Wash & Go, Two in one

Hereby we present the tape-recorded conversation of four people, which took place in the middle of April, 2008. The genre of eavesdropping recently became rather popular with certain persons. But in contrast to the latter we did not afford to break into somebody’s telephone or flat. Quite the contrary, our counterparts were well aware that the conversation was tape recorded, and for all that they wished to remain anonymous. The person who handed over the tape to us was our absolutely reliable source of information.

Fortunately, it turned out that to ‘mark’ their voices according their temperaments proved to be an easy task. So let’s present them.

Phl: Theoretically, I do agree with you. Theoretically, Dzhaksybekov is a leading figure. Theoretically! But he…
Chol: But Mamin threw down a challenge to KTZh…
Phl: Well, its quite understandable. They have just given him away. Possibly he has stolen something… (noise) The point is that they simply gave him away. As for those appointments and the personnel shifting… it is clear why he appointed Tas (obviously, Tasmagambetov) to Astana.
Chol: Why?
Phl: An oriental wisdom says that one should hold an enemy (a potential political adversary, in our case) in place beside oneself.
{PAUSE}
Chol: Well… Am I not really meaning the same… here? (This suggests that Chol prepared beforehand the basic data for the discussion; the corresponding list handed over to us by our source is presented in the inside) Why was Esimov appointed (as Almaty Akim, instead of Tasmagambetov)? 
Phl: It’s not necessarily so that Esimov will put persons under arrest. Possibly a verbal understanding is being implied here. Today the media have certain grounds to assert that possibly it was one of Tas’ provisos — to thus appoint Esimov…
Chol: (evidently bursting in on Phl): What?!!.. Do you really think that Tas is in a position to make any provisos? 
Phl: Why not? At present he is the strongest figure in the political establishment, except Nazarbayev. He is all-sufficient, in contrast to all others! Dzhaksybekov is also an outstanding figure.
Sang: And what about Timur Askarovich (Kulebayev)?
Phl: Timur Askarovich has no political ambitions whereas Tas has (Melan was seemingly trying to raise an objection, but his voice was not clearly heard).
Chol: In my opinion, Tasmagambetov generally doesn’t suit anyone!
Phl: This is a complicated question. A very complicated question, indeed! He suits a certain part of Kazakhstan’s elite, especially Kazakh nationals…
Chol: Oh, absolutely right! He suits first of all the Kazakh national’s elite! Who of them is ready to stake on the Kazakh nationals’ card in this aspect?
Phl: Many, many of them…
Chol: If it concerns the fishing in troubled waters, then — yes! But let us have a look at the Forbes eight (the matter certainly concerns 8 Kazakh richest representatives listed in this magazine). They became a kind of quintessence of what Nazarbayev wanted. It is a mixture of ‘the old’ and ‘the new’. Timur represents ‘the old’. But in reality he aspires in his dreams to state capitalism: at present KRAMDS is being revived through KASYNA and so on, and such indigent people, like Kelimbetov will run the state…
Phl: Kelimbetov is not such indigent…
Chol: No-no-no! Against a background of those people he is a complete beggar designed to play the role of an employee. The more employees, the lesser risks. That was an old idea of Nurbulat Masanov who said that all persons at that level would be illegal. If we have a look at that eight from that point of view, then we’ll see, excuse me, a Jew, a Korean, two Uzbeks, and Utemuratov — all his people. Except one only — Nurzhan Subkhanberdin who is listed there through misunderstanding.
Phl: M-m-m… Why misunderstanding? He is a rich man…
Chol: But he is not from that predetermined generation, in contrast to all others… In this regard I would like to say that Tasmagambetov is a complete copy of Nazarbayev. Yet in 2008 he does not suit China, which has huge economic instruments here…
Phl: Why?
Chol: Because he would rely exactly on the Kazakh nationals’ part of the elite, which constitutes his basis. He also doesn’t suit Russia.
Phl: A very complicated question. This cannot be tolerated in politics… He may rely on one part of the population inside the country, but he must play according to the generally accepted rules. He will never become president, if he does not suit both China and Russia.
Chol: Tasmagambetov was never seen in that field. On the contrary, in due time Kelimbetov stuck to Moscow for a long time.
Phl: But he is not a player.
Chol: OK! So you assert that Tasmagambetov is the most influential political figure…
Phl: An all-sufficient figure!
Chol: All-sufficient… It’s like elusive Joe has galloped by… But does anybody need him? What do YOU think about it?
Melan: Recently I visited Washington (burst of laughter). The shifting of personnel is logical. The only doubt concerns Tac — he will not have time to show himself normally in anything.
Phl: Since February all the changes of personnel were logical. Kayrat’s (Kelimbetob’s) appointment was made to move the economic block to the president’s administration because Masimov’s government is obviously not capable of coping with the tasks, and the change of government is not in view so far. During the year construction sites lie idle, and the government does nothing to improve the situation.
Sang: Well, why not to simply change the premier?
Phl: There is no appropriate candidacy for substitution!
Sang: Well, behold, he appointed Kayrat. Buy even at the procedure level Kelimbetov is unable to exert influence even upon such a trifle as… (poor audibility). Where is the logic?
Phl: The logic consists in the fact that everything should be moved to under Kelimbetov who is not connected with the government any more…
Sang: Well, OK. In due time there existed a version that Kazhegeldin said it was unworthy of the nobleman to busy himself with the sewage system, the problems of coal shortage, and payments of pensions. Let’s divide responsibilities: the administration would devote itself to strategic issues whereas… (those who were at the very bottom of the food pyramid would occupy themselves with sewage, pensions; right at that time there existed problems with electricity, gas, and bread)
Phl: So, he intended to win authority for himself through solving social problems.
Sang: Kelimbetov and his former patron-2030 (obviously Erzhan Ytembayev is meant) didn’t give birth to anything, except such phrase-mongering as cluster initiative, industrial initiative strategy. I cannot understand: if HE has no candidacy for the change, how would non-operationist Kelimbetov change the situation under the weak premier?
Chol: If He only appointed a new premier, that would indeed mean that the premier would take all the responsibility and act as a political player at the moment. HE simply dispersed responsibilities because the situation is too serious. He couldn’t tolerate a political figure as a premier.
Sang: The president simply does not know what to do.
Phl: Nobody knows what to do!
Sang: Because today no person in the country is ready to take all the responsibility and at the same time to accept all the authorities.
Melan: The person is not in the country, he is in Austria! (Laughter)
Sang: We are on the eve of default that from month to month becomes more distinct. Default would automatically entail social and interethnic tensions. During 15 year we somehow managed to survive. We have a flea market that supports 80% of the population. Instead of gradual decreasing the tension He started nationalization of what supported Kazakhstan during 15 years. He creates holding companies, nationalizes banks, saps under Mashkevich. What for?!!.. They all are under control all the same. And today all His wolf-cubs, from Bulat Dzhamitovich and Adilbek Ryskeldinovich to even Kayrat Kematovich, are well aware of the misbalance. Everyone is at a loss how and against whom to make friends. Akela missed his aim, and Maugli is in Austria.
Melan: This Maugli should not be called back.
Sang: Maugli is discredited here to the utmost. They have written a book for him.
Phl: They should not write anything and make a hero of him. He was condemned for high treason. That’s all. He and Musayev… The tsar did not know…(loud noise, nothing can be understood).
Phl: He wants to take control of the main assets. As for banks, that was simple — he had taken them; creation of Kazyna, Samruk, Samgal, and SPK is nothing but the process of taking control of all the assets.
Sang: Why?
Phl: Because there appeared very rich people who can stand against Him. It is necessary to get them out of the way, to deprive them of their financial strength; in this regard the case of Rakhat Aliev is just a show.
Sang: Now it’s interesting to know who will be the next. (Pause) And after that?
Phl: It’s a matter of time. Why SPKs are being created? They are intended to deprive Akims of their financial base so as to do away with the excesses of regional self-dependence. On the one hand it’s right, on the other hand we always slide down to the Soviet methods…
Sang: What is lying in wait for us tomorrow?
Phl: Chaos. Because our state cannot be an efficient manager. The point is that our system is thievish.
Sang: I cannot understand Him. Is he aware of what is going on in the country? There are two ways of running the state: He is practicing one of them now, the second one was chosen by Europe, America and so on. I cannot understand his logic. Why has He chosen the left way, not the right one he went along at first?
Phl: They are minions. None of them cares for the state interests.     
Sang: OK, I perfectly understand that it’s stupid to hope that they may be worried about the country’s future. Why don’t they think about their own future?
Phl: They do. Everyone steals and transfers the assets away from Kazakhstan.
Chol: Imagine that all you said is true. So we draw the enemy… OK, competitor… nearer to us. If we accept this logic, then I’ll crawl into his garden to dig out something [of special importance].
Phl: Right.
Chol: And I’ll invite Esimov to that place so as he may appreciate the material.
Phl: He will do the work, yet nothing will be made public.
Chol: Oh! But that would hang [as a dangerously discreditable material] here!
Phl: Absolutely.
Chol: It’s also my firm conviction. The entire elite is interested in it now!
Phl: Well, I am not sure to what extent…
Chol: When the collapse takes place a lot of [doubtful] things may come to light. That’s why Esimov was send here — as a digger! At first the solemn ceremony was planned — who was send there? And here, in the framework of our local political thriller, his people will be stunned.
Phl (resolutely): Nobody will ever be stunned, simply discrediting materials will be gathered.
Chol: They are clever today. In order to have documentary information someone must be already imprisoned.
Phl: It’s not necessary.
Chol: Why?
Phl: In order to have reliable discrediting materials it is quite enough to have documents. And they do exist! The motor road flyover cannot cost $10 million per kilometer…
(Discussion about possible arrests follows in the context of Esimov’s image which is considered to a certain extent suitable for the awaited campaign)
Melan: The population has grown somewhat older, it is politically inert. As for economy… the worse situation in it, the more numerous arrests… But all that shifting of personnel is not serious because it is Dzhaksybekov who is shaping the real policy now, and there is an idea to change the political system… The government does not exist, as it is Kelimbetov who runs the main economic block…
(Noise, indiscernible phrases…)

1. Choleric person: he is a persistent, importunate generator of ideas ardently asserting his viewpoints; sometimes he seems to be energetic and rather coarse.
2. Phlegmatic person: he is always composed, somewhat ironical and gives an impression of being a well-informed person as far as it concerns general perceptions and politics, in particular; he is ready to share his interlocutor’s opinion, nevertheless he is also ready to firmly uphold his own certain positions which possibly constitute fundamental parts of his world outlook. 
3. Melancholic person: we arrived to a conclusion that he is closely connected with men of science; when speaking out he is discrete, laconic uttering in a low voice well thought-out words.
4. Sanguine person — easily consolidates his counterparts. He is a good moderator in the finest sense of the word. He is sincere. He readily skips from one subject to another thus demonstrating his ability for coming to terms with his interlocutor, and at the same time offering a new viewpoint to help develop the subject. He avoids conflict situations.

As we understood the choleric one had beforehand prepared himself for the discussion, and the other participants acted as opponents to him.

As far as we understand the following note was prepared for the meeting by the choleric person. We received the tape and the listing.

Here is Nazarbayev’s wording concerning the appointment of Tasmagambetov as Astana Akim: ‚On the eve of the tenth anniversary of Astana a huge amount of work should be done, and I am sure that he will do his best to accomplish it. That’s why I appointed a man who enjoys my confidence.’
We would like to interpret the wording as follows: I take him ONLY for the period of carrying out the jubilee action. This assertion — ‚ONLY’ — is uttered by him only for the closest milieu, i. e. for the highest elite as a whole.
At the moment we’ll try to assert that Nazarbayev moves Tasmagambetov away from Almaty to Astana in order to investigate his Almaty activities. We are far from idea to assert that the discrediting materials will be put in force. No! As soon as Nazarbayev and his milieu get the materials they’ll just put them ‚to hang’.
The main problem of Almaty is the building campaign. It is exactly what Esimov will investigate first of all. Let us recall that it was Esimov whom Nazarbayev commissioned with keeping an eye on Kazhegeldin in early 1996,during a year before his resignation. It’s worth rereading Esimov’s authorities he enumerates with pleasure in the book ‚Who is who in Kazakhstan’.
So we want to show that everything is simple along the line Tasmagambetov-Esimov. We would like to associate it with the dotted line Kazhegeldin-Tasmagambetov.
On the whole those are just rear-guard battles.

The material is published with abridgements. The full-length version may be available for the subscribers.

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