VZCZCXRO4383
PP RUEHDBU RUEHFL RUEHLA RUEHLN RUEHMRE RUEHROV RUEHSR RUEHVK RUEHYG
DE RUEHAH #0359/01 0961231
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 061231Z APR 06
FM AMEMBASSY ASHGABAT
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 7164
INFO RUCNOSC/OSCE POST COLLECTIVE
RUCNCIS/CIS COLLECTIVE
RHMFIUU/CDR USCENTCOM MACDILL AFB FL//CCJ2/HSE/CCJ5//
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHINGTON DC
RUEKJCS/JOINT STAFF WASHINGTON DC//J5/RUE//
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC
RHEFDIA/DIA WASHDC

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ASHGABAT 000359 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR SCA/CEN (PERRY) 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV PHUM PREL PINR TX
SUBJECT:  OSCE CiO STANDS FIRM ON HUMAN RIGHTS AGENDA 
 
 
Summary 
------- 
 
¶1.   (SBU) Organization for Security and Cooperation in 
Europe Chairman-in-Office, Belgian Minister of Foreign 
Affairs Karel De Gucht, visited Turkmenistan on March 29. 
Ashgabat OSCE Center Human Dimensions Officer Benjamin 
Moreau told Pol/Econ Off on March 31 that De Gucht 
emphasized to both President Niyazov and the Minister of 
Foreign Affairs Rashit Meredov that all future 
cooperation is linked to human rights improvement and 
democratic reforms.  End Summary. 
 
Meredov Request: No Mention of HR Cases to President 
--------------------------------------------- ------- 
 
¶2.   (SBU) According to Moreau, De Gucht delivered 
"verbatim" OSCE Ashgabat's talking points to Foreign 
Minister Meredov during a lunch March 29, emphasizing 
human rights.  Meredov then asked De Gucht not to discuss 
individual human rights cases with Niyazov. 
 
¶3.   (SBU) Undeterred by Meredov's request, De Gucht 
raised four specific human rights cases with Niyazov 
during their almost two-hour conversation: 
 
  Muhammetguly Aymyradov, political prisoner since 1995, 
  (included in the 2005 Human Rights Report (HRR)). 
 
  Rahym Esenov, writer denied permission to go to Moscow 
  for medical treatment, (included in the 2005 HRR). 
 
  Guljan Koker, Turkish Turkmen dual national denied 
  permission to return to Turkey because she is the 
  niece of former Foreign Minister and Ambassador to the 
  OSCE Batyr Berdiev who was accused of participating in 
  the 2002 assassination attempt of President Niyazov. 
  This is an OSCE advocacy case. 
 
  Members of the family of former Deputy Central Bank 
  Chairman Annadurdy Hajiev, who is a member of the 
  Turkmen opposition group "Watan Socio-Political 
  Movement" established by former Central Bank Chief 
  Hudayberdy Orazov.  Since 2002, Hajyev and his wife, 
  Chairwoman of the Turkmenistan Helsinki Fund Tajigul 
  Begmedova, live in exile in Varna, Bulgaria.  They 
  both were declared wanted by GOTX authorities for 
  their alleged involvement in the USD 41 million theft 
  from Turkmenistan's Central Bank in the summer of 
  ¶2002.  Primary suspect in that crime, Arslan Kakayev, 
  is a nephew of Tajigul Begmedova.  Following the 
  theft, several of Begmedova's (at least a brother and 
  a sister) and Hajyev's (at least a brother) relatives 
  were arrested and convicted in Turkmenistan. 
  Begmedova's father Sazak Begmedov, former Deputy 
  Prosecutor General of Turkmenistan, was forcibly 
  resettled from Ashgabat to Dashoguz where he currently 
  lives.  Elements of this case are included in the 2005 
  HRR.  This is an OSCE advocacy case. 
 
The president gave his word that he would personally 
address these issues and De Gucht promised to pass all of 
the case information formally to the president via the 
MFA. 
 
¶4.   (U) Additionally, the OSCE's March 29 press release 
noted that De Gucht spoke with Niyazov about the need to 
amend national legislation to bring it into compliance 
with international conventions and the need for 
international organizations to have unlimited access to 
prisoners.  De Gucht said that the OSCE is willing to 
support the education sector and he emphasized 
participation in exchange programs.  He also urged the 
GOTX to organize free and open elections in July.  De 
Gucht also spoke about energy issues and Europe's future 
needs for Turkmenistan's gas. 
 
Comment 
------- 
 
¶5.   (SBU) That De Gucht took the opportunity to raise 
high-profile human rights cases with the president, the 
 
ASHGABAT 00000359  002 OF 002 
 
 
only person in the government with the power to resolve 
them, was welcome.  Previous OSCE CiOs have focused 
primarily on bilateral issues.  Post is working on late 
April travel arrangements for Esenov, so De Gucht's 
efforts might prove timely for a successful resolution 
of, at least, one additional human rights/freedom of 
movement case.  End Comment. 
 
JACOBSON