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C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 BISHKEK 000086 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR SCA/CEN 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/03/2020 
TAGS: PGOV PREL KG
SUBJECT: MAXIM BAKIYEV'S DEBUT ON THE INTERNATIONAL 
DIPLOMATIC SCENE 
 
REF: BISHKEK 0010 
 
Classified By: Amb. Tatiana Gfoeller, Reason 1.4 (b) and (d). 
 
¶1. (C) Summary:  Maxim Bakiyev made his international debut 
leading an official delegation to China.  He returned home 
triumphant, at least at first glance, with several signed 
agreements, including one on Chinese financing for the 
construction of a trans-Kyrgyzstan power transmission line. 
However, upon examining the agreements more closely, the 
Kyrgyz Government may be finding that few of the agreements 
are in fact binding, and that Bakiyev's first diplomatic 
foray falls short of an unqualified success.  End Summary. 
 
International Debut 
------------------- 
 
¶2. (C) Maxim Bakiyev, as the Head of the Central Agency for 
Development, Innovation and Investment, led his first 
official delegation to China on January 11-13.  The 
delegation included State Minister for Foreign Affairs 
Kadyrbek Sarbayev, the Ministers of Finance and Energy, and 
the CEOs of Dastan, a military equipment manufacturer, and 
Kyrgyz Agrocorporation.  The Kyrgyz' Chinese interlocutors 
included the Vice Premier of the China State Council, the 
Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, the Deputy Minister of 
Commerce, the Railways Minister and a number of banking and 
economic officials. 
 
A Good Visit 
------------ 
 
¶3. (C) Discussions between the Kyrgyz delegation and Chinese 
officials focused on several large infrastructure projects, 
including the construction of a rail line connecting China, 
Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan, and the modernization of the 
Bishkek Combined Heat and Power Plant.  Of greatest 
significance was the signing of an agreement by the heads of 
the National Electric Grid of Kyrgyzstan and the Chinese 
Tebian Electric Apparatus Stock Co. to construct a 500 kW 
power transmission line from Datka in the south of Kyrgyzstan 
to Kemin in the north, with an associated substation in 
Datka.  The project, which is estimated at $342 million, 
would be funded in part by two separate loans from the 
Chinese side, the details of which were not released. 
 
¶4. (C) In addition, Kyrgyzstan and China discussed 
cooperation in the mining sector and urban development, as 
well as the creation of two agricultural facilities in 
Kyrgyzstan that would make use of China,s knowledge of food 
exportation procedures.  The two sides reportedly also agreed 
to hold a bilateral gathering later in 2010 to discuss 
economic initiatives.  The Kyrgyz delegation made progress in 
establishing a memorandum of cooperation with the Shanghai 
Stock Exchange that would allow Kyrgyz companies to 
participate in the Chinese exchange, and would contribute to 
the growth of the Kyrgyz stock market.  Finally, the two 
sides reached an agreement on interagency cooperation between 
Kyrgyzstan,s Economic Development Fund and the Chinese 
Development Bank. 
 
¶5. (C) In meetings with Ambassador and DCM, Sarbayev and 
Maxim Bakiyev both expressed great satisfaction with the 
results of the visit, strongly emphasizing the importance of 
Chinese financing for infrastructure development in 
Kyrgyzstan. 
 
But Maybe Not All That Good 
--------------------------- 
 
¶6. (C) While pro-government media coverage has been positive 
in Kyrgyzstan, the visit apparently drew little media 
coverage in China, leading some members of the press to 
speculate that the trip was of minimal significance to the 
 
BISHKEK 00000086  002 OF 002 
 
 
Chinese side.  Similarly, French Charge to Kyrgyzstan 
Jean-Pierre Godart, and separately the German Ambassador, 
Holger Green, suggested to the Ambassador that neither side 
was particularly pleased with the results of the visit. 
According to Godart, the Chinese side found Bakiyev to be 
inexperienced, and privately made disparaging comments 
regarding the quality of the Kyrgyz delegation.  Further, 
given his heading of the delegation and the lack of a 
comparable Chinese official, the Chinese were reluctant to 
schedule meetings with ministry heads, instead settling on 
deputy ministers. On the Kyrgyz side, Godart informed the 
Ambassador that there was now concern that the agreements 
Bakiyev brought home may not be binding, thus calling into 
question the success of the visit. 
 
¶7.  (C) Green (who has served several tours in China, speaks 
excellent Chinese, and is on warm terms with the resident 
Chinese Ambassador here) told the Ambassador that the Chinese 
felt insulted by the "nepotism of sending a dictator,s son 
to negotiate state-to-state agreements.  It is not in their 
traditional culture and not in their Communist Party 
culture."  As a result of being thus "held hostage" to Maxim 
Bakiyev, and despite his extensive knowledge of all things 
Chinese, Sarbayev ended up not meeting with his Chinese 
counterpart. 
GFOELLER 

=======================CABLE ENDS============================