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O 191210Z DEC 09
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UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ASTANA 002161 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR SCA/CEN, EUR/RPM, DRL 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV PREL PHUM KDEM OSCE KZ
SUBJECT:  KAZAKHSTAN PUSHES FOR OSCE SUMMIT WITH A/S BLAKE 
 
REF: (A) ASTANA 2141 
 (B) ASTANA 1978 
 (C) ASTANA 2159 
 
ASTANA 00002161  001.2 OF 002 
 
 
¶1.  (U) Sensitive but unclassified.  Not for public Internet. 
 
¶2.  (SBU) SUMMARY:  State Secretary-Foreign Minister Kanat 
Saudabayev and President Nazarbayev's foreign policy advisor Kairat 
Sarybai separately pressed Assistant Secretary Blake for U.S. 
support for a 2010 summit of the Organization for Cooperation and 
Security in Europe (OSCE).  Blake noted that the United States is 
looking for assurances any summit would have a substantive outcome. 
He also noted that progress in all three OSCE dimensions, 
preservation of ODIHR,  as well as progress on Kazakhstan's domestic 
human-dimension issues, particularly the Zhovtis case, would help 
garner support for a Summit.  Sarybai argued that Zhovtis was 
treated equally under the law, and Saudabayev urged for him to apply 
for a presidential pardon.  Both stressed that a high-level U.S. 
visit to Kazakhstan or a bilateral meeting between Presidents Obama 
and Nazarbayev in Washington would signal the "deepening mutual 
relationship" between the United States and Kazakhstan.  END 
SUMMARY. 
 
OSCE SUMMIT 
 
¶3.  (SBU) In separate December 15 meetings with Assistant Secretary 
of State for South and Central Asian Affairs Robert Blake, State 
Secretary-Foreign Minister Kanat Saudabayev and President Nursultan 
Nazarbayev's foreign policy advisor Kairat Sarybai pressed for the 
United States to support a 2010 OSCE summit.  Both thanked the 
United States for its agreement to include a summit reference in the 
Athens Ministerial final declaration.  Saudabayev welcomed U.S. 
input on possible topics.  Blake reminded both that the OSCE 
Permanent Council must certify the achievement of sufficient 
progress in all three dimensions before deciding on a summit.  He 
suggested to Saudabayev that Kazakhstan ensure improvement in the 
OSCE human dimension, defend the mandate of the Office of Democratic 
Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR), and expand OSCE's role in 
Afghanistan in order to garner the necessary support.  He noted that 
the potential summit topic of a new European security structure 
would likely meet resistance and that substance focused on 
Afghanistan would be "much better."  Saudabayev acknowledged the 
difficulty of addressing the security architecture of Europe at a 
summit, and noted that Afghanistan will likely be the only topic in 
the end.  Blake underlined that a summit not preclude the annual 
Human Dimension Implementation Meeting (HDIM).  Saudabayev 
passionately reassured Blake that the "HDIM would go on as planned. 
We fully support ODIHR's work," he argued.  "It is the organization 
that keeps us all moving forward." 
 
ZHOVTIS CASE "CASTS A SHADOW" 
 
¶4.  (SBU) A/S Blake noted to both interlocutors that progress on 
Kazakhstan's domestic human-dimension issues, particularly the case 
of prominent civil-society activist Yvgeniy Zhovtis, also would help 
garner support for the summit (ref A).  "The case casts a shadow" on 
Kazakhstan's OSCE ambitions, said A/S Blake.  Sarybai firmly argued 
that Zhovtis' international stature should not warrant special legal 
treatment.  "He was treated as 'citizen Zhovtis'," said Sarybai.  He 
highlighted the government's Human Rights Action Plan as proof of 
"Kazakhstan's steady progress" towards democracy. 
 
¶5.  (SBU) Saudabayev agreed with Blake that "[the Zhovtis affair] is 
the last thing [Kazakhstan] needs."  The penal colony is "not 
letting a fly land on Zhovtis, but he continues to cause 
controversy," complained Saudabayev.  (NOTE:  Zhovtis was officially 
sanctioned twice for refusing to accept jobs offered by the 
penal-colony administration (ref A).  END NOTE.)  One way to resolve 
the case is for Zhovtis to ask for a presidential pardon, said 
Saudabayev.  "You can help by convincing (Zhovtis) to apply," he 
asserted, adding that he would personally assure the Pardon 
Commission reviewed the case quickly.  "It can be done by the end of 
this year."  (NOTE:  Zhovtis' lawyers have told us that Zhovtis 
refuses to apply for a pardon, because it would require him to admit 
his legal guilt, which he denies (ref B).  END NOTE.) 
 
ASTANA 00002161  002.2 OF 002 
 
 
 
¶6. (SBU) Blake also suggested that decriminalization of libel in 
Kazakhstan and implementation of the human rights national action 
plan would help convince the United States of Kazakhstan's sincerity 
in making progress domestically.  Noting his productive meeting with 
civil society representatives in Almaty (ref C), he recommended that 
Saudabayev consider meeting civil society groups in the United 
States on the margins of the Annual Bilateral Consultations in 
February.  Saudabayev welcomed the idea, and said he would follow up 
with his Ambassador in Washington. 
 
PUSH FOR HIGH-LEVEL ENGAGEMENT 
 
¶7.  (SBU) Both Saudabayev and Sarybai pressed for a bilateral 
meeting between Presidents Obama and Nazarbayev on the margins of 
the April Global Nuclear Security Summit and highlighted that a 
high-level U.S. visit would signal a "deepening mutual 
relationship."  Saudabayev noted that China's President Hu Jintao 
travelled to Kazakhstan twice in the past year, and Russia's 
President Medvedev has visited "incalculable times" since taking 
office.  President Nazarbayev has never wavered in his partnership 
with the United States, argued Saudabayev.  A bilateral meeting in 
Washington or President Obama's visit to Kazakhstan would "prove the 
strength of the relationship."  Blake responded that resolution of 
some issues discussed could encourage high-level visits. 
 
¶8.  (SBU) COMMENT:  The Athens Ministerial declaration has given a 
major boost to the Kazakhstanis' hopes for a summit just as they 
prepare to take over the OSCE chairmanship.  They continue, 
sincerely we believe, to seek our support and guidance to turn this 
wish into a reality.  The Zhovtis case, however, casts a shadow over 
Kazakhstan's ambitions.  Although Foreign Minister Saudabayev seems 
to fully grasp the optics, his hope that Zhovtis will apply a pardon 
is unrealistic.  Despite sincere concern in some quarters, we see no 
evidence that Kazakhstan will undercut the OSCE's human dimension 
during their chairmanship.  Continued positive engagement on our 
part will help to ensure that Kazakhstan's words become reality. 
END COMMENT. 
 
¶9.  (SBU) A/S Blake cleared this cable. 
 
HOAGLAND