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DE RUEHAH #1003 2641317
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 211317Z SEP 07
FM AMEMBASSY ASHGABAT
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 9405
INFO RUCNCLS/ALL SOUTH AND CENTRAL ASIA COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
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RUCNMEM/EU MEMBER STATES COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
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UNCLAS ASHGABAT 001003 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR SCA/CEN AND DRL 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV PHUM PREL SCUL TX
SUBJECT: TURKMENISTAN: MEETING WITH INSTITUTE OF DEMOCRACY 
AND HUMAN RIGHTS DIRECTOR AKHMEDOVA 
 
REF: ASHGABAT 996 
 
¶1.  (U) Sensitive byt unclassified.  Not for public Internet. 
 
¶2. (SBU) SUMMARY: Institute for Democracy and Human Rights 
Deirector Shirin Ahmedova told poloff September 21 that the 
new Human Rights Commission has plans to cooperate closely 
with the UN and EU.  The Commission also wants to develop the 
capcity and expertise to monitor legislation being considered 
in parliament and prepare a national stategy to implement 
human rights reform in Turkmenistan.  Given the Institute's 
eagerness to engage international partners, including the 
United States, Post strongly believes a visit by DRL to 
Turkmenistan would be very opportune.  END SUMMARY. 
 
¶3. (U) Poloff met today with the director of Turkmenistan's 
Institute of Democracy and Human Rights, seeking to discuss 
the role and ambitions of the new Human Rights Commission, 
but also seeking more clarity on the Institute itself. 
Institute Director Shirin Ahmedova was appointed to the 
directorship in June, having worked previously in the Mary 
regional governor's office and the Prosecutor General's 
office in Ashgabat. 
 
¶4.  (U) She said that the new commission is comprised of 
members from the Mejlis, Ministry of Education, Ministry of 
Culture and Broadcasting, Ministry of Health, Ministry of 
Welfare and Social Care, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and 
Ministry of Economy and Finance.  There are also members from 
the Turkmen Women's Union, several professional unions, and 
the Council on Religious Affairs. 
 
¶5.  (U) The commission's long-term plan is focused on a 
strategy that will give it the capacity and access to 
expertise needed to monitor legislation being considered in 
parliament, prepare a national strategy for implementing 
human rights reform, and coordinate implementation of those 
reforms within the participating ministries, agencies, and 
local government entities. 
 
¶6.  (U) The commission already has in place short-term plans 
to cooperate closely with UN and EU partners, including an 
October working group seminar to formulate a plan for initial 
steps this year.  In November, a three-day seminar in 
coordination with independent experts from the UNDP will 
compile a near term program for implementing reform in the 
areas of culture, education, and social structures. 
Additionally, over the next two years, UNDP, UNCHR and others 
will be partnering with the commission to provide training 
seminars, both in the capital and in the provinces that will 
unveil planned reforms on a local level. 
 
¶7. (SBU) COMMENT: It is clear that the commission has high 
ambitions, and that the director of the Democracy Institute 
believes that the commission will have a solid mandate the 
President supports.  Members of our Public Diplomacy section 
report that Director Ahmedova recently made an unexpected, 
first-time appearance there, telling them the Institute will 
be opening a public information center soon, and requesting 
guidance on how that is done.  More interesting signs of 
change. Post believes that given the Institute's eagerness to 
engage international partners, including the United States 
(REFTEL), a visit by DRL to Turkmenistan would be very 
opportune. 
CURRAN