VZCZCXRO0571
OO RUEHAG RUEHAST RUEHBI RUEHCI RUEHDA RUEHDBU RUEHDF RUEHFL RUEHIK
RUEHKW RUEHLA RUEHLH RUEHLN RUEHLZ RUEHNEH RUEHNP RUEHPOD RUEHPW
RUEHROV RUEHSK RUEHSR RUEHVK RUEHYG
DE RUEHTA #0412/01 0641015
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 051015Z MAR 09
FM AMEMBASSY ASTANA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 4829
INFO RUCNCIS/CIS COLLECTIVE 1306
RUCNCLS/ALL SOUTH AND CENTRAL ASIA COLLECTIVE
RUEHZL/EUROPEAN POLITICAL COLLECTIVE
RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING 0689
RUEHKO/AMEMBASSY TOKYO 1392
RUCPDOC/DEPT OF COMMERCE WASHDC
RUEATRS/DEPT OF TREASURY WASHDC
RUEAWJA/DEPT OF JUSTICE WASHDC
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC
RHEFAAA/DIA WASHDC
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC 0867
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC 0780
RUEKJCS/JOINT STAFF WASHDC
RHMFIUU/CDR USCENTCOM MACDILL AFB FL
RUEWMFB/DTRA CT WASHINGTON DC

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ASTANA 000412 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR SCA/CEN, ISN, INL, DRL 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV PREL PHUM SOCI KCRM KDEM KNNP KZ
SUBJECT:  KAZAKHSTAN:  SENATE CHAIRMAN TOKAYEV PROMISES EXPEDITIOUS 
ACTION ON CTR AGREEMENT 
 
REF:  ASTANA 0345 
 
¶1. (U) Sensitive but unclassified.  Not for public Internet. 
 
¶2. (SBU) SUMMARY:  Senate Chairman Tokayev promised the Ambassador 
on March 5 that the Senate would take swift action to pass the 
Cooperative Threat Reduction (CTR) agreement as soon as it receives 
the legislation from the Majilis.  He also promised that Kazakhstan 
would take into account the concerns of the United States, OSCE, and 
Kazakhstan's civil society regarding draft Internet legislation. 
END SUMMARY. 
 
¶3. (SBU) During a March 5 meeting with Senator Chairman 
Kasym-Zhomart Tokayev, the Ambassador pressed for expeditious 
ratification of the Cooperation Threat Reduction (CTR) agreement and 
new Anti-Money Laundering/Counter-Terrorism Finance (AML/CTF) 
legislation.  He also raised concerns about a draft Internet law 
currently under consideration in the Majilis (the lower house of 
parliament). 
 
¶4. (SBU) The Ambassador told Tokayev that the Majilis passed the CTR 
Agreement out of committee on March 3, and the U.S. government just 
approved changes in the Kazakh-language text that the Majilis had 
requested.  He stressed the urgency of the agreement's swift 
ratification, explaining that some of our CTR programs, notably our 
biological programs, are stalled because, in the interim, Customs 
will not permit us to import technical assistance tax-free.  Tokayev 
promised the Senate would act quickly on the agreement once the 
Majilis passes it.  He said he would personally oversee the 
agreement's movement through the Senate, and assured the Ambassador 
that the Senate would not return it to the Majilis for any 
modifications. 
 
¶5. (SBU) The Ambassador noted that AML/CTF legislation had passed 
through a first reading in the Majilis on March 4.  Adoption of the 
legislation will be an important step forward for Kazakhstan in 
countering money-laundering and terrorism finance, he explained.  We 
hope it will move forward quickly through the legislative process. 
Tokayev did not appear to be aware of the details of the 
legislation, but thanked the Ambassador for explaining the U.S. 
position, and promised to take our views into account. 
 
¶6. (SBU) The Ambassador explained to Tokayev that the current 
version of the draft Internet law has raised a number of concerns 
(see reftel for details).  In the run up to the country's 2010 OSCE 
chairmanship, Kazakhstan should consider carefully whether it is 
necessary to pass any new legislation in this area.  Tokayev 
responded that the government sent the legislation to the Majilis, 
but the Senate has not officially received a copy.  He explained, 
"Frankly, I'm not certain why the government is pushing for this 
legislation.  I don't understand all the technical details, but I 
don't see how you can control the Internet."  The Ambassador noted 
that China has tried to control Internet access, but have not 
managed to be very effective.  Tokayev said he had read the letter 
OSCE Freedom of the Media Representative Miklos Haraszti recently 
sent to him and Majilis Speaker Ural Mukhamedzhanov expressing 
OSCE's concerns about the Internet law.  Tokayev promised that 
Kazakhstan would be careful about the legislation, saying "We will 
take into account U.S. and OSCE concerns, as well as those of civil 
society and the public as a whole.  I'll pass your views to the 
government and Majilis.  Let's continue to talk about this.  We 
still have time." 
 
¶7. (SBU) The Ambassador previewed that he would soon deliver a 
public speech about democracy to a Kazakhstani audience.  Tokayev 
said that democracy is no longer a contentious issue in the 
bilateral relationship.  "It used to be a painful question for us, 
but now we can talk about it freely with you," he maintained.  He 
explained that he had read Secretary Clinton's remarks in Beijing, 
and described them as a "positive step."  "Soft power plays an 
important role," Tokayev continued, "and the whole world still 
believes in the United States as a beacon of democracy and justice." 
 
 
ASTANA 00000412  002 OF 002 
 
 
 
HOAGLAND