From: Tede Rod-Larsen

From: Tede Rod-Larsen To: mkevacation®gmail.comm <[email protected]> Subject: Fw: Date: Sun, 18 Dec 2011 15:11:10 +0000 Original Message From: Ter 'e Rod-Larsen To: cEIMIE=.> Sent: Fri Dec 16 09:56:35 2011 Dear Yerzhan, I know this is busy time for you, but allow me to express my greetings and congratulations on the occasion of the 20 th anniversary of Kazakhstan's independence. As you know, I believe that Kazakhstan has enormous potential for becoming a major power, not only in terms of political and economic clout and regional leadership, but also as a conduit for relations between Europe and Asia and promoting dialogue among religions. I hope that we will be able to work together towards these goals in the years to come. I feel bad for having suggested that you visit Norway at what I know is such a busy time for you with the ambassador's meeting, the jubilee, as well as heavy responsibilities in the O1C, OSCE Troika and other fora where Kazakhstan is active. The lead time is now too short to organize a possible dinner in Oslo on 27 December. I suggest that we postpone the dinner for now and try again early in the new year at a time that is mutually convenient for all members of the group that I indicated. Within the next few days I want to call you concerning another dinner — the Foreign Minister's dinner in Kazakhstan (on the model of other dinners that IPI hosts, for example in Luxembourg and New York). We would like this to become an annual event (co-hosted by IPI and Kazakhstan), focusing on security issues in Eurasia. For the first year, it would be best if it could be held at a time when a number of Foreign Ministers will anyway be in Kazakhstan. I understand that there will be a Ministerial-level meeting of the CSTO next year in Kazakhstan? That would involve Ministers from Central Asia and Russia. We could add the US, Sweden, Norway, Germany and a few others (10-12) for a confidential and open discussion on issues in Central Asia, perhaps related to the draw-down of ISAF forces in Afghanistan. Based on our experience in the UAE and other places, we need around 6 months to plan this meeting. EFTA00926016 It would also be helpful if you could sign the budgetary agreement for the MOU that we agreed on in order that we can move ahead with planning for this dinner, elaboration of a situation assessment for Central Asia (as we discussed), and other projects of mutual interest that are not part of the existing agreement covering support for Kazakhstan's Chairmanship of the OIC. In that connection, I attach a confidential draft of a situation assessment of Central Asia and its Neighbours with a special focus on Kazakhstan. I look forward to your comments and suggestions in order that this study will meet the expectations of the plan that we discussed during our private conversation when I last visited Astana. In the context of finalizing the IPI Masterplan for 2012, I will be meeting with the Chairman of the Board of IPI, Rita Hauser, at the end of this month. On that occasion it would be important for me to confirm Kazakhstan's intention to provide predictable and sustainable funding in line with the MOU that we signed. IPI's Board is very enthusiastic for long-term partnership with Kazakhstan! All the best for the holiday season, and a very happy New Year. My warmest regards Terje EFTA00926017