US embassy cable - 05ALMATY3905

UNCLAS ALMATY 003905 
 
SIPDIS 
 
 
DEPARTMENT FOR EUR/CACEN JMUDGE 
DEFENSE FOR USDP/CTR AWEBER, SCALI 
DTRA FOR FSHEEHY 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PARM, TBIO, PREL, KZ, POLITICAL 
SUBJECT: KAZAKHSTAN: AMBASSADOR MEETS DFM SHAKIROV, NO 
PROGRESS ON STRAIN TRANSFER 
 
1. (SBU) Summary:  Ambassador Ordway met with Deputy Foreign 
Minister Askar Shakirov on October 20 in Astana and raised 
the issue of the strain transfers envisioned by the November 
2004 Biological Weapons Prevention Program (BWPP) Amendment. 
Shakirov, discouragingly, replied in the same vein as the 
GOK did during the Joint Requirements Implementation Plan 
(JRIP) talks in September.  End Summary. 
 
2. (SBU) Shakirov clung to the GOK's most recent 
interpretation of the BWPP amendment - strain transfers are 
to be contemplated only after the reference laboratory is 
completed.  He expressed concern that Kazakhstan would have 
no guarantee that the lab would be built if it agreed to the 
transfer up front.  Ambassador Ordway replied that such a 
concern might be understandable if this were the first such 
agreement between the U.S. and Kazakhstan.  Given the United 
State's long record of fulfilling its nonproliferation 
commitments to Kazakhstan, the Ambassador noted, the concern 
is completely unfounded. 
 
3.  (SBU) The Ambassador also asked Shakirov to look at the 
situation from a political standpoint.  Kazakhstan's delay 
in approving the strain transfers is highly unlikely to 
resolve any delays the GOK perceives in getting the 
reference lab completed.  Shakirov said that while he could 
understand that reasoning, MFA is but one of many agencies 
involved from the GOK.  Shakirov advised the Ambassador to 
discuss the transfers directly with the Minister of Health, 
Yerbolat Dossayev. 
 
4.  (SBU) Comment: Shakirov's discouraging comments most 
likely reflect his staff's reading of the current 
interagency position rather than a strongly held MFA 
position.  The Embassy will pursue the strain transfer issue 
vigorously with the Ministry of Health.  End Comment. 
 
Ordway 
 
 
NNNN