US embassy cable - 05ALMATY934

UNCLAS ALMATY 000934 
 
SIPDIS 
 
 
DEPARTMENT FOR EUR/CACEN JMUDGE, EUR/ACE JMCKANE 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: ECON, EFIN, PGOV, KZ, ECONOMIC 
SUBJECT: AMBASSADOR ORDWAY PURSUES PED, BILATERAL AGREEMENT 
WITH MINISTER KELIMBETOV 
 
Reftel: Almaty XXXX 
 
1.  Ambassador Ordway met with Kazakhstani Minister of 
Economy and Budget Planning Kairat Kelimbetov on March 3 in 
Astana.  The Ambassador urged Kelimbetov to take action to 
speed the ratification of the U.S.-Kazakhstan Bilateral 
Assistance Agreement and to ensure that the GOK commits to a 
cost-sharing arrangement to finance USAID's Program for 
Economic Development (PED.) 
 
2.  Kelimbetov assured the Ambassador that his Ministry is 
committed to seeing the ratification process through. 
Although he stated that he needs the implementing memorandum 
from the Ministry of Finance to proceed (see Reftel), he 
said that the Ministry would shepherd the agreement through 
Parliament.  In this case, the Prime Minister's office will 
have overall control of the effort because of its 
implications for the bilateral relationship, but Kelimbetov 
pledged his full support. 
 
3.  Kelimbetov also stated that his Ministry plans to 
include an appropriation for the PED in the 2006 budget, and 
that the budgetary commission would ensure that it is 
included when it does its work in March and April of this 
year.  He added that PED is perfectly consistent with 
President Nazarbayev's stated goal of accelerating the 
development of small and medium enterprise; and highlighted 
Kazakhstan's demonstrated willingness to co-finance 
assistance programs, as it has with the World Bank. 
 
Ordway 
 
 
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