VZCZCXRO1443
PP RUEHAG RUEHAST RUEHBI RUEHCI RUEHDA RUEHDF RUEHFL RUEHIK RUEHKW
RUEHLA RUEHLH RUEHLN RUEHLZ RUEHNEH RUEHPOD RUEHPW RUEHROV RUEHSR
RUEHVK RUEHYG
DE RUEHTA #2165/01 3080856
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 030856Z NOV 08
FM AMEMBASSY ASTANA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 3716
INFO RUCNCIS/CIS COLLECTIVE 0759
RUCNCLS/SOUTH AND CENTRAL ASIA COLLECTIVE
RUEHZL/EUROPEAN POLITICAL COLLECTIVE
RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING 0158
RUEHKO/AMEMBASSY TOKYO 0868
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 1992
RUEHNO/USMISSION USNATO 2326
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC
RHEFAAA/DIA WASHDC
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC 0321
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC 0238
RUEKJCS/JOINT STAFF WASHDC
RHMFIUU/CDR USCENTCOM MACDILL AFB FL

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ASTANA 002165 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR SCA/CEN, G/TIP, INL/AAE, DRL 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV PREL PHUM SNAR KCRM IT KZ
SUBJECT:  KAZAKHSTANI DELEGATION STUDIES ASSISTANCE TO VICTIMS OF 
TRAFFICKING IN ITALY 
 
¶1. SUMMARY:  In an effort to improve Kazakhstan's ability to protect 
victims of trafficking in persons, INL sent a Kazakhstani 
interagency delegation to Rome to study the work of the Italian 
government and Italian NGOs.  The delegation -- representatives of 
the Ministries of Justice, Internal Affairs, Labor and Social 
Protection, and Information and Culture, as well as a local NGO -- 
praised the information they had received and what they had learned 
in Italy.  The Vice Minister of Justice emphasized the importance of 
inter-agency coordination, and pledged his ministry would take the 
lead in Kazakhstan to replicate Italian models, including working 
more closely with NGOs.  END SUMMARY. 
 
BACKGROUND 
 
¶2. In 2007, the Government of Kazakhstan significantly improved its 
efforts to prosecute and convict traffickers -- specifically, it 
recorded a 1900% improvement compared to the previous year. 
However, the annual Trafficking in Persons Report identified victim 
assistance and protection as continuing weaknesses.  Kazakhstan has 
expressed the political will to fund victim-assistance programs and 
support shelters, but it does not have sufficient expertise in these 
areas.  In several meetings with representatives of the Embassy's 
Office of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement (INL), 
government officials have requested assistance from Tier 1 countries 
with effective victim-assistance programs. 
 
¶3. In response to the government's request, INL provided a grant to 
the International Organization for Migration (IOM) in Rome to 
organize a study visit October 5-11.  The purpose of the trip was 
for Kazakhstani officials to learn more about the measures being 
taken by Italy to combat trafficking in persons and, in particular, 
to provide victim assistance and protection.  One of the primary 
focuses of the trip was on operations of shelters. 
 
WHY ITALY? 
 
¶4. Italian legislation and the country's victim protection system 
have gained European and international attention as a model for the 
protection of illegal migrants' rights and as a best practice for 
combating trafficking.  According to the annual Trafficking in 
Persons Report, Italy is a Tier 1 country that fully complies with 
minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking and has taken 
aggressive steps to enforce its anti-trafficking laws, demonstrated 
sustained law-enforcement efforts to combat trafficking in persons, 
and has effectively provided assistance and protection to victims. 
 
¶5.  The Kazakhstani delegation, consisting of a Vice Minister of 
Justice, the Chairman of the Criminal Police Committee of the 
Ministry of Internal Affairs, a Senior Expert from the Migration 
Committee of the Ministry of Labor and Social Protection, the Head 
of the Department of Information and the Archives of the Ministry of 
Culture and Information, and the Chairman of the Union of Crisis 
Centers NGO, met with Italian representatives of the Civil Liberties 
and Immigration Department, Anti-Crime Central Directorate, and 
Police Force Coordination and Planning Office of the Ministry of 
Home Affairs, Department of Equal Opportunities of the Prime 
Minister's Office, the Carabinieri Police Corps of the Ministry of 
Defense, the Anti-Mafia Directorate, and the State Police of Italy. 
 
¶6.  Among issues discussed were Italian legislation on labor 
migration, immigration and anti-trafficking, victim identification 
methods and investigative techniques, human smuggling, the victim 
assistance and protection system, police force operational 
activities, interagency cooperation, and trans-national judiciary 
cooperation.  The study tour included a visit to a shelter for 
victims of trafficking and meetings with shelter personnel to 
discuss shelter maintenance, sustainability, and psychological 
aspects of dealing with victims of trafficking. 
 
¶7.  The Italian integrated response to trafficking in persons and 
migration control through legislative and social measures was 
especially interesting for Kazakhstan, because Italy, like 
Kazakhstan, is a transit country and a major country of destination 
of trafficking victims from neighbouring countries. 
 
¶8.  Most interesting for the delegation was the issue of interagency 
cooperation and coordination of activities between governmental and 
 
ASTANA 00002165  002 OF 002 
 
 
non-governmental sectors.  In Italy, the two sectors complement each 
other and seek ways to better cooperate on every issue, not just 
human trafficking.  Because almost all anti-trafficking NGOs and 
shelters receive 70% of their funding from the government, both 
parties are working together.  In Kazakhstan, even though national 
legislation allows the government to provide funding to NGOs, 
procedural and funding mechanisms have not been developed.  As a 
result, few NGOs receive funding from the Kazakhstan government, and 
so cooperation between NGOs and the government remains minimal. 
 
RETURN TO KAZAKHSTAN 
 
¶9.  Following their return, members of the delegation met with the 
Ambassador on October 16.  The Vice Minister of Justice noted the 
importance of working with NGOs and the need to improve cooperation 
among government agencies.  He promised budgetary and structural 
changes based on lessons learned in Italy.  The government's 
2009-2019 plan to combat trafficking will enhance the 
responsibilities of all agencies to combat human trafficking and 
assist victims. 
 
¶10.  A draft social-services law proposed by the Ministry of Justice 
envisions medical, psychological, and legal services and would 
create a crisis center in Kazakhstan.  Though the draft law will 
cover all victims of violence and does not specifically single out 
victims of trafficking, standards to define victims of trafficking 
as victims of violence will be included.  According to the Ministry 
of Justice, such a law will allow for broad interpretation and will 
provide the basis for assistance to a large group of victims. 
 
¶11.  The Vice Minister of Justice added that all materials received 
during the visit to Italy will be summarized, analysed and presented 
to an intra-governmental commission chaired by the Minister of 
Justice for further discussion and development of recommendations. 
Shelter instructions and manuals provided by IOM Rome can be used as 
an example that paves the way for replication and adaptation of such 
a model in Kazakhstan. 
 
HOAGLAND