VZCZCXRO2463
RR RUEHAG RUEHAST RUEHBC RUEHBI RUEHCI RUEHDA RUEHDBU RUEHDE RUEHDF
RUEHDIR RUEHFL RUEHIK RUEHKUK RUEHKW RUEHLA RUEHLH RUEHLN RUEHLZ
RUEHNEH RUEHNP RUEHPOD RUEHPW RUEHROV RUEHSK RUEHSR RUEHVK RUEHYG
DE RUEHTA #0607/01 0981132
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 081132Z APR 09
FM AMEMBASSY ASTANA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 5119
INFO RUCNCLS/ALL SOUTH AND CENTRAL ASIA COLLECTIVE
RUCNCIS/CIS COLLECTIVE 1467
RUEHZL/EUROPEAN POLITICAL COLLECTIVE
RUCNIRA/IRAN COLLECTIVE
RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING 0845
RUEHUL/AMEMBASSY SEOUL 0532
RUEHKO/AMEMBASSY TOKYO 1548
RUEHNO/USMISSION USNATO 2591
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 2261
RUEHUNV/USMISSION UNVIE VIENNA 0070
RHMFIUU/CDR USCENTCOM MACDILL AFB FL
RUEKJCS/JOINT STAFF WASHDC
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC 0944
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC 1030
RHEFAAA/DIA WASHDC
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC
RUEATRS/DEPT OF TREASURY WASHDC
RHEBAAA/DEPT OF ENERGY WASHDC
RUCPDOC/DEPT OF COMMERCE WASHDC

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 ASTANA 000607 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR SCA/CEN, NEA/IR, ISN, T 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV PREL ECON EINV ENRG EPET ETTC KNNP IR KZ
SUBJECT: KAZAKHSTAN:  PRESIDENT NAZARBAYEV DISCUSSES 
ECONOMIC AND POLITICAL COOPERATION WITH IRANIAN PRESIDENT 
 
REF: A. ASTANA 0601 
     ¶B. ASTANA 0604 
 
¶1.  (U) SUMMARY:  Iranian President Mahmud Ahmadinejad 
visited Astana April 6-7, where he met with President 
Nazarbayev, participated in several ceremonial events, and 
gave a speech at a local university.  During a joint press 
conference following the Nazarbayev-Ahmadinejad meeting, 
Ahmadinejad described Kazakhstan-Iran relations as 
&fraternal and close.8  Nazarbayev said that Iran had a 
right to the peaceful use of nuclear energy.  He also 
announced Kazakhstan,s offer to host the international 
nuclear fuel bank )- an offer Ahmadinejad appeared to 
welcome.  Ahmadinejad said that Iran is awaiting U.S. foreign 
policy changes under President Obama.  He denied any Iranian 
role in North Korea,s ballistic missile launch, and said a 
regional currency should be established before launching a 
global one.  He was vague on his plans for reelection. 
Nazarbayev said he hoped a consensus would be reached on 
Caspian delimitation at the Caspian heads-of-state summit in 
Baku.  The press reported that enhancing economic cooperation 
was a top agenda item for the Ahmadinejad visit.  END SUMMARY. 
 
ASTANA ROLLS OUT THE RED CARPET FOR IRANIAN PRESIDENT 
 
¶2.  (U) Iranian President Mahmud Ahmadinejad made his first 
ever official visit to Kazakhstan April 6-7.  His delegation 
was welcomed upon arrival at Astana Airport on April 6 by 
Minister of Transport and Communications Abelgazi Kusainov 
and Deputy Foreign Minister Nurlan Yermekbayev, after which 
Ahmadinejad travelled to the Ak Orda )- Kazakhstan,s White 
House )- for a formal welcome ceremony with President 
Nazarbayev, other government officials, and the foreign 
diplomatic corps (minus the U.S. Ambassador).  Nazarbayev and 
Ahmadinejad then had a bilateral meeting (see refs A and B). 
This was followed by a joint press conference (see para 4-11 
below). 
 
¶3.  (SBU) The next day, April 7, Ahmadinejad laid a wreath at 
the &Defenders of the Motherland8 eternal flame -) a Great 
Patriotic War (World War II) memorial -- and planted a tree 
along &Heads of State Avenue.8  He also delivered a speech 
at Eurasia University, after which he engaged in a brief 
question and answer session with professors, teachers, and 
students.  Eurasia University,s Head of Protocol told EmbOff 
that Ahmadinejad spoke on international cooperation and the 
importance of education, but, from his perspective, did not 
make any very controversial remarks.  (COMMENT:  EmbOff saw 
Ahmandinejad,s motorcade, which she described as very much 
resembling a U.S. government one in size and appearance. 
Most of the cars were black Chevrolet Suburbans )- though we 
presume those were the vehicles of the Kazakhstani security 
personnel, and were not brought into the country from Iran. 
END COMMENT.) 
 
&FRATERNAL AND CLOSE8 RELATIONS 
 
¶4.  (U) The press reported that in their bilateral meeting, 
Nazarbayev and Ahmadinejad discussed a wide array of issues, 
including the Middle East, Afghanistan, nuclear 
non-proliferation, the development of peaceful nuclear 
energy, economic cooperation and trade, and the global 
financial crisis.  During their press conference following 
the meeting, Nazarbayev said that &due to its political and 
economic potential, Iran plays a key role, not only in the 
Islamic world, but also in the international arena.8 
Ahmadinejad called relations between Iran and Kazakhstan 
&fraternal and close8 and said they have a &wonderful 
future.8  He emphasized that in their meeting, he and 
 
ASTANA 00000607  002 OF 003 
 
 
Nazarbayev had discussed &bilateral issues related to trade, 
investment, transport, energy and agriculture, as well as 
regional and international questions, and that Iran and 
Kazakhstan have very close positions on all the issues 
discussed.8 
 
NAZARBAYEV STRESSES RIGHT TO PEACEFUL NUCLEAR ENERGY 
 
¶5.  (U) At the press conference, Nazarbayev also stated that 
&Kazakhstan has always stood for establishing peace in our 
part of the world.  We discussed the nuclear agenda in this 
context.  We believe that Iran as much as any other country 
in the world has a full right to peaceful nuclear power.8 
He added that &Kazakhstan supports the declaration made by 
the Presidents of Russia and the United States in London on 
the reduction of nuclear arms in their countries.8 
Nazarbayev also welcomed President Obama,s April 5 speech in 
Prague, and praised Obama,s readiness for dialogue with Iran 
based on mutual interests and mutual respect, and said &this 
would be a reasonable solution in the region.8 
 
AHMADINEJAD WELCOMES KAZAKHSTAN,S OFFER ON NUCLEAR FUEL BANK 
 
¶6.  (U) At the press conference, Nazarbayev also made an 
offer to host the Nuclear Threat Initiative,s 
IAEA-administered international nuclear fuel bank (see refs A 
and B).  &If a nuclear fuel bank for nuclear energy were 
established, Kazakhstan would consider the possibility of 
having it located here, in a country which has signed the 
Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty and voluntarily gave up 
nuclear weapons,8 Nazarbayev explained.  In response, 
Ahmadinejad said, &The proposal of the President of 
Kazakhstan regarding the establishment of a nuclear fuel bank 
is good.8 He added, &Any country that has on its territory 
uranium reserves and enrichment technology can turn itself 
into a nuclear fuel bank.8 
 
LOOKS FOR U.S. FOREIGN POLICY CHANGES 
 
¶7.  (U) Ahmadinejad said at the press conference that 
&Tehran is waiting for Barack Obama to change Washington,s 
foreign policy to an equitable dialogue between the United 
States and other countries.8  Ahmadinejad criticized the 
Bush administration and its foreign policy, and said 
&everybody knows that the ideas and policy of Mr. Bush did 
not lead anywhere and led into deadlock.8  Ahmadinejad 
noted, &When Mr. Obama was elected President of the United 
States of America, I sent him a letter.  We hope that his 
will is to reform and change U.S. policy, and that he will 
succeed in doing so.  We welcome U.S. changes and reforms )- 
and wait.  We believe that fundamental changes are necessary: 
 respect for other nations, respect for the people,s rights, 
turning away from expansionism, and committing to justice.8 
When asked about his attitude towards Obama, Ahmadinejad told 
reporters, &We did not call anyone Satan or Devil.  In this 
regard, people,s personalities are not important to us.  We 
are against satanic and devilish behavior.  We are against 
war and violence, and we believe that is devilish behavior. 
We hope the new U.S. president will be successful in making 
many changes.  President Obama has said that he will soon 
announce his policy specifically with regard to our region. 
We hope that we will observe the changes in his policy.8 
 
DENIES ROLE IN DPRK MISSILE LAUCH 
 
¶8.  (U) Concerning North Korea,s Taepo-Dong-2 launch, 
Ahmadinejad denied Japanese media claims that Iranian 
specialists had helped the DPRK on its ballistic missile 
efforts.  The Iranian President said that he was unaware of 
 
ASTANA 00000607  003 OF 003 
 
 
any foundation for the Japanese press report, and that if he 
was not aware of it, it must be false. 
 
SUGGESTS ESTABLISHING REGIONAL CURRENCY 
 
¶9.  (U) Regarding Nazarbayev,s proposals to establish single 
regional and global currencies, Ahmadinejad told the press, 
&We hail the proposal to create a single regional currency 
before launching a global one.  To create a single global 
currency we need first to prepare the ground and 
infrastructure.  To do this we need to create a fair 
international financial system, and new international 
financial and economic principles.  Only then can the single 
international currency operate properly in that fair 
system.8  According to Ahmadinejad, the recent Tehran summit 
of the Economic Cooperation Organization &included this 
issue in its final document.8  Ahmadinejad also said that 
&through joint efforts we will manage to neutralize the 
impact of the financial crisis and strengthen regional 
economic cooperation.8 
 
VAGUE ON RE-ELECTION 
 
¶10. (U) When asked if he planned to run in Iran,s upcoming 
election, Ahmadinejad stated that elections would not begin 
for a month, therefore, &there is still time to decide that 
question.8 
 
NAZARBAYEV SUGGESTS COMPROMISE ON CASPIAN DELIMITATION 
 
¶11.  (U) At the press conference, President Nazarbayev also 
expressed the hope that a consensus on delimiting the Caspian 
sea would be reached at the summit of leaders of Caspian 
littoral states to be held in Baku later this year.  He 
suggested establishing a 20- to 25-mile sovereign zone in the 
Caspian as a &compromise solution.8  He also suggested 
imposing a 10-year moratorium on sturgeon fishing in the 
Caspian.  Ahmadinejad was not reported as having made any 
comments on these issues. 
 
KAZAKHSTAN AND IRAN ENTHUSIASTIC ABOUT EXPANDING TRADE 
 
¶12.  (U) Regarding economic cooperation, the press reported 
that during Ahmadinejad,s visit, the Kazakhstani side 
encouraged Iran to invest into infrastructure, transport, and 
communications in Kazakhstan.  Nazarbayev and Ahmadinejad 
agreed that the Kazakhstan-Iran Intergovernmental Commission 
on Trade and Economic Cooperation and the Kazakhstan-Iran 
Business Council will continue to play key roles in enhancing 
bilateral economic and commercial cooperation.  Kazakhstan,s 
MFA announced that Kazakhstani companies are interested in 
joint projects with Iran -- and specifically, that the 
Eurasian Financial and Industrial Company (EFIC) is 
interested in participating in the privatization of several 
Iranian metallurgical and aluminum plants.  According to the 
MFA, Iranian companies are also considering an agreement to 
purchase up to 50,000 tons of grain from Kazakhstan, and 
Kazakhstan,s Prodkorporazia plans to begin constructing a 
grain terminal and mill complex at Iran,s Amirbad port in 
¶2009. 
HOAGLAND