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UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ASTANA 000236 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR SCA/CEN, SCA/PPD 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL SOCI KDEM KPAO KZ
SUBJECT:  KAZAKHSTANI STUDENTS DISCUSS BORAT AND OBAMA 
 
¶1.  (U) Sensitive but unclassified.  Not for public Internet. 
 
¶2.  (SBU) SUMMARY:  As part of our Public Diplomacy Outreach 
program, PolOff recently gave a talk on American culture and 
U.S.-Kazakhstan relations with students at one of Astana's elite 
high schools.  In general, the students had very positive views of 
the United States.  They were particularly interested in President 
Obama.  The students' ability to converse in English was impressive. 
 Though the school uses a Kazakh-language curriculum, some classes, 
including the sciences, are taught in English.  Only eight students 
in the entire student body of 1500 are ethnic Russians.  END 
SUMMARY. 
 
UNITED STATES:  "SYMBOL OF FREEDOM" 
 
¶3.  (SBU) PolOff recently gave a lecture on American culture to 25 
students, three teachers, and the school's principal at Astana's 
School No. 48.  This Kazakh-language high school, which is located 
in a new and rapidly developing part of Astana, has more than 1500 
students in 11 grades and appears to be well-funded, with many 
English-speaking teachers and good facilities.  Students were all 
well-dressed in neat black and white uniforms. 
 
¶4.  (SBU) The 25 students from the ninth through eleventh grades, 
who had been hand-picked for their strong English skills, told 
PolOff that for them, the United States is "a symbol of freedom." 
They enjoy watching American movies, and, in their view, the biggest 
cultural difference between Kazakhstan and America is the freedom 
that American youth enjoy to choose their careers and live on their 
own.  The students were particularly interested in whether most 
Americans believe that the movie "Borat" represented Kazakhstan 
accurately.  The students were enthusiastic in demonstrating their 
knowledge of U.S. history and current politics.  One student asked 
about the global financial crisis, and another student asked why the 
United States sent forces to Iraq, but the questions were phrased 
objectively, without a hint of a negative attitude towards U.S. 
foreign policy.  Only one student asked a question critical of the 
United States, shouting out, "Why is the United States targeting 
Russia by installing a missile defense shield in Poland and the 
Czech Republic?"  (COMMENT:  The students seemed more interested in 
asking ordinary questions, such as whether or not PolOff had tried 
and liked besparmak, a traditional Kazakh horsemeat dish, than in 
raising controversial topics.  END COMMENT.)  Some students asked 
whether Americans would be able to understand the British English 
the students are learning, and several inquired about study-abroad 
opportunities available in the United States. 
 
POSITIVE IMPRESSIONS OF PRESIDENT OBAMA 
 
¶5.  (SBU) The students were particularly interested in President 
Obama.  When PolOff asked students about their impressions of him, 
the students were uniformly enthusiastic and positive, saying they 
like Obama because he appears to be "open, friendly, and 
peace-loving."  Several students said they were glad McCain had not 
won the election, because they felt his way of thinking was shaped 
too much by the Cold War. 
 
SCIENCES TAUGHT IN ENGLISH 
 
¶6.  (SBU) Following the class discussion, Principal Saule 
Khozhamuratova met privately with Poloff in her office, where she 
congratulated the United States on its historic election and 
expressed her hopes for continued positive U.S.-Kazakhstan 
relations.  When PolOff congratulated Khozhamuratova on her 
students' excellent English skills, the principal explained that 
although the school is technically a Kazakh-language school, 
biology, chemistry, and physics are all taught in English. 
Khozhamuratova, who teaches all the physics classes, said that she 
has lived most of her life abroad due to her husband's career in the 
sciences.  After having lived for long periods of time in the United 
States, South Africa, and Israel, Khozhamuratova said she is 
comfortable teaching the students in English, and also understands 
western-style teaching methods.  Khozhamuratova acknowledged that 
since most classes are taught in Kazakh, there are very few ethnic 
Russian children in the school.  During this school year, there are 
 
ASTANA 00000236  002 OF 002 
 
 
only eight ethnic Russians among the entire student body.  (COMMENT: 
 PolOff was very impressed the students' ability and apparent 
comfort in conversing in a wide range of topics in English, as well 
as the students' openness in asking questions and expressing their 
personal opinions.  END COMMENT.) 
 
HOAGLAND