VZCZCXRO5286
PP RUEHIK
DE RUEHAH #1274/01 2810951
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 080951Z OCT 09
FM AMEMBASSY ASHGABAT
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 3584
INFO RUCNCLS/ALL SOUTH AND CENTRAL ASIA COLLECTIVE
RUCNCIS/CIS COLLECTIVE
RUCNMEM/EU MEMBER STATES COLLECTIVE
RUEHAK/AMEMBASSY ANKARA 5760
RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING 3472
RUEHKO/AMEMBASSY TOKYO 3336
RUEHIT/AMCONSUL ISTANBUL 4003
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC
RHMCSUU/CDR USCENTCOM MACDILL AFB FL
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC
RHEFDIA/DIA WASHDC
RUEKJCS/JOINT STAFF WASHDC
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHINGTON DC
RUEHVEN/USMISSION USOSCE 3980

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ASHGABAT 001274 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR SCA/CEN; DRL 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PHUM PGOV SOCI KDEM EUN UNDP UNHRC TX
SUBJECT: TURKMENISTAN: UNDP AND EU LAUNCH SWEEPING HUMAN 
RIGHTS PROJECT 
 
ASHGABAT 00001274  001.2 OF 002 
 
 
¶1. (SBU) On October 2, the Turkmen government's Institute for 
Democracy and Human Rights (IDHR) hosted the opening ceremony 
for the joint EU, UNDP and UN Office of the High Commissioner 
for Human Rights (OHCHR) project "Strengthening the national 
capacity of Turkmenistan to promote and protect human rights" 
(the "Project").  In her opening remarks, IDHR Director 
Shirin Akhmedova noted that the Project's inception dates 
back to the visit by UN High Commissioner for Human Rights 
Louise Arbour to Turkmenistan in 2007, at which time it was 
agreed, together with UNDP, to develop a program of technical 
assistance in the area of human rights.  According to 
Akhmedova, that moment was a new chapter in Turkmenistan's 
development with a new president and government, and a 
commitment to implement all provisions of the international 
conventions it had joined.  The Project is a continuation of 
a previous project, begun in 2006, to strengthen 
Turkmenistan's capacity to submit reports on compliance to 
international treaty bodies.  Akhmedova highlighted the 
Turkmen government's "concrete steps" during the past two and 
a half years to protect human rights, mentioning: President 
Berdimuhamedov's affirmations of Turkmenistan's commitment to 
respecting human rights at the 62nd and 64th UN General 
Assemblies; legislative reforms adopted by the parliament and 
the government; the creation of new mechanisms to protect 
human rights, such as a commission to consider citizen 
complaints against law enforcement officials and an 
inter-agency commission on human rights, as well as a 
constitutional reform commission; establishment of a 
permanent dialogue with the OHCHR; practical steps by the 
government to report to treaty bodies; and undertaking a 
wide-range of capacity building human rights projects to 
increase knowledge within government agencies about human 
rights standards and to create a permanent dialogue with 
international organizations.  Akhmedova expressed the hope 
that the Project will involve not only civil servants, but 
also civil society and the Turkmen public, and that it will 
assist the government to further develop democracy and human 
rights. 
 
¶2. (SBU) EuropeAid's Director for Asia and Central Asia Dirk 
Meganck remarked that it was the first such project for the 
EU in Turkmenistan and that it coincided with the 
EU-Turkmenistan human rights dialogue, especially in the 
areas of media freedom, civil society development, freedom of 
movement, freedom of religion and prison conditions.  Meganck 
suggested that the project would allow practical 
implementation of aspects of the human rights dialogue, in 
particular to improve the government's capacity to comply 
with international human rights standards and to develop a 
national human rights strategy at all levels of government 
and society.  He emphasized that the development of civil 
society would continue to be an important element of their 
human rights dialogue.  OHCHR Europe and Central Asia Section 
Chief Margaret Nicholson also mentioned the 2007 visit of 
Louise Arbour as the impetus for the Project.  She hoped the 
project would create real changes for the people of 
Turkmenistan related to UN recommendations on human rights 
matters.  Her expectations for the project included the 
development of civil society and creation of demcratic open 
space; a balance between branches of government, especially 
in the area of criminal justice; and the creation of 
independent human rights institutions.  In a positive way, 
Nicholson recognized that Turkmenistan is a party to a 
significant number of human rights conventions, participated 
in the UN Universal Periodic Review process, and hosted a 
visit by the UN Special Rapporteur on Religion.  She urged 
the Turkmen government to facilitate more such visits, 
especially by those rapporteurs who have expressed an 
interest in visiting Turkmenistan. 
 
¶3. (SBU) The Project has a three-year duration with a total 
budget of USD 3,235,000.  Its dual objectives are to improve 
the Turkmen government's capacity to comply with 
international human rights standards and to improve the 
 
ASHGABAT 00001274  002.2 OF 002 
 
 
knowledge and capacity of all rights holders to claim their 
rights.  As such, the Project seeks to accomplish four main 
results: Increase human rights awareness within the 
government through workshops, translation of materials, and 
study trips; Establish institutional capacity for reporting 
to treaty bodies through workshops, training exchanges for 
IDHR employees, and creation of human rights database; 
Improve human rights awareness in judicial and penitentiary 
systems through training; and Provide better public access to 
human rights information through mass media campaigns, 
dissemination of information materials, curriculum input for 
secondary schools, and opening of human rights outreach 
resource centers in each province. 
 
¶4. (SBU) COMMENT:  This human rights project is both much 
needed and very ambitious.  Project activities and objectives 
as outlined break some new ground, especially by providing 
the public with tools to learn about and stand up for its 
rights.  Still, results will depend on the willingness of 
officials and ministries to engage and contribute to 
effective implementation, a factor that is beyond the control 
of the IDHR, the GOTX's implementing partner, alone. 
Likewise, IDHR might have its own capacity problems as it 
juggles this project with its lead role on many other reform 
initiatives, both internally and with other foreign donors. 
No doubt the EU will carefully monitor implementation in the 
context of its human rights dialogue with Turkmenistan, which 
could generate the political will and momentum necessary for 
real progress.  END COMMENT. 
CURRAN