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DE RUEHTA #1439/01 2390514
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 270514Z AUG 09
FM AMEMBASSY ASTANA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 6103
INFO RUCNCIS/CIS COLLECTIVE 1873
RUCNCLS/ALL SOUTH AND CENTRAL ASIA COLLECTIVE
RUEHZL/EUROPEAN POLITICAL COLLECTIVE
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RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC 1329
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RHMFIUU/CDR USCENTCOM MACDILL AFB FL

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 ASTANA 001439 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR SCA/CEN, DRL, EUR/RPM 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PHUM PREL PGOV PINR KDEM KCOR OSCE KZ
SUBJECT:  KAZAKHSTAN:  PRESIDENT'S ADVISOR WARNS OF AN "INFORMATION 
WAR" 
 
REF: (A) ASTANA 1402 
 (B) ASTANA 1255 
 (C) ASTANA 0943 
 
¶1.  (U) Sensitive but unclassified.  Not for public Internet. 
 
¶2.  (SBU) SUMMARY:  In an August 22 interview published in the 
newspaper "Liter," Yermukhamet Yertysbayev, President Nazarbayev's 
advisor on political issues, railed against the "runaway 
billionaires" who have declared an "information war" designed to 
besmirch Kazakhstan's international reputation and denied rumors 
about making President Nazarbayev President-for-Life.  Yertysbayev 
sided with the prosecutors in discussing several recent court cases 
involving journalists, and he warned that any pressure on the 
authorities investigating the Kazatomprom case "will not bring good 
results."  In his view, political opposition is "a component of 
Western culture" that has failed to take root in Kazakhstan.  He 
dismissed rumors of early elections, noting the single-party 
parliament's "positive role" in support of the anti-crisis program. 
Yertysbayev asserted that the OSCE is "undergoing a certain crisis" 
that Kazakhstan could help resolve.  On the future of Kazakhstan's 
multi-vector policy, Yertysbayev said that he would like to see the 
"European vector" become Kazakhstan's main direction.  END SUMMARY. 
 
 
"AN INFORMATION WAR ON KAZAKHSTAN" 
 
¶3.  (SBU)  In an interview in the widely read daily "Liter" 
headlined "Yertysbayev: An Information War Has Been Declared Against 
Kazakhstan," Yertysbayev described the situation in the country as 
generally stable but claimed that that the nation's rivals, the 
"runaway billionaires" -- presumably the former Bank Turan Alem 
(BTA) Chairman Mukhtar Ablyazov and the President's former 
son-in-law, Rakhat Aliyev -- have begun an "information war" 
designed to disgrace Kazakhstan in advance of its 2010 OSCE 
chairmanship.  "For three months, public opinion has been 
indoctrinated to discredit Kazakhstan in the eyes of the world 
community," he asserted.  He railed against the opposition press for 
comparing the government's anti-corruption investigations with 
Stalin's repressions of 1937.  The fight against corruption is a 
legitimate attempt to weed out dishonest government officials and 
lessen the "corruption tax" on citizens in times of economic crisis, 
he asserted.  Yertysbayev also ascribed the growing rumors about 
making President Nazarbayev President-for-life, which have appeared 
almost exclusively in opposition media, to this "anti-government" 
information campaign.  He categorically denied that such a project 
is in the works and generally advised "Liter" readers to stop paying 
heed to "mass hallucinations" and trust government sources. 
 
"YESERGEPOV KNEW HE WAS VIOLATING THE LAW" 
 
¶4.  (SBU) Yertysbayev was unequivocal that the courts were correct 
to convict Ramazan Yesergepov, the editor and owner of newspaper 
"Alma-Ata Info" (reftel A), although he allowed that the three-year 
sentence may have been "too harsh."  "Yesergepov knew he was 
violating the law and still published [classified] documents, not 
altogether for unselfish reasons," Yertysbayev asserted, making 
reference to the allegation that Yesergepov was paid for writing the 
article that landed him in trouble.  "What does this have to do with 
freedom of speech?" asked Yertysbayev.  "This idea is being imposed 
on us that freedom of speech is absolute," he continued, "that 
private telephone conversations and secret government documents can 
be published."  (NOTE: Yertysbayev was clearly referring to several 
controversial, and at times embarrassing, conversations between 
high-placed government officials thought to be transcripts of 
wire-taps that Rakhat Aliyev had kept from when he was Deputy 
Chairman of the Committee for National Security (KNB) and then 
posted on the Internet, to the great consternation of the Ak Orda, 
the Presidential Administration.   END NOTE.) 
 
¶5.  (SBU)  Asked about OSCE's Representative for Freedom of the 
Media Miklos Haraszti's public criticism of the Yesergepov ruling, 
Yertysbayev said that "Haraszti is a very intelligent and 
progressive person, but he trusts unofficial information too much." 
 
ASTANA 00001439  002 OF 003 
 
 
The Law on State Secrets is very clear, said Yertysbayev, and a 
journalist that obtains and publicizes classified information 
illegally shall be punished. 
 
BTA'S LIBEL SUIT IS "ABSOLUTELY JUSTIFIED" 
 
¶6.  (SBU)  Yertysbayev believes that BTA bank is "absolutely 
justified" in suing the opposition newspaper "Respublika" for 
allegedly undermining the bank's credibility among clients and 
investors.  BTA filed suit against the newspaper on August 19, 
alleging that the newspaper's public speculations that the bank was 
close to failure led to a run on the bank's deposits in excess of 
1.4 million tenge (approximately $9 million).  Yertysbayev defended 
the suit, saying that "Respublika" has run a "continuous campaign to 
disgrace the bank," thus undermining the government's efforts to 
keep the bank afloat.  Yertysbayev criticized Kazakhstan for 
"lacking the unity of government and society" that he believes exist 
in countries like the United States, Spain, France, and Japan.  He 
quoted President Nazarbayev -- "Without unity between the government 
and the people, we will not overcome the current economic crisis." 
 
KAZATOMPROM CASE "SHOULD NOT BE POLITICIZED" 
 
¶7.  (SBU)  Yertysbayev shied away from making statements on the case 
against the former head of state-owned nuclear company Kazatomprom 
Mukhtar Dzhakishev, saying simply that he prefers to wait for the 
verdict because this is "a complicated case with serious charges" 
(reftel C).  He did, however, sharply criticize Dzhakishev's lawyer 
Daniyar Kanafin for "politicizing a purely criminal case" and 
generating a public reaction that could "destabilize the situation." 
 (NOTE:  As reported in reftel B, the KNB recently sought Kanafin's 
disbarment for fostering a negative image of Kazakhstan, a request 
which the Almaty Bar Association denied.  END NOTE.)  A lawyer "who 
ignores clear legal norms and forms a negative public opinion of 
government agencies" does a disservice to his client, argued 
Yertysbayev.  "Pressure on the investigation, the upcoming trial, on 
the country's rulers, even with the involvement of the international 
community, will not bring positive results," he asserted. 
 
OPPOSITION "HAS FAILED TO TAKE ROOT" 
 
¶8.  (SBU) Yertysbayev gave a glum assessment of the prospects for 
opposition parties:  "Neither ten years ago, nor now, nor in the 
future does the opposition have a chance.  Opposition is an 
essential component of Western culture which has failed to take root 
on Kazakhstani soil, even in Russia it failed to take root.  It's 
unlikely that the opposition in Georgia and Ukraine would have come 
to power without American support." 
 
NO EARLY ELECTIONS 
 
¶9.  (SBU) Yertysbayev categorically denied that Kazakhstan will have 
early elections before it assumes the OSCE chairmanship.  "The 
President said he sees no reasons for early elections," he stressed. 
 Asked about the comments he made last year in favor of elections, 
Yertysbayev said that the only way it could happen would be if the 
Mazhilis unanimously voted for it.  "I do not think it will happen 
now," he said, "because the single-party parliament has played such 
a positive role in the support of the government's anti-crisis 
program." 
 
THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THE OSCE CHAIRMANSHIP 
 
¶10.  (SBU) Yertysbayev commented that Kazakhstan's OSCE chairmanship 
is an event of "historic and symbolic significance," the first time 
a post-Soviet, predominantly Muslim country will head the 
organization.  He outlined Kazakhstan's priorities for the 
chairmanship - to promote inter-religious tolerance, regional 
security, and non-proliferation, and to tackle issues of energy and 
food security.  Yertysbayev also asserted that the OSCE is 
"undergoing a particular crisis," and here as well Kazakhstan's 
chairmanship carries "certain significance."  Kazakhstan could serve 
the role of an independent broker because it has constructive 
relationships with all OSCE members, "regardless of political 
 
ASTANA 00001439  003 OF 003 
 
 
conditions," he said.  When asked about the future of Kazakhstan's 
multi-vector policy, Yertysbayev admitted that he personally would 
like to see the "European vector" become Kazakhstan's main 
direction, the one that Kazakhstan uses as a model for further 
development. 
 
¶11.  (SBU) BIO-NOTE AND COMMENT:  Yertysbayev, who is serving as 
advisor to President Nazarbayev for the third time, is known for his 
sometimes unorthodox, but always intriguing, statements to the 
press.  During his tenure as the Minister of Culture from 2006 to 
2008, Yertysbayev was sued twice for publicly insulting reporters by 
calling them "scoundrels and rogues," and he was at the epicenter of 
several scandals involving irregular tender procedures.  Last year 
he caused a stir when he said that Kazakhstan should hold early 
elections so that it would enter the OSCE chairmanship with at least 
a two-party parliament, and the subsequent rumors were only put to 
rest when Nazarbayev publicly stated that he sees no reasons for 
early elections.  Yertysbayev's reference in this interview to the 
effectiveness of the single-party parliament mirrors recent public 
comments from Nur Otan party functionaries and appears to confirm 
that Kazakhstan is not preparing for early elections.  Even though 
some see him as the odd man out, Yertysbayev remains an Ak Orda 
insider and is a member of the President's inner circle.  He may 
stray from the party line at times, but we believe that he could not 
have published this interview without the knowledge, and the 
approval, of his superiors.  END COMMENT. 
 
HOAGLAND