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UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ASHGABAT 000237 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR SCA/CEN, DRL 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV PREL PHUM KDEM TX
SUBJECT: TURKMENISTAN:  UNDP HELPING PREPARE REPORT FOR UN 
HUMAN RIGHTS COUNCIL 
 
REF: ASHGABAT 0159 
 
¶1.  (U)  Sensitive but unclassified.  Not for public Internet. 
 
¶2.  (SBU)  SUMMARY:  UNDP is working with Turkmenistan's 
Human Rights Commission to formulate a plan to complete two 
key UN reports Turkmenistan agreed to submit by the end of 
¶2008.  The more significant report, which Turkmenistan agreed 
to present to the UN Human Rights Council, is a status report 
on its efforts to implement all international human rights 
standards as described in the Universal Declaration of Human 
Rights.  The looming submission date could also have the 
effect of encouraging further improvements in Turkmenistan's 
human rights practices.   END SUMMARY. 
 
PREPARING FOR GENEVA 
 
¶3.  (SBU)  Poloff met February 4 with Irina Liczek, UNDP's 
lead advisor in the effort to bring Turkmenistan into 
conformity with its UN human rights obligations.  She has 
been working closely with senior officials at the Institute 
for Democracy and Human Rights (IDHR) to develop short- and 
long-term implementation plans for Turkmenistan's Human 
Rights Commission, so that it can complete a long list of 
UN-mandated reports, while also plotting out a strategy for 
conducting broad legislative reform. 
 
¶4.  (SBU)  UNDP is assisting the Human Rights Commission, 
through its IDHR contacts, in formulating a game plan for 
completing two key UN reports that Turkmenistan agreed to 
submit by the end of 2008.  (NOTE: There are other, less 
significant reports that also must be submitted this year. 
END NOTE.)  The report on the International Covenant on 
Economic, Social and Cultural Rights will be a one-time core 
document that summarizes Turkmenistan's implementation of 
relevant conventions, and also will include general 
information on the country, such as population statistics, 
geography, and political conditions. 
 
¶5.  (SBU)  The more significant report Turkmenistan agreed to 
present to the UN Human Rights Council is to be reviewed 
during a new process called the Universal Periodic Review. 
The country will be assessed on the status of its efforts to 
implement all international human rights standards as 
described in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.  A 
Turkmen delegation will go to the Human Rights Council 
headquarters in Geneva in December 2008 and present its 
report for the first time. 
 
DIRECT ACCESS PROMOTES EFFICIENT COOPERATION 
 
¶6.  (SBU)  Liczek said her office has complete, direct access 
to and contact with Institute Director Shirin Akhmedova as 
well as the Institute's representative on the Human Rights 
Commission, Shemshat Atayeva, and does not have to submit 
dipnotes through MFA to hold meetings or to call.  She 
described Akhmedova as one of a handful of reformists in the 
Government of Turkmenistan, who has been angry and 
disappointed by draft legislation the Commission approved in 
the past.  Akhmedova is fully invested in the process, and 
has been completely cooperative and open with UNDP 
representatives. 
 
¶7.  (SBU)  One growing concern that UNDP and Akhmedova share 
as Turkmenistan moves forward on reform plans is the lack of 
a constitutional court in Turkmenistan.  This is expected to 
be problematic in the longer term, because any contradiction 
to Turkmenistan's Constitution that is inadvertently included 
in newly drafted legislation is unlikely to be properly 
addressed or remedied.  And with so much new legislation 
moving forward, the risk of inconsistency may be growing. 
Liczek did not know whether Turkmenistan has any longer-term 
 
ASHGABAT 00000237  002 OF 002 
 
 
plan to create a court to deal with such issues. 
 
¶8.  (SBU)  COMMENT:  The UNDP's free access to IDHR, 
unhindered by a requirement for prior approval, is still 
unusual in Turkmenistan, and it is clear that both bodies are 
operating under special dispensation.  (By comparison, while 
the U.S. embassy has had some luck in getting meetings 
related to ongoing programs without diplomatic note, 
especially for USAID and Public Diplomacy programs, even our 
access -- which most of the other diplomatic missions in town 
envy -- is not yet close to UNDP's.)  To a large extent, this 
is due to the fact that the United Nations is a "neutral" 
organization whose multilateral focus is perceived as "safe" 
and without political agendas.  As such, it has become one of 
the Government of Turkmenistan's favored assistance vehicles. 
 IDHR has also taken on a special, empowered status under 
Berdimuhamedov's direct supervision and Akhmedova's empowered 
and strong leadership, undoubtedly reflecting the trust that 
the president has in Akhmedova as well as the importance he 
places on this issue.  But with the submission of the two UN 
reports coming up at the end of this year, relatively free 
access may also be a matter of necessity, given both the size 
of the task at hand and the very short timeframe for showing 
at the very least demonstrable progress in implementing its 
UN commitments.  The looming submission date may also spur 
further improvements in Turkmenistan's human rights practices 
in addition to its ideals on paper.  END COMMENT. 
HOAGLAND