Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
07ASHGABAT1094
2007-10-10 10:18:00
UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
Embassy Ashgabat
Cable title:
TURKMENISTAN: ANOTHER RELIGIOUS GROUP TO BE
how-toVZCZCXRO5382 PP RUEHAG RUEHAST RUEHBI RUEHCI RUEHDBU RUEHDF RUEHIK RUEHLH RUEHLN RUEHLZ RUEHPW RUEHROV RUEHVK RUEHYG DE RUEHAH #1094 2831018 ZNR UUUUU ZZH P 101018Z OCT 07 FM AMEMBASSY ASHGABAT TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 9520 INFO RUCNCLS/ALL SOUTH AND CENTRAL ASIA COLLECTIVE PRIORITY RUCNCIS/CIS COLLECTIVE PRIORITY RUCNMEM/EU MEMBER STATES COLLECTIVE PRIORITY RUEHAK/AMEMBASSY ANKARA PRIORITY 2856 RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING PRIORITY 0677 RUEHKO/AMEMBASSY TOKYO PRIORITY 0553 RUEHIT/AMCONSUL ISTANBUL PRIORITY 1129 RHMFIUU/CDR USCENTCOM MACDILL AFB FL PRIORITY RUEKJCS/JOINT STAFF WASHDC PRIORITY RHEFDIA/DIA WASHDC PRIORITY RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC PRIORITY RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC PRIORITY RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC PRIORITY RUEHGV/USMISSION GENEVA PRIORITY 1330 RUEHVEN/USMISSION USOSCE PRIORITY 1807 RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK PRIORITY 0589
UNCLAS ASHGABAT 001094
SIPDIS
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
STATE FOR SCA/CEN, DRL
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PREL PHUM KIRF TX
SUBJECT: TURKMENISTAN: ANOTHER RELIGIOUS GROUP TO BE
REGISTERED
REF: A. ASHGABAT 1040
B. ASHGABAT 1089
UNCLAS ASHGABAT 001094
SIPDIS
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
STATE FOR SCA/CEN, DRL
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PREL PHUM KIRF TX
SUBJECT: TURKMENISTAN: ANOTHER RELIGIOUS GROUP TO BE
REGISTERED
REF: A. ASHGABAT 1040
B. ASHGABAT 1089
1. Sensitive but unclassified. Not for public Internet.
2. (SBU) Timur Muradov, the pastor of the "Word of Life"
Church, a small unregistered evangelical Christian group
based in Turkmenbashy, called the Embassy October 10 to
report that the Council on Religious Affairs Deputy Chairman,
Nurmuhammet Gurbanov, had just told him that his church,
which is an offshoot of the Turkmenabat-based "Source of
Life" group that was registered just a few weeks ago (ref A),
would be allowed to register as a local branch of the
registered group. Just a week earlier, Muradov had told
emboff that he thought his group would not be allowed to
register (ref B). He was pleased with the news, which will
allow his group to meet legally.
3. (SBU) COMMENT: While branch churches occasionally run
into problems with local authorities who do not understand
the somewhat complicated legal basis under which branch
groups operate, this is nonetheless good news for "Word of
Life." Registration as a branch affiliation will allow his
group a legal basis for importing Bibles, as well as for
holding worship services -- and for appealing problems with
local authorities to the Council on Religious Affairs. Post
will continue to work on the registration status of other
groups whose cases still have not been resolved. END COMMENT.
HOAGLAND
SIPDIS
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
STATE FOR SCA/CEN, DRL
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PREL PHUM KIRF TX
SUBJECT: TURKMENISTAN: ANOTHER RELIGIOUS GROUP TO BE
REGISTERED
REF: A. ASHGABAT 1040
B. ASHGABAT 1089
1. Sensitive but unclassified. Not for public Internet.
2. (SBU) Timur Muradov, the pastor of the "Word of Life"
Church, a small unregistered evangelical Christian group
based in Turkmenbashy, called the Embassy October 10 to
report that the Council on Religious Affairs Deputy Chairman,
Nurmuhammet Gurbanov, had just told him that his church,
which is an offshoot of the Turkmenabat-based "Source of
Life" group that was registered just a few weeks ago (ref A),
would be allowed to register as a local branch of the
registered group. Just a week earlier, Muradov had told
emboff that he thought his group would not be allowed to
register (ref B). He was pleased with the news, which will
allow his group to meet legally.
3. (SBU) COMMENT: While branch churches occasionally run
into problems with local authorities who do not understand
the somewhat complicated legal basis under which branch
groups operate, this is nonetheless good news for "Word of
Life." Registration as a branch affiliation will allow his
group a legal basis for importing Bibles, as well as for
holding worship services -- and for appealing problems with
local authorities to the Council on Religious Affairs. Post
will continue to work on the registration status of other
groups whose cases still have not been resolved. END COMMENT.
HOAGLAND