VZCZCXRO7242
RR RUEHAG RUEHAST RUEHBI RUEHCI RUEHDF RUEHIK RUEHLH RUEHLN RUEHLZ
RUEHNEH RUEHPW RUEHROV RUEHSK RUEHSR RUEHVK RUEHYG
DE RUEHAH #0056/01 0150340
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 150340Z JAN 09
FM AMEMBASSY ASHGABAT
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 2126
INFO RUCNCLS/ALL SOUTH AND CENTRAL ASIA COLLECTIVE
RUCNCIS/CIS COLLECTIVE
RUCNMEM/EU MEMBER STATES COLLECTIVE
RUEHAK/AMEMBASSY ANKARA 4677
RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING 2478
RUEHKO/AMEMBASSY TOKYO 2343
RUEHIT/AMCONSUL ISTANBUL 2925
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 0936
RHMFIUU/CDR USCENTCOM MACDILL AFB FL
RUEHVEN/USMISSION USOSCE 3217
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC
RHEFDIA/DIA WASHDC
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC
RUEKJCS/JOINT STAFF WASHDC

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 ASHGABAT 000056 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR SCA/CEN 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV KDEM TX
SUBJECT:  TURKMENISTAN: NEWLY-CONSTITUTED PARLIAMENT HOLDS FIRST 
SESSSION 
 
¶1. (U) Sensitive but Unclassified.  Not for Internet Distribution. 
 
¶2. (SBU) SUMMARY: On January 9, the newly-constituted Mejlis 
(Parliament) convened for the first time with President 
Berdimuhamedov in attendance.  During the session, the deputies 
elected the Credentials Committee that certified the new deputies. 
Upon the President's nomination, the incumbent Chairperson of the 
Mejlis (Akja Nurberdiyeva) was unanimously reelected to the post. 
Berdimuhamedov also recommended that five Mejlis committees be 
established and nominated the head of each committee.  The 
President's involvement at the opening of the Mejlis suggests that 
there is little chance it will operate as an independent branch of 
government - not that anyone expected that it would.  On the other 
hand, the reformed body is an initial step in establishing a 
governmental structure that may one day include independent 
branches.  END COMMENT. 
 
FIRST SESSION OF THE NEWLY ELECTED PARLIAMENT 
 
¶3. (SBU) On January 9, the first session of the Mejlis of 
Turkmenistan was held in Ashgabat with the participation of 
President Berdimuhamedov.  The agenda of the session, which was the 
first gathering of the deputies elected on December 14, 2008, 
included organizational issues as well as consideration of a number 
of draft laws.  Opening the parliamentary session, President 
Berdimuhamedov congratulated the newly elected members, emphasizing 
that the parliamentary elections were held in strict compliance with 
the new Constitution and became "a landmark on the path of building 
a secular democratic state." 
 
AUTHORITY OF THE DEPUTIES CONFIRMED 
 
¶4.  (SBU) In accordance with Article 62 of the Constitution, the 
deputies elected the Credentials Committee that confirmed the 
authority of the deputies.  Maral Paltayeva, Chairwoman of the 
Credentials Committee, reported that an elected deputy in Mary 
Province had filed a statement of withdrawal due to family 
circumstances and said that the elections for the last remaining 
deputy would take place on February 8.  Paltayeva also said that all 
elected deputies possess a higher education and 8 percent are 
lawyers, 21 percent are economists, 14.4 percent are engineers, 34.4 
percent are educators, 7.2 percent are healthcare specialists, 8 
percent are agricultural specialists, and 7.2 percent are 
specialists working in the political party, labor unions, youth 
organizations and other organizations.  Among the elected members of 
parliament, six had been reelected twice, three had been reelected 
three times and three had been reelected four times.  21 elected 
deputies or 17 percent of the total are women.  The deputies are in 
the following age categories: 6.4 percent are 25-30 years old, 33.6 
percent are 30-40 years old, 41.6 percent are 40-50 years old and 
17.6 percent are 50 years and older. 
 
ELECTION OF THE MEJLIS CHAIRPERSON 
 
¶5.  (SBU) Although the Constitution provides that the members of 
Parliament have the right to nominate candidates for the position of 
the Mejlis Chairman, President Berdimuhamedov suggested the 
nomination of outgoing Chairperson, Akja Nurberdiyeva, for the 
speaker's post.  The Mejlis then unanimously elected Nurberdiyeva by 
direct secret ballot as the sole candidate.  Addressing 
Berdimuhamedov and the deputies, Nurberdiyeva expressed gratitude 
for their high confidence and assured them that she would spare no 
effort to advance the country's prosperity and welfare, and "the 
successful implementation of the policy of progressive reforms 
initiated by the President." 
 
VICE CHAIRMAN OF THE MEJLIS 
 
¶6.  (SBU) Deputy Kasymguly Babayev was then unanimously elected Vice 
Speaker of the Mejlis by open ballot.  Babayev was born in 1966 in 
Ak Bugday District of Ahal Province, has a degree in economics and 
has worked as a teacher at various institutions of higher education. 
 
ASHGABAT 00000056  002 OF 003 
 
 
 He served as Vice-Speaker of the previous Mejlis.  He also serves 
as the First Secretary of the Political Council of Turkmenistan's 
Democratic Party and the Deputy Chairman of the Nationwide Revival 
Movement. 
 
COMMITTEE CHAIRPERSONS ELECTED 
 
¶7.  (SBU) At the President's request, a resolution on the 
establishment of five Parliamentary committees and the appointment 
of their respective chairpersons was adopted.  In accordance with 
the resolution, the Committees for Protection of Human Rights and 
Freedoms; Science, Education and Culture; Economy and Social Policy, 
International and Inter-Parliamentary Relations; and Local 
Representative and Self-Government Bodies were established.  Based 
on the President's nominations, the following committee heads were 
elected: 
 
Yazdursun Gurbannazarova was elected the Chairperson of the 
Committee for Human Rights and Freedoms; 
 
Vladimir Gubanov was elected the Chairperson of the Committee for 
Science, Education and Culture; 
 
Byashim Annagurbanov was elected the Chairperson of the Committee 
for Economy and Social Policy; 
 
Batyr Berdiyev was elected the Chairperson of the Committee for 
International and Inter-Parliamentary Relations; and 
 
Gurbangul Bayramova was elected the Chairperson of the Committee for 
Local Representative and Self-Government Bodies. 
 
¶8.  (SBU) Due to the large amount of work to be done by the 
Committee for Human Rights and Freedoms and the Committee for 
Economy and Social policy, the position of Vice Chairperson for 
these committees was introduced.  Murat Atabayev was elected the 
Vice-Chairperson of the Committee for Human Rights and Freedoms. 
Yoldash Sheripov was elected the Vice-Chairperson of the Committee 
for Economy and Social Policy. 
 
PRESIDENT'S ADDRESS TO THE MEJLIS 
 
¶9.  (SBU) In his remarks, President Berdimuhamedov congratulated the 
deputies on the historic event - the opening of the new session of 
the Mejlis, noting that "resolutely advancing along the path of 
progress and constructive endeavors, Turkmenistan had entered a new 
important stage of the all-round reforms aimed at laying the solid 
foundation of the welfare of the country and the high living 
standards of the people of Turkmenistan."  Focusing on the 
priorities of Turkmenistan's domestic and foreign policies and its 
development strategy, Berdimuhamedov said that there remain 
important tasks, particularly to enhance the democratic and legal 
foundation of the Turkmen state and society.  He said that an 
"incontestable evidence" of Turkmenistan's adherence to the policy 
of wide democratic reforms was the adoption of the new Constitution 
and the parliamentary elections held on December 14, 2008 in strict 
compliance with the fundamental law. 
 
PRESIDENT ENCOURAGES ECONOMIC REFORM 
 
¶10.  (SBU) Touching upon the key aspects of the work of the members 
of the Parliament, Berdimuhamedov said that they were to establish 
anew the legislative framework regulating the economic, social and 
cultural policy of the Turkmen state.  He called for legislative 
action that underscored liberal economic reforms and drew the 
attention of the parliamentarians to updating the legal codes on 
land and water, and the criminal and civil codes, to make them more 
adequate and similar to international standards.  The President 
noted that, in implementing economic reforms to improve the people's 
welfare, the government paid special attention to the well-balanced 
development of all sectors of the domestic economy and 
entrepreneurship.  He spoke of creating a favorable environment for 
 
ASHGABAT 00000056  003 OF 003 
 
 
foreign investment, and rendering legislative and state support to 
development of small businesses.  He also touched on agricultural 
reform, religious freedom, social protection and assistance to 
families. 
 
MEJLIS' EXPANDED ROLE 
 
¶11.  (SBU) Turkmenistan's new Constitution, adopted in September 
2008, extended the powers of the Mejlis, giving it authority to 
amend the Constitution, to set the date for presidential elections, 
to consider possible changes of the state border, to handle matters 
of peace and security and to approve the early retirement or removal 
of the president for health reasons or in case of his violation of 
the law. 
 
¶12.  (SBU) COMMENT: Although the revised Constitution provides 
legislators with broader powers than before, the President's active 
involvement from day one in the work of the Parliament indicates 
that he will remain in charge of this body, just as he has the final 
word for all elements of the Turkmenistan government. 
Berdimuhamedov's nomination of the Mejlis' Chairperson, as well as 
its Committees and their Chairpersons, despite provisions of the 
Constitution authorizing deputies to do so, underscores that the 
Mejlis is not in a position to freely exercise its new powers. 
While the newly-expanded Mejlis may represent an initial step 
towards establishing separate, independent and functional branches 
of government, Berdimuhamedov is still clearly in control.  END 
COMMENT. 
 
¶13.  (SBU)  In contrast with usual diplomatic procedures, 
representatives of Ashgabat-based embassies and international 
organizations were not invited to attend the opening of Parliament. 
No reason was given for this and, as is true for many things in 
Turkmenistan, we are at a loss to explain it. 
 
MILES