VZCZCXRO1771
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RUEHPW RUEHROV RUEHVK RUEHYG
DE RUEHAH #0492 1091207
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 181207Z APR 08
FM AMEMBASSY ASHGABAT
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 0633
INFO RUCNCIS/CIS COLLECTIVE
RUCNMEM/EU MEMBER STATES COLLECTIVE
RUCNCLS/ALL SOUTH AND CENTRAL ASIA COLLECTIVE
RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING 1471
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RUEHIT/AMCONSUL ISTANBUL 1907
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC
RUEHVEN/USMISSION USOSCE 2426
RHMFIUU/CDR USCENTCOM MACDILL AFB FL
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC
RHEFDIA/DIA WASHDC
RUEKJCS/JOINT STAFF WASHDC
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC

UNCLAS ASHGABAT 000492 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR SCA/CEN, DRL/IRF 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV PHUM KIRF SOCI TX
SUBJECT:  TURKMENISTAN:  AHAL PROVINCE PASTOR OPTIMISTIC AS CHURCH 
AWAITS REGISTRATION 
 
¶1.  (U) Sensitive but unclassified.  Not for public Internet. 
 
¶2.  (SBU) During a visit to cities in Ahal province to the west of 
Ashgabat, PAO met with the pastor of the Light of Life Christian 
Church's branch in Abadan city.  The Abadan branch of the church 
applied for registration as a religious group in January 2007 and 
has received two replies requiring adjustments to their application. 
 Despite the lengthy process, Pastor Ruslan Atajanov and his small 
congregation are optimistic about receiving the registration and 
about the direction of changes in Turkmenistan in general. 
 
HOPE FOR REGISTRATION 
 
¶3.  (SBU) Noting that the Dashoguz and Turkmenabat branches of the 
church have already received registration, Pastor Atajanov believed 
that it was only a matter of time before the Abadan branch did. 
Over the last several months, the church received feedback from the 
Ministry of Justice on its application.  Both times, only technical 
aspects of the application needed correction.  He did not view these 
as merely an excuse to delay registration, and quickly corrected and 
resubmitted the needed documents. 
 
BUT DIFFICULTIES ALONG THE WAY 
 
¶4.  (SBU) He described the church's registration process as 
troubling, because prior to their January 2007 submission for 
registration, they had operated quietly, and without any government 
interference.  Almost immediately after submission of their 
registration documentation, government authorities started to visit 
his apartment, sometimes searching his belongings, and told the 
group not to hold any gatherings until registration was approved. 
In effect, he said, a religious group has to cease its activity 
while the registration is pending.  He explained that despite this, 
his small congregation of ten persons still managed to meet quietly 
without having their services or gatherings disrupted.  Pastor 
Atajanov also expressed his view that government officials simply 
fear the instability, often associated with religious strife, seen 
in other countries.  He sympathized with this fear, but believed 
that the church's sincerity and peaceful activity would eventually 
show them there is nothing to fear. 
 
OVERALL OPTIMISM 
 
¶5.  (SBU) Pastor Atajanov's optimism extends to Turkmenistan's 
future under President Berdimuhamedov.  He noted that church members 
generally believe that life has improved in the past year of slow, 
but positive reform.  In particular, he noted the lifting of travel 
bans and highway check-points as evidence of this.  The only 
complaint about the reforms, he reported, was that they should move 
faster. 
 
¶6.  (SBU) COMMENT: His observation that life has improved following 
the change in leadership is important to note.  That reforms have 
been perceptible to residents of rural Ahal means that they do seem 
to be reaching rural residents.  We will periodically check with 
Pastor Atajanov to see how the registration process is progressing. 
END COMMENT. 
 
HOAGLAND