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UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ASHGABAT 000771 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
SCA/CEN; DRL 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV KDEM UN TX
SUBJECT: TURKMENISTAN:  UNDP PUSHING ELECTORAL REFORM 
PROJECT, BUT WON'T IMPACT JULY ELECTION 
 
¶1.  (SBU)  SUMMARY:  A meeting with UNDP's Electoral Project 
Manager revealed that the project is moving forward very 
slowly, due largely to financial issues, in exposing this 
government to international standards and helping put them 
into practice.  The manager has put significant hopes on the 
success of a July 1 seminar designed to put key government 
stakeholders in one room and encourage them to develop a 
roadmap for bringing national legislation into compliance 
with both regional agreements and international standards. 
The UNDP would have liked to have the project impact each of 
the national elections here, such as the July 26 Gengesh 
elections, but this is unlikely to happen.  UNDP has clearly 
had a tough time with this project, but as an organization it 
shows signs of stubborn commitment to seeing at least 
portions of it through.  Since UNDP is the only foreign 
mission that has had any luck getting government cooperation 
with this type of project, the international community should 
step up with more funding, at least in the near term.  END 
SUMMARY. 
 
¶2.  (SBU)  Political Officer met on June 17 with UNDP 
Election Project Manager, Orazdurdy Hezretov, to learn about 
Turkmenistan's preparations for the 26 July Gengesh (local 
council) elections and about assistance UNDP is providing on 
electoral reform.  Hezretov described the project's 
activities as a continuation of the three-component effort 
begun in 2008.  Last year, UNDP had done extensive work on 
capacity building within the government agencies that are 
involved with elections. 
 
¶3.  (SBU)  He said they are continuing their work on the 
public component, meaning UNDP's training of national 
election observers and distribution of voter education 
materials, which was done last year.  This year, UNDP has 
been trying to complete further aspects of the public 
component.  A training seminar that combines training for 
candidates and their supporters and international standards 
training for national observers will be held in Mary on June 
26-27.  Hezretov said a legislative seminar on international 
standards that will include all the relevant election-related 
agencies is being organized now. 
 
¶4.  (SBU)  The goal of the July 1 seminar is to review 
international standards and Turkmenistan's international 
obligations on elections, in order to foster discussion on 
the eventual development of a single, comprehensive national 
electoral code by the end of 2012.  Hezretov noted that UNDP 
has identified three potential consultants for the seminar, 
one of which will provide expertise and advice on revising or 
developing new legislative text.  The three choices are IFES 
consultant Dan Finn, Jesse Pilgrim from the UN's Electoral 
Systems Department, and Ayman Ayoub Ayoub.  All three, 
Hezretov said, are qualified to assist with the seminar, and 
are already on the UN roster.  However, he said that UNDP has 
run short of funds that will be needed to fund at least one 
of these consultants.  He noted that UNDP was looking for a 
party willing to donate some $10,000-15,000 to pay for this 
element of the project. 
 
¶5.  (SBU)  This year, the project had also included an 
element on the role of the media, to include election 
broadcasting, media public information and voter education 
campaigns, but the Turkmen government had refused UNDP 
permission to conduct this aspect of the training. 
 
¶6.  (SBU)  Hezretov admitted that UNDP had been 
organizationally behind the curve in regard to its intention 
to use the project to help the government in the lead-up to 
each of the national elections that had taken place in 2008 
and 2009.  He largely blamed the slow decision making of 
donor entities that frequently agreed to fund project aspects 
too late in the game to implement the project element.  With 
Gengesh elections scheduled for late July, he anticipated 
 
ASHGABAT 00000771  002 OF 002 
 
 
that UNDP would be providing little in the way of assistance 
or guidance to the Turkmen government beforehand.  He 
provided several examples in which UNDP had to cancel project 
work because the funding came too late.  Assisting the 
government with its revision of Mejlis and Gengesh election 
laws did not happen, he said, because government entities had 
to stick to a tight deadline schedule regarding the 
legislative revisions.  UNDP basically couldn't move quickly 
enough to accommodate the government's timeline goals, he 
said. 
 
¶7.  (SBU)  Hezretov was hopeful, however, that he would be 
able to get funding arranged soon to assist with revision of 
the election law for the Halk Vekilleri (Peoples Councils), 
or village representatives.  (NOTE:  Even among Turkmen 
citizens, it is still not clear what role the Peoples Council 
representatives will play.  Before the National Halk 
Maslahaty was dissolved last year, village representatives 
served in that body.  Now, it is unclear to whom they will 
answer.  END NOTE.)  Local staff assess that the next Halk 
Vekilleri election will take place in December 2009. 
 
¶8.  (SBU)  COMMENT:  Hezretov's comments suggest that UNDP 
will play only a minor role in July election preparations. 
However, UNDP is currently the only international entity in 
Turkmenistan that has been able to engage in project work on 
electoral reform.  Since other missions and potential donors 
have not achieved the trust that UNDP has developed here, 
perhaps providing some financial assistance to enable it to 
achieve at least some baby steps on election reform would be 
money well spent, at least in the near term.  END COMMENT. 
MILES