Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06DUSHANBE920
2006-05-19 12:29:00
UNCLASSIFIED
Embassy Dushanbe
Cable title:
TAJIKISTAN: ELECTIONS COMMISSION APPEALS FOR INTERNATIONAL
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UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 DUSHANBE 000920
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
STATE FOR SCA/CEN, DRL
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PREL PHUM KDEM TI
SUBJECT: TAJIKISTAN: ELECTIONS COMMISSION APPEALS FOR INTERNATIONAL
ASSISTANCE
DUSHANBE 00000920 001.2 OF 002
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 DUSHANBE 000920
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
STATE FOR SCA/CEN, DRL
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PREL PHUM KDEM TI
SUBJECT: TAJIKISTAN: ELECTIONS COMMISSION APPEALS FOR INTERNATIONAL
ASSISTANCE
DUSHANBE 00000920 001.2 OF 002
1. Heads of diplomatic missions convened at the United Nations
Tajikistan Office of Peacebuilding (UNTOP) for the international
donor community's monthly meeting on electoral issues May 17.
Mirzoali Boltuyev, Chairman of the Central Commission on
Elections and Referenda (CCER),presented a chart outlining
concrete actions the CCER proposes to take in order to improve
upon the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe's
(OSCE) criticism of the 2005 parliamentary elections.
2. Boltuyev made clear to international donors the government
of Tajikistan would like to hold a transparent election, fully
compliant with Tajik law and international standards. However,
the technical assistance required to bring the election up to
that level means Tajikistan would require international donor
support. The CCER and Center for Strategic Research (CRS)
together with IFES formed a working group to tackle election
reform. The group took each one of the OSCE's criticism
mentioned in their 2005 parliamentary report and suggested
concrete actions to remedy the problem. The chart, based on the
OSCE report for the 2005 parliamentary elections, is a work in
progress and modifications may be needed because presidential
election procedures are different. Participants encouraged the
CCER to share the chart with political parties for their input
and buy-in to the process, noting that their involvement would
boost the election's validity.
3. The chart suggests wide-ranging changes, not all of which
would require financial assistance. Some recommended actions
include targeted voter education programs for women and young
adults and preparing reference manuals for local government
officials explaining their legal obligations and restrictions,
designed to reduce local government interference. The chart
also lists amendments to laws clearly defining local officials'
roles and implementing fines if officials overstep their
authorities. Procedural changes such as securing ballots are
also included in the chart. Technical assistance, such as
procuring indelible ink and pens, is required. The media will
be invited to key events such as ballot printings to ensure
transparency, and the CCER hopes to receive funding to organize
television debates and issue media spots to publicize election
rules and activities.
4. The Tajik government plans to host a two-day conference in
July to discuss the constitution and presidential election law,
criteria for permitting observers and assessment missions as
well as how to improve voters' rights and the CCER's role in the
election. Parliament will officially announce the November
presidential election in August. It is then the CCER will
establish 68 district election committees and 3,000 precinct
committees.
5. NOTE: Patrick Bradley from the United Nations Elections
Needs Assessment Mission was also present at the meeting.
Foreign Minister Nazarov wrote a letter to the UN's Secretary
General requesting a Needs Assessment Mission. Unfortunately
Bradley could not share his report to the Secretary General,
because most of it will be confidential and used to determine UN
assistance for the November presidential election. END NOTE.
6. COMMENT: All of this is the result of the work IFES has
been doing since the beginning of the year with the CCER and the
President's Strategic Research Center. It is especially
heartening that Boltuyev has gone public with the international
donor community. We are grateful for DRL's extraordinary
election-year grant to accomplish this work. We will work with
IFES to analyze the charts to see what really needs to be
funded, and may propose a demarche to donor capitals. The
international community that cares about democracy has a chance
to help Tajikistan do something right. When Dushanbe appears
DUSHANBE 00000920 002.2 OF 002
increasingly committed to taking significant steps forward in
the conduct of the November presidential election, we cannot
afford to let them down. END COMMENT.
HOAGLAND
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
STATE FOR SCA/CEN, DRL
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PREL PHUM KDEM TI
SUBJECT: TAJIKISTAN: ELECTIONS COMMISSION APPEALS FOR INTERNATIONAL
ASSISTANCE
DUSHANBE 00000920 001.2 OF 002
1. Heads of diplomatic missions convened at the United Nations
Tajikistan Office of Peacebuilding (UNTOP) for the international
donor community's monthly meeting on electoral issues May 17.
Mirzoali Boltuyev, Chairman of the Central Commission on
Elections and Referenda (CCER),presented a chart outlining
concrete actions the CCER proposes to take in order to improve
upon the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe's
(OSCE) criticism of the 2005 parliamentary elections.
2. Boltuyev made clear to international donors the government
of Tajikistan would like to hold a transparent election, fully
compliant with Tajik law and international standards. However,
the technical assistance required to bring the election up to
that level means Tajikistan would require international donor
support. The CCER and Center for Strategic Research (CRS)
together with IFES formed a working group to tackle election
reform. The group took each one of the OSCE's criticism
mentioned in their 2005 parliamentary report and suggested
concrete actions to remedy the problem. The chart, based on the
OSCE report for the 2005 parliamentary elections, is a work in
progress and modifications may be needed because presidential
election procedures are different. Participants encouraged the
CCER to share the chart with political parties for their input
and buy-in to the process, noting that their involvement would
boost the election's validity.
3. The chart suggests wide-ranging changes, not all of which
would require financial assistance. Some recommended actions
include targeted voter education programs for women and young
adults and preparing reference manuals for local government
officials explaining their legal obligations and restrictions,
designed to reduce local government interference. The chart
also lists amendments to laws clearly defining local officials'
roles and implementing fines if officials overstep their
authorities. Procedural changes such as securing ballots are
also included in the chart. Technical assistance, such as
procuring indelible ink and pens, is required. The media will
be invited to key events such as ballot printings to ensure
transparency, and the CCER hopes to receive funding to organize
television debates and issue media spots to publicize election
rules and activities.
4. The Tajik government plans to host a two-day conference in
July to discuss the constitution and presidential election law,
criteria for permitting observers and assessment missions as
well as how to improve voters' rights and the CCER's role in the
election. Parliament will officially announce the November
presidential election in August. It is then the CCER will
establish 68 district election committees and 3,000 precinct
committees.
5. NOTE: Patrick Bradley from the United Nations Elections
Needs Assessment Mission was also present at the meeting.
Foreign Minister Nazarov wrote a letter to the UN's Secretary
General requesting a Needs Assessment Mission. Unfortunately
Bradley could not share his report to the Secretary General,
because most of it will be confidential and used to determine UN
assistance for the November presidential election. END NOTE.
6. COMMENT: All of this is the result of the work IFES has
been doing since the beginning of the year with the CCER and the
President's Strategic Research Center. It is especially
heartening that Boltuyev has gone public with the international
donor community. We are grateful for DRL's extraordinary
election-year grant to accomplish this work. We will work with
IFES to analyze the charts to see what really needs to be
funded, and may propose a demarche to donor capitals. The
international community that cares about democracy has a chance
to help Tajikistan do something right. When Dushanbe appears
DUSHANBE 00000920 002.2 OF 002
increasingly committed to taking significant steps forward in
the conduct of the November presidential election, we cannot
afford to let them down. END COMMENT.
HOAGLAND