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C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 BISHKEK 000091 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR SCA/CEN 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/01/2020 
TAGS: PGOV PREL PINR MARR KG
SUBJECT: KYRGYZSTAN: AMBASSADOR AND FM DISCUSS ICG VISA 
REFUSAL, MANAS TRANIST CENTER, AND "BISHKEK INITIATIVE" 
 
REF: BISHKEK 86 
 
Classified By: Ambassador Tatiana C. Gfoeller, for Reasons 1.4 (b) and 
(d). 
 
¶1. (C) Summary:  In a cordial meeting, Ambassador Gfoeller 
and Kyrgyz Foreign Minister Kadyrbek Sarbayev discussed the 
denial of a visa extension to the International Crisis 
Group's Central Asia Project Director Paul Quinn-Judge by the 
MFA.  The Ambassador expressed concern at the decision and 
noted that ICG was a respected international research 
organization.  Sarbayev said that he was unaware of the case, 
but promised to be helpful on this issue.  The Ambassador 
reviewed the status of the Transit Center agreement 
commitments, noting the positive progress made over the last 
six months.  Sarbayev expressed satisfaction at the progress, 
noting that the information was timely since he would soon 
have to brief Parliament on the Transit Center.  Sarbayev 
talked about the Istanbul and London conferences on 
Afghanistan, calling both "positive."  He highlighted his 
efforts to garner support for President Bakiyev's "Bishkek 
Initiative," which he said several countries had expressed 
interest in.  Sarbayev strongly hinted that the Russians had 
been telling the Kyrgyz at the conferences not to trust the 
Americans, who would soon  "cut and run from Afghanistan as 
they did from Vietnam."  However, he assured the Ambassador 
that he did not believe this. The Ambassador also raised the 
Quinn-Judge visa issue with the Head of the Presidential 
Secretariat, Oksana Malevanaya, who said that the problem had 
arisen because of Quinn-Judge's use of a shady Chinese 
company as a visa intermediary.  She promised that he would 
have no difficulties if he applies directly.  End Summary. 
 
¶2. (C) On February 2 Ambassador Gfoeller met with Kyrgyz 
Foreign Minister Sarbayev to review a variety of bilateral 
issues, including the Transit Center agreement commitments 
and the upcoming Annual Bilateral Consultations.  A relaxed 
and friendly Sarbayev officially agreed to hold the ABCs on 
April 8-9 in Washington, adding that he looked forward to the 
discussions, including on Human Rights.  Sarbayev told the 
Ambassador that Maxim Bakiyev, head of the Central Agency for 
Development, Investment and Innovation, would lead a Kyrgyz 
government delegation to Brussels for official meetings with 
the European Union in February.  In January, Bakiyev led a 
government delegation to China (reftel). 
 
ICG Visa Refusal 
---------------- 
 
¶3. (C) The Ambassador raised the visa case of Paul 
Quinn-Judge, International Crisis Group's (ICG) Central Asia 
Project Director based in Bishkek.  On January 31, the Kyrgyz 
Ministry of Foreign Affairs informed Quinn-Judge that his 
one-year visa extension had been denied based on unspecified 
information from the National Security Service and that he 
had to leave Kyrgyzstan by February 8.  The Ambassador 
expressed concern about this decision and emphasized that ICG 
was a reputable research organization with a high-profile 
Board of Directors.  The Ambassador noted that refusing 
Quinn-Judge a visa would not help Kyrgyzstan's efforts to 
promote a positive international image.  The Foreign Minister 
was unaware of the case, but said that he would look into the 
issue immediately and  would help.  The Minister's assistants 
subsequently telephoned the Embassy looking for more details 
on Quinn-Judge's visa case. 
 
¶4. (C) In two separate conversations, the Ambassador also 
discussed the issue with Head of the Presidential Secretariat 
Oksana Malevanaya.  In the first, Malevanaya, a personal 
acquaintance of Quinn-Judge, said that she liked and 
respected Quinn-Judge and would do all she could to reverse 
the decision.  In the second, (reported septel) Malevanaya 
 
BISHKEK 00000091  002 OF 003 
 
 
reported the results of her inquiries.  She said that the 
National Security Service had quashed Quinn-Judge's visa, not 
because they have a problem with him, but because they have a 
problem with the Chinese firm "Antay" that he used to handle 
his visa application.  If Quinn-Judge reapplies for the visa 
himself, without using Antay, Malevanaya promised, his visa 
will be approved. 
 
TRANSIT CENTER COMMITMENTS 
-------------------------- 
 
¶5. (C) The Ambassador and Foreign Minister also reviewed the 
status of the commitments outlined in the Transit Center 
agreement, highlighting the progress on finalizing a joint 
agreement on the EDF and boosting U.S. assistance and 
cooperation on counter-terrorism and counter-narcotics.  The 
Ambassador noted that the final terms for establishing joint 
manning of entry control points at the Transit Center at 
Manas International Airport were in the final stages of 
discussion and that an Acquisition and Cross-Servicing 
Agreement would enable the U.S. to provide support for the 
Kyrgyz Internal Forces that have been selected to provide 
security at Manas.  The Ambassador also updated Sarbayev on 
the parking ramp project and the air traffic control system. 
Sarbayev agreed to meet with Brigadier General Joseph Lanni, 
Commander of the Air Force Security Assistance Center, on 
February 8 during his visit to Bishkek. 
 
¶6. (C) Sarbayev thanked the Ambassador for the information on 
the projects connected to the Transit Center.  He noted that 
much progress has been made on fulfilling the commitments and 
called the update "useful" as he will soon need to brief 
Parliament on the status of the Transit Center agreement. 
 
BISHKEK INITIATIVE & AFGHANISTAN CONFERENCES 
-------------------------------------------- 
 
¶7. (C) Sarbayev briefed the Ambassador on his participation 
at the conferences on Afghanistan in Istanbul and London.  He 
said that at both conferences he discussed with many 
different government representatives, including from the 
U.S., President Bakiyev's "Bishkek Initiative."  Calling the 
concept "flexible," he provided the Ambassador with the 
latest version of the "Bishkek Initiative" concept paper.  He 
called both conferences successful, noting that the Turkey 
conference was more regionally focused than London.  Sarbayev 
highlighted that the "Bishkek Initiative" was not intended to 
replace other efforts or conferences on Afghanistan, but 
rather provide a forum for experts to discuss important 
international and regional issues. 
 
¶8. (C) Sarbayev said that many of the elements of the 
"Bishkek Initiative" had been included in the final Istanbul 
conference statement.  One proposal from the Turkey summit 
was to create a "Minds Center," which Sarbayev wanted to be 
based in Bishkek, for experts to come together and discuss 
key regional issues, including the particular social, 
political, religious, and ethnic elements of Afghan society. 
At the London conference, Sarbayev said that Lithuania, the 
2012 OSCE Chair, supported the "Bishkek Initiative" and that 
representatives from the Lithuanian government planned to 
visit Bishkek to review and discuss ideas for cooperation. 
He also said that Kazakhstan, the current OSCE Chair, was 
interested in using some elements of the "Bishkek Initiative." 
 
¶9. (C) Following the London conference, Sarbayev said that he 
was pleased to hear that the U.S. would gradually "transfer" 
control of Afghanistan to the Afghan government rather than 
completely withdrawing and leaving the country without clear 
direction.  He noted that there were "skeptics" at both 
conferences - he strongly implied the Russians - who kept 
warning the Kyrgyz not to trust the Americans on Afghanistan, 
 
BISHKEK 00000091  003 OF 003 
 
"where soon enough they will cut and run, just like they did 
in Vietnam."  However, he emphasized that he personally did 
not believe this, but rather felt the Karzai government will 
be ready and able to take control after a smooth hand-over 
from the Americans.  He called the creation of a 
"Re-Integration Fund," initially funded with $500 million, an 
important moment and felt that discussions with all parties 
in Afghanistan, including the Taliban, could be fruitful for 
a peaceful resolution of the conflict.  Sarbayev said that he 
looked forward to discussing the "Bishkek Initiative" and 
other regional and Central Asian issues at the upcoming 
U.S.-Kyrgyzstan Annual Bilateral ConsultationCKw_)`QETAQf 
 
COMMENT 
------- 
 
¶10. (C) The "Bishkek Initiative" continues to live on despite 
the numerous other international fora, conferences, and 
initiatives on Afghanistan.  The "Bishkek Initiative" will 
indeed need to be "flexible" if Sarbayev is going to save 
this President Bakiyev supported initiative from other 
countries' poaching of ideas and concepts.  Kyrgyzstan is 
truly interested in earning international respect, especially 
since it is the only country in Central Asia to host a 
U.S.-operated military Transit Center.  It is noteworthy that 
in this very cordial meeting Sarbayev did not raise Kyrgyz 
interests in the Northern Distribution Network (as he usually 
does) or even hint at the upcoming Transit Center renewal 
deadline. 
GFOELLER 

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