VZCZCXRO6989
OO RUEHAG RUEHAST RUEHBI RUEHCI RUEHDBU RUEHDF RUEHIK RUEHLH RUEHLN
RUEHLZ RUEHPW RUEHROV RUEHVK RUEHYG
DE RUEHAH #0863/01 2341229
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 221229Z AUG 07
FM AMEMBASSY ASHGABAT
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 9215
INFO RUCNCLS/ALL SOUTH AND CENTRAL ASIA COLLECTIVE
RUCNCIS/CIS COLLECTIVE
RUCNMEM/EU MEMBER STATES COLLECTIVE
RUEHAK/AMEMBASSY ANKARA 2666
RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING 0493
RUEHKO/AMEMBASSY TOKYO 0363
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC
RUEKJCS/JOINT STAFF WASHDC
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC
RHMFIUU/CDR USCENTCOM MACDILL AFB FL
RHEBAAA/DEPT OF ENERGY WASHDC
RUCPDOC/DEPT OF COMMERCE WASHDC
RHEFDIA/DIA WASHDC
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 ASHGABAT 000863 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR SCA/CEN, EUR/ACE, DRL 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV PREL PHUM SCUL KDEM KIRF TX
SUBJECT: MEREDOV DESCRIBES TURKMENISTAN'S RELIGIOUS FREEDOM 
SITUATION AS A CUP HALF FULL  (SBU) 
 
REF: ASHGABAT 845 
 
Summary:  Deputy Prime Minister Meredov gave members of the 
US Committee on International Religious Freedom a brief 
report on his country's progress on religious freedom, and 
underscored that although there continue to be problems with 
the registration of religious groups, the system is working. 
He expressed the willingness, however, to review procedures 
and laws with international and US experts, and was 
interested in further discussion regarding joint training or 
other cooperative programs in the future.  End summary. 
 
¶1. USCIRF Chairman Michael Cromartie kicked off the session 
by asking Meredov about the right of Muslim citizens to go on 
the Hajj, given recent reports that some applicants are 
refused exit visas.  Meredov responded that there are no 
restrictions for those seeking to go, especially if they have 
their own financial means.  Additionally, the government 
routinely pays for the travel of another 188 pilgrims.  This 
number is limited to the number of seats available on the 
aircraft designated to deliver pilgrims to Saudi Arabia. The 
GOT routinely permits the transit of other Central Asian 
pilgrims taking buses through Turkmenistan on their way to 
the Hajj, in numbers ranging from 500 to 2,000 annually. 
 
¶2.  Chairman Cromartie thanked Meredov for the recent release 
of political prisoner (?) Merdan Shirmedov and for giving him 
a departure visa to join his wife abroad. Meredov responded 
that the issue was not a problem, and that if there are other 
similar concerns, they should be brought to government's 
attention, where a mutually acceptable resolution will be 
sought. 
 
¶3. Meredov, in an effort to offset any lengthy discussion of 
registration woes, described his government's successes over 
the past few years in registering religious groups.  He noted 
that the government's procedures for registration is a work 
in progress, but cited the 2004 removal of the 500-member 
requirement as one sign that the government is working to 
streamline the process. He declared that all are now free to 
register.  He also highlighted his government's past response 
to the requests of international NGOs regarding the treatment 
of conscientious objectors, who, he stated, had been released 
from detention and given jobs. 
 
¶4.  When asked by commission delegates why unregistered 
religious groups are refused permission to engage in group 
activities, Meredov returned to his government's record, 
indicating that five groups were approved for registration 
last year, and that the only reason more groups have not been 
registered is that the government and unregistered groups 
disagreed on the issue of how to handle what he called branch 
offices of registered groups.  Registered groups balked at 
the idea of registering their regional ministries, since they 
considered themselves already registered.  In order to 
resolve the issue, the government organized a round table 
meeting of both registered and unregistered groups, and 
arrived at a solution. Thereafter, branch offices of 
religious groups registered in Ashgabat would be required to 
obtain a letter of attorney which allowed the branches to 
operate normally in outlying regions. He added that his 
government is planning to hold a similar round table this 
year. 
 
¶5.  Commissioner Argue expressed his support for the round 
table idea, but noted that the treatment of religious groups 
seeking registration appeared to be uneven in different parts 
of the country.  Meredov responded that the issue was not one 
of geography, but related more to problems with specific 
groups.  Some branch offices, he noted, had followed through 
and acquired letters of attorney, but other offices had 
refused.  Ambassador Hoagland noted that sometimes local 
authorities did not appear to understand central government 
procedures,which made registration more difficult.  Meredov 
 
ASHGABAT 00000863  002 OF 003 
 
 
responded that he could look into this issue, and 
acknowledged that local and regional officials could benefit 
from programs that would train them to properly handle 
religious groups. 
 
¶6.  Commissioner Argue asked whether Russian Orthodox and 
Muslim groups have an easier time registering than Christian 
evangelical groups.  Meredov responded that while 
Turkmenistan did not have a tradition with evangelical 
groups, their applications for registration were being 
accepted.  He noted that the Ministry of Justice was 
currently reviewing the applications of four religious 
groups: Word of Life, Source of Life, Light of Life, and Road 
of Imams.  He argued that representatives of these groups 
complained to the international community without sufficient 
reason, but added that the USCIRF commission was welcome to 
bring their concerns to the government of Turkmenistan, 
noting that the Turkmen people have a long history of 
religous tolerance. 
 
¶7.  Commission Staff Member Cosman cited reports that no new 
religious groups or NGOs had been registered since 2004, and 
that this had created an impression abroad that the 
registration process has become slow, and that an issue as 
minor as a misplaced comma can prevent successful 
registration.  She also mentioned reports that the 
registration process for Christian groups of ethnic Turkmen, 
in particular, had become arduous.  Meredov denied that this 
was the case, that since 2005, five new groups had 
registered, and that all who had sought registration had 
received it.  Since 2006, only the four additional groups 
currently under review had applied for registration. 
 
¶8.  Commissioner Argue asked whether international NGOs, 
along with religious groups who want to provide drug and 
alcohol treatment and assistance, would be permitted to do 
so.  Meredov responded that his government would need to know 
more about such groups before it could respond.  He 
acknowledged that drug addiction is of great concern, and 
that the government and NGOs are working to address the 
problem. Government efforts include a new anti-drug 
propaganda program and increased law enforcement attention to 
the problem. 
 
¶9.  Commissioner Imam Eid commented that he had been able to 
turn to an elected politician when his grievances were not 
addressed through formal government channels in the United 
States.  He suggested that the government of Turkmenistan 
consider establishing an ombudsman for minorities who could 
report grievances to the top levels of government.  Meredov 
reminded him that this was one of the primary purposes of the 
Council on Religious Affairs, which he described as 
independent, experienced, and knowledgeable. When the Imam 
also asked about Turkmenistan's refusal to issue exit or 
departure visas respectively to Turkmen and foreign clerics 
this year, Meredov indicated that the Council on Religious 
Affairs had responsibility for addressing such issues, but 
asked that names of the refused be passed to his office, 
because Turkmenistan had no reason to deny their visas. 
 
¶10.  Meredov ended the meeting by thanking the commission for 
coming to Turkmenistan, and invited them to come back again. 
He expressed interest in any joint program the commission 
might consider.  He asked the delegates what kind of 
cooperation the commission envisioned.  Chairman Cromartie 
replied that future cooperation should be centered on deeper 
dialog, and that the commission could help move Turkmenistan 
closer to international religious freedom standards.  He 
asked Meredov whether the Turkmen government would consider 
redrafting its religion law with the assistance and 
consultation of international experts.  Meredov replied that 
although the law is already in place, it could still be 
improved, and his government would be willing to cooperate on 
the law's modernization. 
 
 
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