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| Negotiators Find in Kazakhstan the Perfect Place to Disagree | Negotiators Find in Kazakhstan the Perfect Place to Disagree |
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| ALMATY, Kazakhstan — Plopped in a chair in a fifth-floor suite at the Rixos Hotel here, his eyes red from exhaustion, Foreign Minister Erlan Idrissov of Kazakhstan spoke humbly about playing host to international negotiations over Iran’s nuclear program. | ALMATY, Kazakhstan — Plopped in a chair in a fifth-floor suite at the Rixos Hotel here, his eyes red from exhaustion, Foreign Minister Erlan Idrissov of Kazakhstan spoke humbly about playing host to international negotiations over Iran’s nuclear program. |
| “To put it in a nutshell, our role is very simple and very modest,” Mr. Idrissov said. “We have to prepare a nice coffee and nice tea, for the parties to be happy and have a really good atmosphere to work and focus on the issues of substance.” As if to illustrate the point, he sat in front of a lavish spread of pastries and finger cakes, but left them untouched in favor of puffing on an electronic cigarette. | “To put it in a nutshell, our role is very simple and very modest,” Mr. Idrissov said. “We have to prepare a nice coffee and nice tea, for the parties to be happy and have a really good atmosphere to work and focus on the issues of substance.” As if to illustrate the point, he sat in front of a lavish spread of pastries and finger cakes, but left them untouched in favor of puffing on an electronic cigarette. |
| Nothing is simple when it comes to high-stakes diplomatic talks, though — least of all deciding where they will be held. On that score, Kazakhstan, a former Soviet republic on the steppes of Central Asia between Russia and China, has pulled off something of a coup. After two days of contentious discussions between Iran and six world powers that ended with no deal anywhere in sight, the negotiators were in accord on one point: they had found the perfect place to disagree. | Nothing is simple when it comes to high-stakes diplomatic talks, though — least of all deciding where they will be held. On that score, Kazakhstan, a former Soviet republic on the steppes of Central Asia between Russia and China, has pulled off something of a coup. After two days of contentious discussions between Iran and six world powers that ended with no deal anywhere in sight, the negotiators were in accord on one point: they had found the perfect place to disagree. |
| One after another, delegation leaders gushed with satisfaction at their decision to return to Almaty for the talks last week, after holding a round here in February. | One after another, delegation leaders gushed with satisfaction at their decision to return to Almaty for the talks last week, after holding a round here in February. |
| First it was Catherine Ashton, the European Union’s foreign policy chief; then Saeed Jalili, the top negotiator for Iran. Even a senior United States official, who spoke about some of the grittiest details of the talks, took a moment to fawn. “Let me, once again, convey our gratitude to the government of Kazakhstan for their truly flawless performance in hosting these talks again,” the official said. | First it was Catherine Ashton, the European Union’s foreign policy chief; then Saeed Jalili, the top negotiator for Iran. Even a senior United States official, who spoke about some of the grittiest details of the talks, took a moment to fawn. “Let me, once again, convey our gratitude to the government of Kazakhstan for their truly flawless performance in hosting these talks again,” the official said. |
| For many reasons, Kazakhstan was well positioned to serve as neutral turf for the talks. It lies across the Caspian Sea from Iran and has experience with nuclear issues. Though the country may still be best known in the West for its connection to an oddball comedy film (officials pleaded with a reporter not to mention it by name), in Soviet times it was a main testing ground for the world’s largest atomic arsenal, and its citizens have experienced firsthand the harm of radioactive fallout. | For many reasons, Kazakhstan was well positioned to serve as neutral turf for the talks. It lies across the Caspian Sea from Iran and has experience with nuclear issues. Though the country may still be best known in the West for its connection to an oddball comedy film (officials pleaded with a reporter not to mention it by name), in Soviet times it was a main testing ground for the world’s largest atomic arsenal, and its citizens have experienced firsthand the harm of radioactive fallout. |
| After the Soviet Union collapsed, Kazakhstan inherited a large stockpile of nuclear weapons, and voluntarily gave them up, offering something of a case study as the six world powers try to persuade Iran to limit its nuclear ambitions. And Kazakhstan today is the world’s largest producer of uranium, making it a major player in the civilian nuclear industry around the world and a close partner of the International Atomic Energy Agency. | |
| That Almaty was more or less centrally situated — three-and-a-half hours by plane from Tehran; four-and-a-half from Moscow; five from Beijing; six from Berlin — did not hurt, either. | That Almaty was more or less centrally situated — three-and-a-half hours by plane from Tehran; four-and-a-half from Moscow; five from Beijing; six from Berlin — did not hurt, either. |
| Most important, though, Kazakhstan fit Iran’s requirements for a venue — a country that recognizes Iran’s right to enrich uranium for civilian purposes and that had not directly leveled any sanctions against Iran. (Kazakhstan is enforcing United Nations sanctions but, unlike the United States or the European Union, has imposed none of its own.) | Most important, though, Kazakhstan fit Iran’s requirements for a venue — a country that recognizes Iran’s right to enrich uranium for civilian purposes and that had not directly leveled any sanctions against Iran. (Kazakhstan is enforcing United Nations sanctions but, unlike the United States or the European Union, has imposed none of its own.) |
| Talks have been held in three other cities over the past year — Istanbul, Baghdad and Moscow — but for various logistical and political reasons, the sides did not want to go back to any of them. After months of negotiations last fall, they settled on Kazakhstan for the February session that is now known as Almaty 1. | Talks have been held in three other cities over the past year — Istanbul, Baghdad and Moscow — but for various logistical and political reasons, the sides did not want to go back to any of them. After months of negotiations last fall, they settled on Kazakhstan for the February session that is now known as Almaty 1. |
| Ali Vaez, a specialist on Iran with the International Crisis Group, a nonprofit organization that works to prevent conflicts, said that sanctions seemed to loom largest in choosing a site for the latest round, while Kazakhstan’s nuclear experience did not. | Ali Vaez, a specialist on Iran with the International Crisis Group, a nonprofit organization that works to prevent conflicts, said that sanctions seemed to loom largest in choosing a site for the latest round, while Kazakhstan’s nuclear experience did not. |
| “They haven’t mentioned that even once in the Iranian press — the background and history of Kazakhstan in terms of nonproliferation,” said Mr. Vaez, who was here last week for the talks now known as Almaty 2. “Insistence is on the fact that Kazakhstan has not sanctioned Iran.” | “They haven’t mentioned that even once in the Iranian press — the background and history of Kazakhstan in terms of nonproliferation,” said Mr. Vaez, who was here last week for the talks now known as Almaty 2. “Insistence is on the fact that Kazakhstan has not sanctioned Iran.” |
| But Kazakhstan stressed that history in proposing itself as host. “I offered Almaty as a venue for negotiations in the hope that the experience of our young country would be useful,” President Nursultan A. Nazarbayev wrote in an essay published in The Washington Times last week. “We support the peaceful use of nuclear power. No other country can match our achievement of voluntary denuclearization.” | But Kazakhstan stressed that history in proposing itself as host. “I offered Almaty as a venue for negotiations in the hope that the experience of our young country would be useful,” President Nursultan A. Nazarbayev wrote in an essay published in The Washington Times last week. “We support the peaceful use of nuclear power. No other country can match our achievement of voluntary denuclearization.” |
| In Almaty, once Kazakhstan’s capital and still its largest city and economic center, the delegations have found modern, comfortable accommodations in a country whose fortunes have risen largely because of its vast deposits of oil and minerals. The diplomats were able to shuttle easily among the hotels and conference sites without having to contend with, for example, the snarled traffic of Moscow or the security worries of Baghdad, and they had the snowcapped Zalisky Alatau mountains for a backdrop. | In Almaty, once Kazakhstan’s capital and still its largest city and economic center, the delegations have found modern, comfortable accommodations in a country whose fortunes have risen largely because of its vast deposits of oil and minerals. The diplomats were able to shuttle easily among the hotels and conference sites without having to contend with, for example, the snarled traffic of Moscow or the security worries of Baghdad, and they had the snowcapped Zalisky Alatau mountains for a backdrop. |
| Almaty has ambitions to become the capital of Eurasian chic, and now holds an annual fashion week. Salmat Bavaev, the director of the event, said the organizers make their own effort at diplomacy, inviting designers from both Iran and the United States to take part. Saks Fifth Avenue opened a store here in October. | Almaty has ambitions to become the capital of Eurasian chic, and now holds an annual fashion week. Salmat Bavaev, the director of the event, said the organizers make their own effort at diplomacy, inviting designers from both Iran and the United States to take part. Saks Fifth Avenue opened a store here in October. |
| While nuclear talks hardly have the popular appeal of a major sporting or entertainment event, they were still a source of pride last week for Kazakhs who were aware of them. “The whole world is here; it certainly helps to put Kazakhstan and Almaty on the world map,” said Alper Akdeniz, head of the Almaty office of PricewaterhouseCoopers, the accounting firm. | While nuclear talks hardly have the popular appeal of a major sporting or entertainment event, they were still a source of pride last week for Kazakhs who were aware of them. “The whole world is here; it certainly helps to put Kazakhstan and Almaty on the world map,” said Alper Akdeniz, head of the Almaty office of PricewaterhouseCoopers, the accounting firm. |
| Mr. Akdeniz was meeting an associate — and watching the bustle — at the Intercontinental Hotel, where press briefings on the talks were held. “Whatever the outcome,” he said, “Kazakhstan wins.” | Mr. Akdeniz was meeting an associate — and watching the bustle — at the Intercontinental Hotel, where press briefings on the talks were held. “Whatever the outcome,” he said, “Kazakhstan wins.” |
| An American official who participated in the talks said that Mr. Idrissov, the Kazakh foreign minister, had hardly just served refreshment. Mr. Idrissov “played a constructive role, meeting with all parties and urging them to be serious,” the official said. “He passed messages appropriately, to be helpful without becoming a negotiator, and provided support in every conceivable way.” | An American official who participated in the talks said that Mr. Idrissov, the Kazakh foreign minister, had hardly just served refreshment. Mr. Idrissov “played a constructive role, meeting with all parties and urging them to be serious,” the official said. “He passed messages appropriately, to be helpful without becoming a negotiator, and provided support in every conceivable way.” |
| Sitting in his hotel suite while the delegations packed their bags, Mr. Idrissov said Kazakhstan had an interest in the success of the talks. “Iran happens to be in our part of the world,” he said. “We do care about the long-term stability.” | Sitting in his hotel suite while the delegations packed their bags, Mr. Idrissov said Kazakhstan had an interest in the success of the talks. “Iran happens to be in our part of the world,” he said. “We do care about the long-term stability.” |
| And he conceded that his country was enjoying the attention: “We are happy that Kazakhstan has become at least one point on which all parties agree 100 percent.” | And he conceded that his country was enjoying the attention: “We are happy that Kazakhstan has become at least one point on which all parties agree 100 percent.” |