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UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ASHGABAT 001471 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR SCA/CEN; DRL 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV PHUM KDEM TX
SUBJECT: TURKMENISTAN:  ELECTION COMMISSION CHAIRMAN TALKS 
ABOUT DECEMBER MEJLIS ELECTIONS 
 
¶1.  (SBU)  SUMMARY:  Poloff met with Central Election 
Commission (CEC) Chairman Murat Garriyev to discuss the 
commission's current activities in advance of the December 14 
Mejlis (parliamentary) elections.  He described some of the 
changes that occurred as a result of the revised Mejlis 
(parliament) election law.  Garriyev talked about candidate 
nomination and registration, although both processes are far 
from transparent, and discussed some of the plans the 
commission is making for election day.  Both Garriyev's 
comments and the new election law indicate that district 
election commissions are key gatekeepers that decide who will 
be approved to run as a candidate.  Garriyev suggested that 
few, if any, current deputies will likely be nominated, much 
less re-elected.  END SUMMARY. 
 
WHAT'S CHANGED 
 
¶2.  (SBU)  Garriyev outlined some of the changes brought 
about by the new Mejlis election law that the commission is 
implementing.  He said this will be the first year that 
polling stations will be available in all 27 Turkmen 
embassies abroad to permit expatriates to vote. 
Establishment of the additional 75 constituent districts 
(previously numbering 50, per the number of deputies elected 
in 2004) and their election commissions has also taken place 
recently.  To resolve the issue of this increase in 
districts, he said the commission had, in most cases, simply 
divided the previous districts in half. 
 
NOMINATIONS 
 
¶3.  (SBU)  On November 1, organizations and groups began 
submitting candidate nominations.  Garriyev said that 
although he couldn't say how many nominations had been 
received thus far, the commission expected to receive two or 
three nominations for each constituent district.  He knew of 
only two or three incumbent Mejlis deputies who wanted to be 
re-elected.  He admitted that the CEC would be notified of 
nominations, but denied the CEC would have input on them. 
Commenting on the type of people he expects to be nominated, 
he indicated that a male candidate should be a respected 
member of his community, and should have fulfilled compulsory 
military duty in his youth. 
 
¶4.  (SBU)  A female candidate should have a good reputation, 
be married, and have at least one child.  If she has no 
children or just one child, she should be able to say that 
"this is what God gave her".  If she has grown children, 
their reputations should positively reflect on her, since she 
managed their upbringing.  The chairman said that a person of 
any ethnicity could be a candidate, as long as he is a 
citizen of Turkmenistan.  When asked if possessing dual 
citizenship affected a person's qualifications, he said that 
dual citizenship is not possible in Turkmenistan. 
 
¶5.  (SBU)  So far, there has been little information 
regarding the process by which candidates are being 
nominated.  On November 4, state television news reported 
that unspecified meetings on the nomination of candidates 
were held in Ashgabat and Ahal province.  It added that in 
Balkan province, registration of nominated candidates had 
already begun, which was 15 days before the registration 
period was to begin as described by law.  On November 5, as 
well, local television reported that nomination meetings had 
gotten under way in Lebap and Ahal provinces. 
 
¶6.  (SBU)  District election commissions are to accept 
nominations of candidates from October 31 through November 
14, according to the law.  The district election commissions 
are also empowered, according to the law, to register 
nominees, the final step in confirming their official 
candidacy.  According to the law, registration should begin 
on November 9 and continue through November 19.  Published 
 
ASHGABAT 00001471  002 OF 002 
 
 
information on the candidates will likely appear anytime on 
or after November 9. 
 
CAMPAIGNING 
 
¶7.  (SBU)  Garriyev indicated that the commission would not 
know about candidates' campaign activities, because neither 
the CEC nor district election commissions would have any role 
in the campaign process.  (NOTE:  The new election law states 
that once a nominee and his proxies are registered, he and 
his proxies can freely campaign, go door-to-door, or organize 
meetings with voters to convince them to vote for the 
candidate.  However, "local executive authorities" are to 
provide candidates with premises to hold their gatherings 
with voters, and deputy governors are dual-hatted as 
provincial CEC chairmen.  END NOTE.) 
 
ELECTION DAY TRADITIONS PERSIST 
 
¶8.  (SBU)  The commission is not expecting any significant 
challenges during this election season.  Garriyev said the 
focus will be on conducting the elections "on a high level". 
As in past years, each polling station will have a temporary 
stationery shop co-located with it, and a buffet. 
Entertainment for arriving voters will include music and 
dance performances.  Young people voting for the first time 
will receive gifts, such as books published by the 
government, to remember their first voting experience. 
National observers will be posted at each polling station to 
make sure proper procedures are followed.  Garriyev said that 
CIS observers have been invited, and are coming to observe 
the election.  He added that the UN and OSCE "will also 
attend."  Finally, in spite of text in the new law 
prohibiting the practice, he said that in rural areas, 
polling stations will still be permitted to close after all 
registered voters have been crossed off the voter list. 
 
¶9.  (SBU)  COMMENT:  The double hurdle of approval first for 
nomination then for registration assures that the candidates 
whose names are on the ballot have been carefully vetted. 
With press reports suggesting a strong provincial government 
role in selecting nominees, there will likely be no surprises 
in these elections.  Garriyev's comment that only "two or 
three" current Mejlis deputies are likely to seek re-election 
may be a sign that the central government wants to clean 
house and fill the Mejlis with all new faces.  END COMMENT. 
CURRAN