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DE RUEHAH #0885/01 2391331
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P 271331Z AUG 07
FM AMEMBASSY ASHGABAT
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UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ASHGABAT 000885 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR SCA/CEN, DRL, IO 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL PHUM PGOV TX
SUBJECT: TURKMENISTAN'S PRESIDENT CREATES NEW HUMAN RIGHTS 
COMMISSION TO IMPLEMENT INTERNATIONAL OBLIGATIONS 
 
REF: A. ASHGABAT 707 
 
     ¶B. ASHGABAT 831 
 
ASHGABAT 00000885  001.2 OF 002 
 
 
¶1. (U) Sensitive but unclassified.  Not for public Internet. 
 
¶2.  (SBU)  SUMMARY: An August 24 session of Turkmenistan's 
Cabinet of Ministers became a vehicle for President 
Berdimuhamedov to announce that he was establishing an 
interagency "Human Rights Commission" to coordinate work 
designed to bring Turkmenistan into compliance with 
commitments that it has made in signing onto international 
human rights instruments.  At the same session, he 
restructured the Ministry of Transportation, and appointed a 
new Deputy Chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers for energy 
and construction.  Turkmenistan has done little in the 15 
years since its independence to begin implementing the human 
rights conventions onto which it signed.  Given 
Berdimuhamedov's widely rumored impending visit to the UN 
General Assembly in September, Turkmenistan likely sees this 
as an effective deliverable as it tries to showcase its new 
image.  END SUMMARY. 
 
¶3.  (SBU) At an expanded meeting of the Cabinet of Ministers 
August 24, Deputy Chairman of the Cabinet of 
Ministers/Foreign Minister Rashit Meredov reported on 
concrete steps that Turkmenistan had taken in order to 
fulfill the approximately 100 international conventions 
onto which it had signed, either upon independence in 1991 or 
since independence.  One of these steps was the establishment 
of an interagency "Human Rights Commission," that would bring 
Turkmenistan into compliance with commitments that it made 
when signing into international human rights instruments. 
Meredov said he had recommended establishing a special 
interagency commission to oversee Turkmenistan's fulfillment 
of its commitments. (NOTE: UNDP Deputy Resident 
Representative told DCM August 27 that setting up the 
commission was a requirement of a UNDP human rights project 
with Turkmenistan. Septel.  END NOTE.)    A separate press 
article noted President Berdimuhamedov signed a decree 
establishing the commission on August 24. 
 
¶4.  (U) Also at the Cabinet of Ministers, the president, 
noting that "failure is obvious everywhere, be it in 
transport or roads or construction projects," said that he 
had been advised to set up a separate department for roads 
(road construction earlier fell under the responsibility of 
the Ministry of Transport and Roads).  He set up a new body, 
the Ministry of Roads, to oversee all road construction. 
Berdimuhamedov appointed Asyr Sarybayev minister of the new 
agency, Saguly Gayipniyazov to serve as the new Minister of 
Transportation, and Nazarguly Saguliyev as the new Deputy 
Chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers responsible for 
overseeing the energy and construction sectors (bio para 6). 
 
COMMENT 
 
¶5.  (SBU) A human rights contact at UNDP temporarily assigned 
to the UN office here following the visit by UN High 
Commissioner on Human Rights Louise Arbour in May told post 
that Turkmenistan was facing serious difficulties following 
up on a mandatory requirement to report on its implementation 
of the various UN human rights instruments onto which it had 
signed.  Although Meredov had committed to try to carry out 
this requirement, it had made, up to that time, little 
progress in implementing most of its commitments.  UNDP now 
says that Turkmenistan has agreed to take even bolder steps 
regarding human rights.  Given Turkmenistan's deputy 
chairmanship of the UNGA and the decision for Berdimuhamedov 
 
ASHGABAT 00000885  002.2 OF 002 
 
 
to visit the UNGA, the Turkmenistan government must believe 
this is the right time to make this move.  END 
COMMENT. 
 
BIO -- DEPUTY CHAIRMAN SAGULIYEV 
 
¶6.  (U) Saguliyev was born in the village of Bagyr in Ahal 
Province's Ruhabat District in 1959.  He graduated from the 
Turkmenistan Agricultural Institute in 1980, and from the 
Moscow Institute of Agriculture in 1985 with degrees in 
mechanical engineering and teaching engineering.  He started 
his work career in 1980 as a teacher at the Ashgabat College 
of Agricultural Mechanization.  In 1982-84, he worked as a 
senior safety engineer at the 
headquarters of student construction teams.  In 1984-86, he 
again taught at the Ashgabat College of Agricultural 
Mechanization, then became the chief mechanical engineer at 
the Yerbent State Farm in Ruhabat District.  In 1991, he 
became a deputy director of the Birlesik Association, then 
from 1992-1994, worked as head of the operation department 
of the Number 2 motor transport enterprise.  In 1994-1996, he 
worked as deputy director of the Azat-92 private venture and 
director of the Nazarguly-Wekil private venture.  From 
1996-2000, he held various posts at the Azatlyk district 
administration.  From 2000-2004, he worked as acting deputy 
chief of Azatlyk District, then, in 2004-2006, worked as 
chief engineer at the State Hydrometeorology Committee under 
the Cabinet of Ministers.  In 2006, he was appointed Chairman 
of the State Hydrometeorology Committee. 
HOAGLAND