VZCZCXRO8826
PP RUEHAG RUEHAST RUEHBI RUEHCI RUEHDF RUEHIK RUEHLH RUEHLN RUEHLZ
RUEHPW RUEHROV RUEHVK RUEHYG
DE RUEHAH #0171/01 0351214
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 041214Z FEB 08
FM AMEMBASSY ASHGABAT
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 0201
INFO RUCNCLS/ALL SOUTH AND CENTRAL ASIA COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUCNCIS/CIS COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUCNMEM/EU MEMBER STATES COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUEHAK/AMEMBASSY ANKARA PRIORITY 3332
RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING PRIORITY 1148
RUEHRH/AMEMBASSY RIYADH PRIORITY 0169
RUEHKO/AMEMBASSY TOKYO PRIORITY 1017
RUEHIT/AMCONSUL ISTANBUL PRIORITY 1586
RUEHJI/AMCONSUL JEDDAH PRIORITY 0063
RHMFIUU/CDR USCENTCOM MACDILL AFB FL PRIORITY
RUEHGV/USMISSION GENEVA PRIORITY 1385
RUEHVEN/USMISSION USOSCE PRIORITY 2178
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC PRIORITY
RHEFDIA/DIA WASHDC PRIORITY
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC PRIORITY
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC PRIORITY
RUEKJCS/JOINT STAFF WASHDC PRIORITY

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ASHGABAT 000171 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR SCA/CEN, DRL/IRF 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV PREL KIRF KISL SA TX
SUBJECT:  TURKMENISTAN:  SELF-FINANCING TURKMEN ABLE TO 
TRAVEL ON THE HAJJ 
 
REF: OSC:CEP20071219950084 
 
¶1.  (U)  Sensitive but unclassified.  Not for public internet. 
 
¶2.  (SBU)  SUMMARY:  Post attempted to verify a December 2007 
Forum18 news article (reported in ref by Turkmen opposition 
website "Gundogar") about the restrictions the government 
allegedly imposed on those wishing to go on the Hajj.  While 
post has been unable to ascertain from the Saudi embassy in 
Ashgabat or through Consulate General Jeddah's sources the 
exact number of pilgrims who traveled from Turkmenistan in 
2007, post has found strong anecdotal evidence that, in 
addition to the single plane of 188 government-sponsored 
pilgrims, as many as 1,000 self-financing pilgrims may have 
gone (out of a Saudi allotment of about 4,000 spaces), likely 
with government authorization.  END SUMMARY. 
 
¶3.  (U)  A Forum18 news article posted on the Internet on 
December 14 reported that the government-sponsored charter 
flight of 188 pilgrims departed Ashgabat for Abu Dhabi and 
then Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, on December 6.  The article stated 
that this was the only group of pilgrims that Turkmenistan's 
government had allowed to perform the Hajj in 2007.  The 
article also indicated that the pilgrims had been approved by 
the Council on Religious Affairs, local government, and the 
country's security service.  State-controlled Turkmen press 
also noted the departure and return of the 188 "official" 
Hajj pilgrims from Turkmenistan. 
 
ANECDOTAL STORIES OF OTHER, SELF-FINANCED PILGRIMS 
 
¶4.  (SBU)  However, a local staff member has reported that a 
female acquaintance left on a commercial flight that was 
carrying pilgrims on December 13, and that the woman paid for 
her own flight, which would seem to contradict the claim that 
only the 188 Turkmen on the charter flight were permitted to 
travel.  It is unclear whether the second aircraft was a 
Turkmen Air flight. 
 
¶5.  (SBU)  On January 25, AID representatives met with the 
head of a parliamentary commission, who proudly pointed to 
the skullcap on his head and said he had just returned from 
the Hajj.  He claimed that 1,000 Turkmen had gone on Hajj in 
2007, including three parliamentary officials.  He said that 
as official government representatives in the group, the 
three parliamentary officials had been able to meet the Saudi 
king.  However, later official press statements only reported 
on the travel of the 188 Hajjis, whose trip was financed by 
the Turkmenistan government. 
 
SAUDIS UNWILLING TO DISCUSS THE HAJJ 
 
¶6.  (SBU)  Post repeatedly attempted to meet with Saudi 
diplomats in Ashgabat to shed light on the number of Hajj 
visas they may have issued or the number of Turkmen pilgrims 
they might have been aware of, but they refused to meet with 
us at any level.  (NOTE:  The Saudis may be reluctant to 
share sensitive information that they feel could potentially 
embarrass the Turkmen government.  END NOTE.) 
 
GOING ON PILGRIMAGE REMAINS A CHALLENGE 
 
¶7.  (SBU)  There are several logistical realities that impact 
how local Muslims plan a pilgrimage, and they represent 
additional, external hurdles for potential Turkmen pilgrims. 
First, according to the Saudi Hajj Ministry website, to go on 
the Hajj, prospective pilgrims must procure a special Hajj 
visa from a Saudi-approved Hajj travel agency.  Saudi law 
requires that all pilgrims arrange their travel through these 
officially-approved Hajj travel agencies, which are 
authorized to organize travel and accommodations for pilgrims 
 
ASHGABAT 00000171  002 OF 002 
 
 
through the appropriate ministries in Saudi Arabia.  There 
are no such approved travel agencies in Turkmenistan, 
although there is a Saudi embassy.  Therefore, any Saudi hajj 
visa, beyond those procured for pilgrims on a 
government-sanctioned flight, would either have to be 
procured abroad, or through special arrangements. 
 
¶8.  (SBU) All travelers, as well, must enter the country for 
pilgrimage via Jeddah, according to the official hajj 
website.  Standard flight options for getting Turkmen 
citizens to Saudi Arabia, however, are very limited.  There 
are flights from Ashgabat to Abu Dhabi and Istanbul via 
either Turkish Air or Turkmen Air, from whence travelers can 
take other airlines to Jeddah.  Currently there are eleven 
flights per week to Istanbul, a popular route for shuttle 
traders and international business people.  The high cost of 
international flight beyond those two airlines, however, 
would limit hajj travel to wealthy Turkmen.  (NOTE:  Turkmen 
citizens enjoy special low fares on Turkmen Air as well as 
Turkish Air flights.  Standard international fares would be 
out of the average citizen's reach.  END NOTE.) 
 
¶9.  (SBU)  The quota for hajj pilgrims from Turkmenistan is 
currently about 4,400.  This number is derived from Saudi 
Arabian government information on its official website that 
reports the Muslim population in Turkmenistan at about 
4,407,000, with a total population estimate of 4,952,081. 
(NOTE:  This is one of many estimates.  A census has not been 
conducted in Turkmenistan since 1989.  END NOTE.)  The quota 
provides for the travel of 1,000 pilgrims for every one 
million people in a Muslim country.  It is unclear whether 
the quota is established by calculating 1,000 pilgrims per 
every 1 million Muslims, or 1,000 per every 1 million people 
in a Muslim country. 
 
TURKISH CITIZENS MAY BE ASSISTING PILGRIMS 
 
¶10.  (SBU)  Post has learned  from several sources including 
the Turkish ambassador that there may be Turkish citizens 
living in Turkmenistan who help Turkmen citizens to go on 
hajj.  Local employees report that many Turkish citizens who 
live and work here, including business people, are encouraged 
to maintain their Islamic traditions, go to mosque, and 
assist devout Turkmen. 
 
¶11.  (SBU)  COMMENT:  While the difficulties that would-be 
pilgrims face would seem to argue in favor of a smaller 
number of pilgrims than the 1,000 that our parliamentary 
contact claimed, post believes that, based on the anecdotal 
stories it has heard, the government is in fact allowing 
pilgrims that can afford it and (possibly) have connections 
to finance their own way, as it promised the U.S. Commission 
on International Religious Freedom last August.  The 
oft-quoted number of 188 is simply the number that the 
Government officially sponsors.  END COMMENT. 
HOAGLAND