VZCZCXRO9860
PP RUEHAG RUEHAST RUEHBI RUEHCI RUEHDBU RUEHDF RUEHIK RUEHLH RUEHLN
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DE RUEHAH #1156/01 2990657
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 260657Z OCT 07
FM AMEMBASSY ASHGABAT
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 9600
INFO RUCNCIS/CIS COLLECTIVE
RUCNMEM/EU MEMBER STATES COLLECTIVE
RUCNCLS/ALL SOUTH AND CENTRAL ASIA COLLECTIVE
RUCPDOC/DEPT OF COMMERCE WASHDC
RUEATRS/DEPT OF TREASURY WASHDC
RUEHVEN/USMISSION USOSCE 1841
RHMFIUU/CDR USCENTCOM MACDILL AFB FL
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC
RHEFDIA/DIA WASHDC
RUEKJCS/JOINT STAFF WASHDC
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ASHGABAT 001156 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
STATE FOR SCA/CEN, EUR/ACE, DRL 
ASTANA FOR USAID/CAR-ALMATY 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV PREL PHUM EAID KDEM TX
SUBJECT:  TURKMENISTAN:  INSTITUTE FOR DEMOCRACY AND HUMAN RIGHTS 
PROPOSES JOINT SEMINAR ON LAW ON PUBLIC ORGANIZATIONS 
 
REF: A. ASHGABAT 1130 
 
 ¶B. ASHGABAT 1079 
 ¶C. ASHGABAT 1001 
 
¶1.  (U) Sensitive but unclassified.  Not for public Internet. 
 
¶2.  (SBU) SUMMARY: On October 24, the Director of the Institute of 
Democracy and Human Rights Under the President of Turkmenistan, 
Shirin Ahmedova, proposed that the International Center for 
Not-for-Profit Law (ICNL) jointly organize with the Institute in 
January 2008 a roundtable on comparative legislation in NIS 
countries relating to public organizations.  Additionally, the 
Institute's director expressed interest in receiving comparative law 
materials, articles, and laws from various countries relating to 
public organizations to assist in its work.  ICNL agreed to provide 
the Institute with a copyright which would allow the Institute to 
publish certain ICNL materials, such as information on laws, 
articles, overviews, comparative analyses and other items including, 
its magazine "Democracy and Law." As evidenced by her ability to 
identify a specific date for the proposed conference, Ahmedova 
demonstrated that she is willing to move beyond mere expressions of 
interest in cooperation to specifying concrete areas for 
cooperation.  It is unlikely she would have taken this step without 
presidential approval.  END SUMMARY. 
 
¶3. (U) A delegation of experts from the International Center for 
Not-for-Profit Law, a USIAD implementing partner, met with Shirin 
Ahmedova, the Director of the Turkmen National Institute of 
Democracy and Human Rights Under the President of Turkmenistan, on 
October 24 to follow up on discussions regarding potential 
opportunities for cooperation (Reftel A).  Natalia Bourjaily, ICNL's 
Vice President-NIS, and Elizabeth Warner, Program Director for 
Central Asia, delivered an overview of ICNL's current USAID-funded 
operations in Turkmenistan, which involve supporting lawyers working 
with civic groups interested in registering as NGOs and promoting 
public discussion of legal and policy issues related to civic 
organizations.  Additionally, Bourjaily expressed a willingness to 
expand ICNL's current activities in partnership with the Institute. 
 
 
¶4.  (U) During the meeting, Ahmedova requested that ICNL consider 
organizing an international seminar on "Overview of Legislation 
Relating to Public Organizations in the NIS".  She proposed that 
roundtable take place on the premises of the Institute for 
approximately 30 -35 participants from the Institute of Democracy 
and Human Rights, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Justice, 
Ministry of Economics and Finance, State Committee of Turkmenistan 
on Statistics, Ministry of Social Support, Youth Union, Women's 
Union, National Center of Labor Unions of Turkmenistan, Democratic 
Party of Turkmenistan, and other government agencies.  ICNL agreed 
to invite experts on legislation on public organizations from 
Russia, Azerbaijan, Uzbekistan, and Kazakhstan, as well as 
international experts competent in legislation from most NIS, 
European and Asian countries.  Participants will learn about 
legislation regulating the activities of public organizationsin the 
NIS region, including such issues as the regulation of charitable 
activities, registration and reporting requirements of public 
organizations, legal mechanisms of cooperation between the state and 
public organizations, and provision of social services.  Ahmedova 
proposed January 15-16 as possible dates for the two-day seminar. 
(NOTE: The dates are subject to change by the Institute, but ICNL 
stands ready to assist with conducting the event on any dates after 
January 14. END NOTE.) 
 
¶5.  (U) At the request of the Institute, ICNL will also provide 
comparative law materials, articles, and copies of laws from various 
countries on public organizations.  All these materials will be 
available in Russian. 
 
¶6.  (U) ICNL also offered to provide the Institute with copyright 
privileges to allow the Institute to republish agreed-upon 
materials, including laws, articles, overviews, and comparative 
analyses, in its magazine, "Democracy and Law."  ICNL provided some 
of its books to the National Institute during the meeting, which 
were received with great enthusiasm.  Most of the offered materials 
 
ASHGABAT 00001156  002 OF 002 
 
 
are available in Russian as well. 
 
¶7.  (SBU) COMMENT: Opportunities to engage with the Institute for 
Democracy and Human Rights continue to expand.  As evidenced by her 
ability to identify a specific date for the proposed conference, 
Ahmedova demonstrated that she is willing to move beyond mere 
expressions of interest in cooperation to specifying concrete areas 
for cooperation - we doubt she would have done so without 
presidential approval.  To capitalize on this, USAID will follow up 
its recent previous meeting with Ms. Ahmedova (Reftel A.) by 
submitting a proposal that contains a range of possible joint 
activities with this seemingly willing partner in the coming days. 
END COMMENT. 
 
HOAGLAND