VZCZCXRO3928
RR RUEHIK
DE RUEHAH #0213/01 0470401
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 160401Z FEB 10
FM AMEMBASSY ASHGABAT
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 4253
INFO RUCNCIS/CIS COLLECTIVE
RUCNMEM/EU MEMBER STATES COLLECTIVE
RUCNCLS/ALL SOUTH AND CENTRAL ASIA COLLECTIVE
RHMCSUU/CDR USCENTCOM MACDILL AFB FL
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC
RHEFDIA/DIA WASHDC
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC
RUETIAA/NSA FORT MEADE MD
RUEKJCS/JOINT STAFF WASHDC
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ASHGABAT 000213 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
STATE FOR SCA/CEN 
AID/W FOR ASIA/EA 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV PREL EAID KDEM TX
SUBJECT:  TURKMENISTAN:  MEJLIS OPEN TO COOPERATION ON LOCAL 
GOVERNANCE 
 
REF: A. ASHGABAT 09-1006 
 
ASHGABAT 00000213  001.2 OF 002 
 
 
¶1.  (U) Sensitive but unclassified.  Not for public Internet. 
 
¶2.  (SBU) SUMMARY:  In a February 3 meeting with the visiting 
EUR/ACE delegation Mejlis (Parliament) Speaker Akja Nurberdiyeva 
said local self-governing councils, which are subordinated to 
Parliament, realized that they should support the $4 billion 
national program for rural development.  One of the biggest 
challenges faced by these local structures was working with 
hakimliks (provincial and sub-provincial governments).  In the past, 
the central government and hakimliks prioritized local development 
projects without significant inputs from local councils, but these 
bodies were now involved in identifying and requesting priority 
projects.  Nurberdiyeva expressed a positive view of the body's 
cooperation with UN Development Program (UNDP) on issues related to 
local governance, but also indicated that she remained interested in 
cooperation with USAID's new Local Development Initiative to build 
their financial management capacity.  English language training for 
parliamentary deputies was another priority.  Nurberdiyeva deferred 
questions on NGOs registration in Turkmenistan to the Ministry of 
Justice (Adalat) while agreeing that the number should "not be 
fixed."  END SUMMARY. 
 
"WE'RE WAITING" FOR USAID'S LOCAL DEVELOPMENT INITIATIVE 
 
¶3.  (U) In response to EUR/ACE delegation head Maria Longi's 
question regarding potential cooperation on local governance issues, 
Mejlis (Parliament) Speaker Akja Nurberdiyeva indicated that its 
ongoing program with UNDP, which had served to activate local 
governments, was recently extended through 2015.  Local 
self-governing councils, which are subordinated to Parliament, 
realized that they should support the $4 billion national program 
for rural development, but one of their biggest challenges was 
working with hakimliks (provincial and sub-provincial governments). 
In the past, the central government and hakimliks prioritized local 
development projects without significant inputs from local councils, 
but these local bodies were now involved in identifying and 
requesting priority projects. 
 
¶4.  (U) Local councils do not have access to significant funds 
currently, but could appeal to hakimliks for specific projects in 
cases of emergency.  The speaker foresaw local councils having their 
own funds in the future, but members needed to be trained on how to 
use funds from other sources.  Two areas of interest were training 
on using non-budget sources and supporting the interagency 
commission, which was composed of ministries and parliamentary 
deputies, to develop sources of funds. 
 
¶5.  (U) Referencing positive cooperation with USAID's recently 
concluded Community Empowerment Project (Ref. A), Nurberdiyeva said 
that she was looking forward to meeting with representatives of 
USAID's new Local Development Initiative.  Stating she was not sure 
whether the delay was due to Parliament or USAID's side, she said 
that she was ready to meet with project representatives to discuss 
potential areas of cooperation.  USAID Country Representative 
provided a brief overview of the project and proposed a more 
substantive meeting in early March during the planned visit by the 
project's Chief of Party. 
 
DEPUTIES NEED IMPROVED ENGLISH LANGUAGE SKILLS 
 
¶6.  (U) Responding to Longi's question on the need for English 
language training, Nurberdiyeva quickly replied, "All our deputies 
are waiting!" English language was very important for deputies, 
since they have experienced a growing need for interactions with 
other parliamentary delegations. 
 
¶7.  (U) Turkmenistan's constitution was amended in September 2008 
and Parliament was expanded from 65 to 125 deputies.  President 
Berdimuhamedov had taken many other positive steps, such as revising 
laws and drafting of new laws, in order to reflect the new reality 
in Turkmenistan.  The increase in Parliament's size reflects an 
increase in its responsibility.  Turkmenistan's Parliament received 
assistance from various sources and studied international experience 
through the internet, which is used in drafting laws that reflect 
local specifics.  Although not all Turkmenistan's citizens had the 
 
ASHGABAT 00000213  002.2 OF 002 
 
 
skills necessary to interact with members of Parliament, deputies 
used simple language to explain laws to people. 
 
NUMBER OF NGOS "SHOULDN'T BE FIXED" 
 
¶8.  (U) Following on the discussion about citizen engagement with 
deputies, USAID Regional Mission Director asked how the population's 
views were solicited.  Also, the number of NGOs in Turkmenistan 
appeared to have remained constant for several years, so he 
questioned whether the number of registered NGOs should also 
increase in light of the expanded parliament.  To the latter, 
Nurberdiyeva replied that this question was part of a national 
process, but "...whatever the number (of NGOs), it shouldn't be 
fixed."  Possibilities for new NGOs depended on the local population 
and its interests, but the Ministry of Justice was the best source 
of information on this subject. 
 
¶9.  (U) On citizen engagement with deputies, each district had a 
special room for meeting with population.  There were monthly 
meetings between members of Parliament and hakims (governors). 
Parliament very much valued inputs from citizens. It strived to 
inform the population about new laws so that it could determine if 
new laws would work.  When the Cabinet of Ministers drafted laws, 
they were checked with population, too.  Many recent laws like the 
Family and Housing Codes, for example, really concerned the 
population.  Furthermore, construction of many objects, like sports 
complexes, stadiums, libraries, museums and theaters, were being 
undertaken to promote balanced development, which would help to 
avoid problems like drug use and smoking. 
 
¶10.  (SBU) COMMENT:  Nurberdiyeva's positive comments about possible 
cooperation with USAID on local government strengthening were 
welcomed, since she has been reluctant to engage with USG programs 
in the past.  English-language training presents another opportunity 
for the USG to provide cooperation and engage in a non-threatening 
way.  The Speaker's deferral to the Ministry of Justice (Adalat) on 
the question of NGO registration, however, showed her continuing 
reluctance to substantively engage on difficult issues.  END 
COMMENT. 
 
CURRAN