot the driver. Kulov commented to the Ambassador that the 
types of weapons used by the base personnel were 
"unacceptable."  He said it would be virtually impossible 
under Kyrgyz law to claim that this was self-defense; the 
airman should have fired a warning shot in the air before 
shooting the driver.  He asked under what law the airman's 
actions would be judged; the Ambassador responded that he 
fell under the U.S.  Military Code of Justice.  The PM also 
urged the Ambassador to take a "human approach" and reach out 
to the family of the driver, and offer them some financial 
help.  He said this would not in any way imply an admission 
of guilt on the U.S. side, and the gesture could even be 
accompanied by a letter to this effect. 
 
FOREIGN POLICY ADVISOR:  A HIGHLY POLITICIZED INCIDENT 
 
¶8.  (C) The Ambassador spoke to Presidential Foreign Policy 
Advisor Ibragimov, who said that unfortunately, this incident 
was becoming highly politicized.  He informed the Ambassador 
that President Bakiyev wanted to meet with her on December 7 
at 1100.  He said the President wanted to discuss this latest 
incident, but he would likely raise the incident of the 
collision between a U.S. refueling tanker and a civilian 
Kyrgyz airliner, and express Kyrgyz ire that the US has not 
shared its investigative report with them. 
 
¶9.  (C) Deputy Foreign Minister Sarbayev called in the 
Ambassador late on December 6 and requested urgent 
information on the incident and help for Kyrgyz authorities 
to have access to the Base and the scene of the incident.  He 
also suggested that a Joint Working Group be established; the 
Ambassador relayed this request to Colonel Reese.  Ambassador 
also spoke with Acting Procurator General Abdilyevich to 
express condolences and U.S. readiness to provide assistance 
with a Kyrgyz investigation.  She also called the Minister of 
Interior and the Chairman of the SNB, who will call back. 
 
¶10.  (C)  Embassy and Base public affairs section have 
coordinated press guidance, which has been emailed to 
SCA/PPD.  Embassy PAO and FSN went to the Base to assist on 
site with the press and coordinate strategy for December 7. 
 
COMMENT 
------- 
 
¶11.  (C)  Clearly, this is not only a tragedy for the family 
of the Kyrgyz driver, it is a serious bilateral issue which 
is raising questions ) once again ) about the presence of 
the Base.  PM Kulov has taken personal charge of the incident 
and has provided instructions that law enforcement agencies 
conduct an honest and fair investigation.  That said, the 
public and parliamentary outrage that an American serviceman 
shot a Kyrgyz national will put the government under a great 
deal of pressure to show that it is defending its citizens. 
Ibragimov has already warned us that the incident has become 
political.  We fear that even if it is proved beyond any 
doubt that the Kyrgyz national attacked our servicemen, the 
Kyrgyz public and authorities will question why no warning 
shot was fired ) as they are already doing.  The differences 
in our practices are causing individuals to question whether 
the Base is endangering Kyrgyz citizens ) a question often 
asked after the September collision. 
 
¶12.  (C)  How we respond in the next 24 hours will be 
critical to our efforts to contain this incident and to how 
 
BISHKEK 00001722  003.2 OF 003 
 
 
we are perceived.  There are two components that we need to 
focus on immediately:  how we handle the bereaved family and 
how we address the substantive concerns regarding the 
shooting incident.  We also need to address as well the 
resolution of the collision. 
 
¶13.  (C)  THE FAMILY:  Ambassador is prepared to reach out to 
the Kyrgyz next-of-kin, offer condolences, and attend the 
funeral (which may be as early as December 7).  We are 
seeking RLA's advice as to whether a small collection from 
private individuals on the Base and from the Embassy could be 
provided to the driver's family to help defray funeral 
expenses.  If there is a DOD mechanism to provide 
compensation to the family, we should explore this option 
immediately, as we are already getting inquires about how 
support for the bereaved family members of the 42 year old 
driver. 
 
¶14.  (C)  SUBSTANTIVE ISSUES:  So far, the investigation 
seems to be proceeding apace and the Base is looking into the 
possibility of establishing a Joint U.S.-Kyrgyz Working 
Group.  However, this tragedy, following so closely after the 
September collision raises serious questions on the part of 
the Kyrgyz as to whether it is worth having a U.S. Base here. 
 The Kyrgyz are connecting the two incidents and resolving 
the collision has now become much more complicated.  At a 
minimum, Ambassador needs to be able to tell President 
Bakiyev during their December 7 meeting the date when the 
Accident Investigation Board results will be forthcoming and 
what has caused the delay.  Post strongly recommends that an 
expert team be dispatched to inspect the damaged Tupolev, so 
that we can at least discuss amongst ourselves what the 
options are to provide assistance in repairing the plane.  It 
would be helpful to be able to tell President Bakiyev on 
December 7 that we are doing this.  Unfortunately, this 
tragic incident has raised the stakes regarding resolution of 
the collision ) and we need to take that into account as we 
consider how to respond to this incident. 
YOVANOVITCH