VZCZCXRO4660
OO RUEHAST RUEHBI RUEHCI RUEHLH RUEHLN RUEHNEH RUEHPW RUEHSK RUEHVK
RUEHYG
DE RUEHEK #0036 0121305
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 121305Z JAN 09
FM AMEMBASSY BISHKEK
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 1655
INFO RUCNCLS/ALL SOUTH AND CENTRAL ASIA COLLECTIVE
RUCNCIS/CIS COLLECTIVE
RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING 2797
RUEKJCS/OSD WASHDC
RHEFDIA/DIA WASHDC
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC
RUEKJCS/JOINT STAFF WASHDC
RUEHGV/USMISSION GENEVA 1160
RUEHNO/USMISSION USNATO BRUSSELS BE
RUEHVEN/USMISSION USOSCE 3190
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 2576
RUEHBS/USEU BRUSSELS
RUEHLMC/MILLENNIUM CHALLENGE CORP
RUMICEA/USCENTCOM INTEL CEN MACDILL AFB FL

UNCLAS BISHKEK 000036 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR SCA/CEN 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: KPAO PGOV PREL SCUL KG
SUBJECT: RUSSIAN PUBLIC DIPLOMACY IN KYRGYZSTAN UNDERWHELMS 
LOCALS 
 
¶1. (SBU) Post attended the ideologically-awkward opening of a 
"Russian Center" at Bishkek Humanities University on 
September 11, 2008, an attempt by Russia to increase its soft 
power in Kyrgyzstan.  The center was unveiled by Russian 
Federation Council Speaker Sergei Mironov, Russkii Mir 
director Vyacheslav Nikonov, and Kyrgyz Minister of Education 
Ishengul Boljurova.  It is the third such center in 
Kyrgyzstan, more than Russia has in any other country; other 
Russian centers are located in Kant, directly across from an 
American Corner, and Osh.  A fourth is planned in Karakol. 
This latest center, which consists of two rooms full of books 
about Russian culture and history, cost 3 million rubles 
(about $100,000) in construction and an unspecified  amount 
in computers and other technology. 
 
¶2.  (SBU)  Mironov praised the center as a way to learn more 
about Russia's great language and culture, and about how to 
study in Russia.  Boljurova responded that there is indeed a 
large demand to learn Russian in Kyrgyzstan, but asked the 
Russians to focus more on creating economic links and jobs in 
Kyrgyzstan.  Nikonov, whose Russkii Mir (Russian World) 
foundation runs these centers as part of a campaign to 
improve Russia's image abroad, argued that the Kyrgyz should 
welcome this center since they are part of a great 
civilization symbolized by the term Russkii Mir.  He believes 
that the civilization is based on linguistic, ethnic, 
cultural and geographic ties to Russia. 
 
¶3. (SBU) COMMENT: Russia is still well-regarded in 
Kyrgyzstan, based on the opportunities for employment it 
offers, its historical role in Kyrgyzstan's development, and 
the greater fear of other neighboring states.  However, 
official Russian efforts to improve relations through the 
functionality of the Russian language and nostalgia for 
(ethnic Russian) Soviet triumphs were tepidly received by the 
largely ethnically Kyrgyz university audience and are likely 
to encounter resistance generally.  Nikonov and the center 
offer little about Russia today, either as a model for 
Kyrgyzstan's future development or in enticement to rejoin 
this supposed civilization. 
 
¶4. (SBU) These Russian centers appear to be modeled on 
American Corners, which offer users books in English on a 
wide range of topics, internet access, information about 
America, and are used as a platform for American-related 
cultural and educational programming. In Kyrgyzstan, there 
are five official corners managed by the Embassy and an 
additional seven American centers at universities which are 
supplied with materials by the Embassy but managed by the 
school. END COMMENT. 
GFOELLER