TURKMENISTAN REJECTS DRAFT U.S. CONGRESSIONAL

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 ASHGABAT 001056 SIPDIS SIPDIS DEPT FOR SCA/CEN (PERRY) E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/04/2016 TAGS: PREL PHUM PGOV TX SUBJECT: TURKMENISTAN REJECTS DRAFT U.S. CONGRESSIONAL RESOLUTION Classified By: ADCM Heather Troutman for Reasons 1.4 (B) and (D) Summary -------------- 1) (C) Summary: In an October 5 diplomatic note to the embassy, Turkmenistan's Ministry of Foreign Ministry "rejected" the September 27 draft Congressional resolution on Turkmenistan by raising concerns about the "dubious" and "distorted" content of the draft text. The response specifically rejects language on Jackson-Vanik, religious freedom, "criminals and terrorists," and other topics. Notwithstanding the MFA's denial that anything is wrong, embassy sees the fact that Turkmenistan is finally beginning to engage on these issues as a positive development demonstrating increased recognition of just how bad its reputation on human rights issues has become. End Summary. MFA Responds to Resolution with an Attitude -------------- 2) (U) The Turkmenistan Ministry of Foreign Affairs delivered diplomatic note number 09/3469f regarding the draft Congressional resolution on Turkmenistan to the Embassy October 5. It is evident from the note that the Ministry assumed -- incorrectly -- that the Turkmenistan resolution has already been passed. Begin text of diplomatic note: The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Turkmenistan presents its compliments to the Embassy of the United States of America in Turkmenistan and has the honor to convey the following information. The Turkmen side expresses its grave concern over the adoption of the U.S. Congress resolution No. 486 of September 27, 2006, which is based on incorrect information received from dubious sources. In this regard, the Turkmen side voices strong protest regarding the fact of distorting the real situation in Turkmenistan. The resolution text is compiled on the biased basis and by no means reflects the real information about Turkmenistan, which is available for the U.S. side to the full extent. The emergence of this document is hardly understandable against the background of evident progress in Turkmenistan's constructive dialogue and cooperation with the USA and other countries, as well as with such influential international organizations as the UN, OSCE, EU and others. Based on the above-mentioned facts, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Turkmenistan considers it necessary to inform the U.S. side that the Turkmen side rejects the mentioned resolution on the score of its inconsistence with reality in general and in each separate paragraph. Particularly, it is extremely difficult to understand the mentioning of the Jackson-Vanik amendment in linkage with the issue of restrictions allegedly imposed on Turkmen citizens' exit from Turkmenistan, which is a gross distortion of the real situation existing in Turkmenistan. The Turkmen side has informed the U.S. side on numerous occasions about the absence of any kind of restrictions on this issue, except of those corresponding to the legislation provisions. The Turkmen side also expresses its grave concern over the distorted and superficial account of the issue of religious freedom in Turkmenistan. The interpretation of this issue in the distorted way creates a wrong picture of the country where the legislation, which meets completely the international norms and requirements on observance of religious freedoms of citizens, has been developed and is functioning. It should be noted that only four mosques were functioning in Turkmenistan before it gained its independence. Nowadays the number of mosques equals 398. 120 religious organizations have been registered by now including 98 Muslim organizations, 13 Orthodox Church organizations and nine organizations of other religions (Krishna Consciousness, Bahai, Baptists, Evangelists, Seventh Day Adventists and others.) There are no obstacles to registration of religious groups in Turkmenistan, and legislative acts meeting the high requirements of a democratic society have been adopted here. ASHGABAT 00001056 002 OF 002 The Turkmen side also expresses its extreme bewilderment over Congress's position regarding some of the dangerous criminals and international terrorists convicted on a charge of attempting to change the constitutional order of Turkmenistan by means of committing the act of terror and the attempt on the Head of State's life on November 25, 2002. The Turkmen side has informed the U.S. side, including the U.S. Mission to the OSCE, about this issue on numerous occasions. A number of paragraphs of the mentioned resolution testify to a complete ignorance or deliberate distortion of the situation (in Turkmenistan) related to expansion of the city construction, strengthening of law enforcement and improvement of the social sphere including education and healthcare. The observance of citizens' rights and freedoms is a fundamental provision of the Constitution of Turkmenistan, which serves as a basis for realization of a social reforms program and for implementation of relevant reforms of social institutions. The guiding line of (these reforms) is the fact that Turkmenistan has declared a human being as the most important value of the society and has chosen its own way of development based on universal values and principles of humanism, peace and justice since the first days of its independence. (Standard complimentary closing.) End Note. Comment -------------- ¶3. (C) While the Minister of Foreign Affairs has refused to meet with Embassy personnel to discuss the resolution and other issues for the past week, Embassy views the note as a positive development. The fact that the Ministry is engaging at all on human rights issues -- even if only to deny that a problem exists -- seems to indicate that it is beginning to recognize just how bad its human rights reputation is. We hope that this exchange will lead to a more constructive dialogue in the coming weeks. End Comment. BRUSH