Assistant Secretary Robert O. Blake, Jr.

Bureau of South and Central Asia Affairs
Azattyk Interview
December 2, 2011
 
Azattyk: Mr. Blake, you are here on behalf of United States and came to the inauguration of the Kyrgyz President. Have you met Mr. Atambaev before, and did you [inaudible] what issues and matters you have discussed with him before?
 
Assistant Secretary Blake: First of all let me say how pleased I am to be here to represent President Obama and Secretary Clinton at this historic occasion marking the first democratic presidential transition in Kyrgyzstan.  I had the pleasure of meeting with President Atambaev yesterday, but I also have met previously with Mr. Atambaev when he was Prime Minister.  I have great respect for the President and think he will be a very good President for your country at this time.
 
Azattyk: If it’s not secret, what did you discuss yesterday with the President?
 
Assistant Secretary Blake: I told the President that the United States has been very proud to support the important democratic transition that has taken place here since the events of last year and that the United States will continue to provide support because Kyrgyzstan is such a very strong and positive example for not only Central Asia, but for the rest of the world.
 
We talked not only about how we continue to cooperate to support democracy here but also about the important work that still needs to be done on matters such as reconciliation, strengthening the judicial system here inside Kyrgyzstan, and working on our common objectives in Afghanistan.
 
Azattyk: It is a chance for Kyrgyzstan to make their presidential country a parliamentary country.  Do you believe this parliamentarism which start the development process in Kyrgyzstan is going to become a good example for other neighboring countries as well?
 
Assistant Secretary Blake: The United States believes that every country must choose the system that is best suited for its needs.  I think that the parliamentary system here that Kyrgyzstan has chosen will be a very strong system and the United States is working very hard to support the strengthening of the parliamentary system by providing training to help parliamentarians, for example, with legal procedures, to help to strengthen the committee system, and help to strengthen communications with the public about all of the important activities that parliament is engaged in.
 
The most important attributes of any free system are that that system be subject to the rule of law and that it has the support of the people of the country, and I think we see that very clearly here in Kyrgyzstan. 
 
Azattyk: The United States has got many different programs in Kyrgyzstan.  Are these programs going to continue in Kyrgyzstan with the new government, or what do you think about this?
 
Assistant Secretary Blake: Yes.  We will continue those programs.  We were very proud to double our assistance to Kyrgyzstan after the events of last April and last June to again support the democratic transition that is taking place here in Kyrgyzstan.  President Obama has confirmed that we will continue our assistance, to continue to support Kyrgyzstan as it moves forward.
 
Azattyk: Yesterday during the inauguration and before that Mr. Atambaev has got several statements that Kyrgyzstan is going to be with Russia and support Russia.  And yesterday during the inauguration he mentioned this twice.  But irrespective of all the huge assistance being provided by the United States to Kyrgyzstan, he didn’t mention it.  What do you think in this regard?
 
Assistant Secretary Blake: Kyrgyzstan traditionally has pursued a balanced foreign policy where it wants friendship not only with Russia but also with the United States and with China and other important countries in the region.  That is certainly very appropriate.  We see it’s very possible for any country to have good relations with all three of those countries.  And certainly from our perspective we are working hard to continue the reset of our relations with Russia, and one of our highest priorities here in Central Asia has been to work closely with Russia because we think we have a lot of common interests in this region and in Afghanistan, and I think we’re very pleased with the level of cooperation and the level of consultations that we’ve had with our friends in Russia.
 
Azattyk: Last time the Chairman of CCST, Nikolai [inaudible] has given his interview to us about in which he stated that in view of the situation in this region and in Afghanistan, in view of the possible threats, if the international coalition forces will withdraw from the region there is going to be very difficult situation formed in the area.  So this can by experts tell that it can be understood in different ways.  So what’s your comment about this?  Maybe people are aware of what can be or maybe Nikolai [inaudible] meant something different that people are not aware of.  What do you think?
 
Assistant Secretary Blake: Thank you for that important question.  Next week Secretary Clinton and representatives of more than 80 countries will be going to a very important conference in Bonn marking the 10th Anniversary of the very first Bonn Conference on Afghanistan.  The principal purpose of that conference will be to have all of those countries certify their enduring commitment to the security and prosperity of Afghanistan.  Not only now, but after the very important transition that will take place in 2014.
 
As you know, the United States and all of our NATO allies are working very closely to train and equip the Afghan National Security Forces so that they will increasingly be able to assume control for security of Afghanistan by the end of 2014.  But even after that the United States expects to have troops that will remain in Afghanistan to provide training and to continue to engage in counter-terrorist operations.  We look forward to continuing our very close consultations with Kyrgyzstan and with other friends in the region about developments in Afghanistan because the views of Kyrgyzstan and their advice are very important to us.
 
Azattyk: Bonn is a city in what country?
 
Assistant Secretary Blake: Bonn, Germany.
 
Azattyk: Last time Mr. Atambaev has suggested that by 2014 the Transit Center, the US Transit Center is going to be withdrawn from Kyrgyzstan.  After that the US Ambassador to Kyrgyzstan, Madam Spratlen told us we are going to conduct discussions on this with the new government.  How do you think, when the discussions on this matter are going to take place?
 
Assistant Secretary Blake: First of all we appreciate very much President Atambaev’s reaffirmation that Kyrgyzstan will abide by the agreement that the United States and Kyrgyzstan have to allow the United States to continue to make use of the Manas Transit Center through 2014.
 
When the President and his new team are ready we are certainly prepared to enter into discussions with them about arrangements after the existing arrangement expires.
 
Azattyk: Just to clarify, you will conduct discussions on prolongation of the contract after 2014?
 
Assistant Secretary Blake: I don’t want to try to predict what the subject of those discussions will be. As I say, we’re very open to having any discussions with the President and his new team at a time when they are ready to have those discussions.
 
Azattyk: There are a lot of words about human rights and freedom of work being discussed in the region, but there is word that, or information people have heard that in the US, US representatives, every time they discuss with Uzbekistan the understandings and the requirements in terms of providing for freedom of worth and human rights can be understood in different ways to Kyrgyzstan.  Is this understanding correct or mistaken?
 
Assistant Secretary Blake: Let me say that in all of our relations with all of our friends in Central Asia human rights is a very important part of our discussions.  We have always been clear that it is important to make progress on the full range of human rights issues and to develop civil society in Central Asia, just as it’s important to make progress on political issues and on trade and investment and the other important aspects of our relationship.
 
Even in Kyrgyzstan I think there’s been tremendous progress in terms of democratic development here, but I think Kyrgyzstan’s own leaders would be the first to say that there’s still work to be done here and we will look forward to working with our friends in the Kyrgyz government and with civil society here to continue to strengthen human rights and democracy to again further the progress that has been made here.
 
Azattyk: Thank you very much. I want to ask about Otunbayeva’s experience.  Of course the entire world knows how experienced she is and how important her role was.  And the experience of Otunbayeva, will it be further continued and used by the United States for the prosperity and development purposes?
 
Assistant Secretary Blake: I know that Secretary Clinton and President Obama have great respect for President Otunbayeva and for the extraordinary leadership that she demonstrated during her time as President in leading her country through what was a very challenging period in your history.  Even though she has retired from government I know she remains very committed to continuing to help strengthen Kyrgyzstan and to strengthen the democratic institutions of Kyrgyzstan and to help build the prosperity and development of your country.
 
Azattyk: Thank you.
 
Assistant Secretary Blake: Thank you.  It’s a pleasure to be with you and your listeners.
 
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