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### Viewing cable 09BISHKEK135, CHINESE AMBASSADOR FLUSTERED BY KYRGYZ ALLEGATIONS

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Reference ID | Date | Classification | Origin
--- | --- | --- | ---
09BISHKEK135 | 2009-02-13 11:11 | CONFIDENTIAL | Embassy Bishkek

`

    VZCZCXRO1478
    OO RUEHBI RUEHCI RUEHDBU RUEHLH RUEHPW
    DE RUEHEK #0135/01 0441151
    ZNY CCCCC ZZH
    O 131151Z FEB 09
    FM AMEMBASSY BISHKEK
    TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 1794
    INFO RUCNCLS/ALL SOUTH AND CENTRAL ASIA COLLECTIVE
    RUCNCIS/CIS COLLECTIVE
    RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING 2870
    RUEHRL/AMEMBASSY BERLIN 0711
    RUEHMD/AMEMBASSY MADRID 0094
    RUEHFR/AMEMBASSY PARIS 0183
    RHEFDIA/DIA WASHDC
    RUEKJCS/OSD WASHDC
    RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC
    RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC
    RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC
    RUEKJCS/JOINT STAFF WASHDC
    RUEHGV/USMISSION GENEVA 1217
    RUEHVEN/USMISSION USOSCE 3257
    RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 2643
    RUEHNO/USMISSION USNATO BRUSSELS BE
    RUEHBS/USEU BRUSSELS
    RUEHLMC/MILLENNIUM CHALLENGE CORP
    RUMICEA/USCENTCOM INTEL CEN MACDILL AFB FL

` `

    C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 BISHKEK 000135

    SIPDIS

    DEPT FOR SCA/CEN

    E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/13/2019
    TAGS: PGOV PREL MARR KG
    SUBJECT: CHINESE AMBASSADOR FLUSTERED BY KYRGYZ ALLEGATIONS
    OF MONEY FOR CLOSING MANAS

    REF: A. BISHKEK 96
         ¶B. BISHKEK 85

    BISHKEK 00000135  001.2 OF 002

    Classified By: Ambassador Tatiana C. Gfoeller, Reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).

    ¶1. (C) Summary:  During a meeting with the Ambassador
    February 13, Chinese Ambassador Zhang Yannian ridiculed the
    idea, but did not deny categorically, that China would
    provide Kyrgyzstan a $3 billion financial package in return
    for closing Manas Air Base.  Zhang said Kyrgyzstan was in
    Russia's sphere of influence, and China had only commercial
    interests here.  He also complained bitterly about Chinese
    Guantanamo detainees being shipped to Germany instead of
    China.  Zhang was very interested in whether the U.S. would
    negotiate to keep Manas, and he advised just giving the
    Kyrgyz $150 million a year for the Base.  "This is all about
    money," he said.  End Summary.

    LOSING THE ABILITY TO SPEAK RUSSIAN

    ¶2. (C) Ambassador met February 13 with Chinese Ambassador to
    Kyrgyzstan Zhang Yannian.  After opening pleasantries, the
    Ambassador mentioned that Kyrgyz officials had told her  that
    China had offered a $3 billion financial package to close
    Manas Air Base and asked for the Ambassador's reaction to
    such an allegation.  Visibly flustered, Zhang temporarily
    lost the ability to speak Russian and began spluttering in
    Chinese to the silent aide diligently taking notes right
    behind him.  Once he had recovered the power of Russian
    speech, he inveighed against such a calumny, claiming that
    such an idea was impossible, China was a staunch opponent of
    terrorism, and China's attitude toward Kyrgyzstan's decision
    to close Manas was one of "respect and understanding."

    ¶3. (C) Composing himself, Zhang inquired if maybe the Kyrgyz
    had meant the trade turnover between the two countries, which
    he claimed was about $3 billion a year.  When disabused of
    that notion, Zhang went on at length to explain that China
    could not afford a $3 billion loan and aid package.  "It
    would take $3 from every Chinese person" to pay for it.  "If
    our people found out, there'd be a revolution," he said.  "We
    have 200 million people unemployed" because of the downturn
    in exports, he said, and millions of disabled and others who
    need help from the government.

    A SLAP IN THE FACE

    ¶4. (C) When the Ambassador asked whether he would
    categorically deny what the Kyrgyz officials had told her
    about a deal with China, Zhang snapped that "releasing 17
    from Guantanamo is an unfriendly act toward us."  He then
    went on at length about what a "slap in the face" it was to
    China that the Uighur detainees were not going to be returned
    to their homeland but instead shipped to Germany, where
    reportedly they had already been granted refugee status.
    While not stating a tit-for-tat reaction on Manas, he did
    imply that the Guantanamo situation had made China look for
    ways to hit back at the U.S.  When the Ambassador inquired if
    maybe the Chinese were favorably disposed toward closing
    Manas because of their SCO membership, Zhang acknowledged
    that the SCO had pronounced for closing Manas, but claimed
    that "that was years ago and nothing has happened since."  He
    denied that the SCO was pressuring the Kyrgyz to close Manas.

    RUSSIA: A GIFT FROM GOD FOR THE KYRGYZ

    ¶5. (C) The Ambassador then asked what Zhang thought about the
    $2 billion plus Russian deal with Kyrgyzstan.  After some
    hemming and hawing, Zhang said it was "probably true" that

    BISHKEK 00000135  002.2 OF 002

    the Russian assistance was tied to closing Manas.  Asked if
    he had any concerns about the Kyrgyz Republic falling ever
    deeper into the Russian sphere of influence and whether China
    had any interest in countering this, he answered that
    Kyrgyzstan was already in that sphere, and China had no
    interest in balancing that influence.  "Kyrgyzstan is
    Russia's neighbor," he intoned (somewhat expansively, since
    Kyrgyzstan does not share a border with the Russian
    Federation -- though it does share a border with China).
    "And when the Kyrgyz ask me about this, I always tell them
    that a neighbor is a gift from God."  As for China's
    interests in the Kyrgyz Republic, he stated flatly:  "We have
    only commercial interests here.  We want to increase
    investment and trade.  We have no interest in politics."  He
    claimed that some Kyrgyz had argued for China to open a base
    in Kyrgyzstan to counterbalance Russian and American
    influence in the country, but China has no interest in a
    base.  "We want no military or political advantage.
    Therefore, we wouldn't pay $3 billion for Manas," he argued.

    PERSONAL ADVICE: PAY THEM $150 MILLION

    ¶6. (C) Zhang asked the Ambassador whether the U.S. would
    negotiate to keep the Base open.  The Ambassador answered
    that the U.S. side was evaluating its options.  Zhang then
    offered his "personal advice,"  "This is all about money," he
    said.  He understood from the Kyrgyz that they needed $150
    million.  The Ambassador explained that the U.S. does provide
    $150 million in assistance to Kyrgyzstan each year, including
    numerous assistance programs.  Zhang suggested that the U.S.
    should scrap its assistance programs.  "Just give them $150
    million in cash" per year, and "you will have the Base
    forever."  Very uncharacteristically, the silent young aide
    then jumped in: "Or maybe you should give them $5 billion and
    buy both us and the Russians out."  The aide then withered
    under the Ambassador's horrified stare.

    ¶7. (C) Commenting on the recent diplomatic corps lunch (Ref
    B), Zhang noted that Russian Ambassador Vlasov had been in an
    expansive mood and dominated portions of the meeting.  "I
    think that's when he found out that they'd reached a deal"
    with Bakiyev to close the Base, he opined.  Zhang, who is
    doyen of the diplomatic corps, said he would be leaving
    Bishkek soon, but did not yet know his next assignment.  "In
    our service," he said, "we don't know our postings until the
    last minute."

    Comment
    -------

    ¶8. (C) Zhang was clearly flustered when confronted with the
    claims of Kyrgyz officials that they were negotiating a
    financial deal with China in return for closing the Base.
    While he ridiculed the notion of such a deal, he did not deny
    it outright.  Perhaps because of his being discomposed, he
    returned several times to the topic of a possible revolution
    in China if the economic picture does not improve and work is
    not found for the millions of unemployed there.  In our
    experience, talk of revolution at home is taboo for Chinese
    diplomats.  While candid at times, the meeting ended on a
    very cordial note.
    GFOELLER

`