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DE RUEHAH #1130/01 2920613
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P 190613Z OCT 07
FM AMEMBASSY ASHGABAT
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 9570
INFO RUCNCLS/ALL SOUTH AND CENTRAL ASIA COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUCNCIS/CIS COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUCNMEM/EU MEMBER STATES COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUEHAK/AMEMBASSY ANKARA PRIORITY 2896
RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING PRIORITY 0717
RUEHKO/AMEMBASSY TOKYO PRIORITY 0593
RUEHIT/AMCONSUL ISTANBUL PRIORITY 1169
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UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ASHGABAT 001130 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR SCA/CEN, SCA/PPD, EUR/ACE, DRL 
ASTANA FOR USAID/CAR ALMATY 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV PHUM PREL EAID KDEM TX
SUBJECT: TURKEMNISTAN ASKS FOR U.S. ASSISTANCE ON HUMAN 
RIGHTS 
 
REF: A. ASHGABAT 1079 
 
     ¶B. ASHGABAT 1001 
 
¶1. (U) Sensitive but unclassified.  Not for public Internet. 
 
¶2.  (SBU) SUMMARY:  Institute for Democracy and Human Rights 
Chairman Shirin Ahmedova told USAID Regional Democracy and 
Governance Office Director Kim Delaney October 18 that the 
Institute is on the hook to President Berdimuhamedov to show 
that the country is complying with international agreements 
on human rights standards.  She said concrete constructive 
criticism of Turkmenistan's human rights record is useful and 
welcome.  Ahmedova asked that the United States propose a 
concrete workplan of cooperation on human rights and local 
governance issues that could lead to a formal MOU.  END 
SUMMARY. 
 
¶3. (SBU) USAID Regional Democracy and Governance Office 
Director Kim Delaney met October 18 with Institute for 
Democracy and Human Rights Chairman Shirin Ahmedova to 
discuss further cooperation.  Ahmedova said her Institute is 
charged with educating local governments and the population 
on their legal rights and the country's international 
obligations regarding human rights.  It also plays a role in 
bringing local governments into conformity with international 
human rights standards.  According to Ahmedova, President 
Berdimuhamedov wants to see marked progress in adherence to 
international human rights standards by the end of 2007.  She 
said the Institute is tasked with monitoring the government's 
progress in this area. 
 
¶4. (SBU) As part of its charge, Ahmedova said, the Institute 
processes citizens' appeals regarding violations ranging from 
human rights to housing and labor laws.  It handled 951 such 
cases over the past nine months. One of the Institute's new 
goals is to establish a legal information and resource center. 
 
USEFUL TO HEAR CONCRETE CRITICISM 
 
¶5. (SBU)  Ahmedova, who is known to be very frank and open, 
said she found very useful the recent roundtable organized by 
the German Association for Technical Cooperation (GTZ) 
directed towards helping the Government of Turkmenistan map 
out a plan of legal reform (Ref. A).  She said it was 
especially useful to hear concrete constructive criticism. 
Ahmedova personally supports adopting GTZ's proposal.  (NOTE: 
The UNDP Resident Representative told DCM that, during a 
meeting he had at the Institute on October 5, Ahmedova said 
Turkmenistan has a long way to go to even approach 
international human rights standards.  END NOTE.) 
 
REQUEST FOR ASSISTANCE 
 
¶6.  (SBU) At the end of the meeting, Ahmedova asked for a 
specific workplan that would contain ideas discussed during 
the meeting.  She also proposed an MOU on cooperation on 
human rights and local governance issues.  She named a number 
of specific areas where the Institute would welcome 
assistance from the United States: 
 
-- Creating an Internet database of national legislation and 
international conventions to which Turkmenistan is a party 
(NOTE: U.S. implementing partner ABA/CEELI has already 
developed a web database of Turkmen legislation that is 
expected to be available online in November 2007.  END NOTE.); 
 
-- Submitting articles to the Institute's journal; 
 
-- Expanding legal access to legal information; 
 
ASHGABAT 00001130  002 OF 002 
 
 
 
-- A study-tour to educate government officials on issues 
related to local governance; 
 
-- Training for lawyers on legal rights; 
 
-- Computer training for local officials in rural areas; and, 
 
-- Workshops on local self governance (Ahmedova said the 
presentation should be organized through the MFA). 
 
¶7. (SBU) COMMENT:  It sounds as if Berdimuhamedov is serious 
about improving human rights in Turkmenistan, although his 
understanding of international human rights standards may not 
be fully formed.  Ahmedova appears to be a serious partner, 
who sincerely wants U.S. assistance.  Both OSCE and UNDP rave 
about their interactions and cooperation with her and the 
Institute.  The ball is clearly in the U.S. court regarding a 
concrete proposal on human rights cooperation.  We would be 
cautious, however, of bringing to Turkmenistan traditional 
U.S. democracy NGOs that Russian black propaganda has tarred 
throughout the region.  END COMMENT. 
HOAGLAND