Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
07ASHGABAT1367
2007-12-17 12:53:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Ashgabat
Cable title:
TURKMENISTAN: NO PROGRESS ON REGISTRATION DURING
how-toVZCZCXRO3505 PP RUEHAG RUEHBI RUEHCI RUEHLH RUEHPW RUEHROV DE RUEHAH #1367/01 3511253 ZNY CCCCC ZZH P 171253Z DEC 07 FM AMEMBASSY ASHGABAT TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 9897 INFO RUCNCLS/ALL SOUTH AND CENTRAL ASIA COLLECTIVE RUCNCIS/CIS COLLECTIVE RUCNMEM/EU MEMBER STATES COLLECTIVE RUEHAK/AMEMBASSY ANKARA 3118 RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING 0933 RUEHKO/AMEMBASSY TOKYO 0807 RUEHROV/AMEMBASSY VATICAN RUEHIT/AMCONSUL ISTANBUL 1383 RHMFISS/CDR USCENTCOM MACDILL AFB FL RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC RHEFDIA/DIA WASHDC RUEKJCS/JOINT STAFF WASHDC RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC RUEHVEN/USMISSION USOSCE 2006
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 ASHGABAT 001367
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
STATE FOR SCA/CEN, DRL
E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/17/2017
TAGS: PHUM PREL SOCI KIRF TX
SUBJECT: TURKMENISTAN: NO PROGRESS ON REGISTRATION DURING
VATICAN OFFICIALS' VISIT
REF: ASHGABAT 1097
ASHGABAT 00001367 001.2 OF 002
Classified By: CHARGE RICHARD E. HOAGLAND FOR REASONS 1.4 (B) AND (D).
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 ASHGABAT 001367
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
STATE FOR SCA/CEN, DRL
E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/17/2017
TAGS: PHUM PREL SOCI KIRF TX
SUBJECT: TURKMENISTAN: NO PROGRESS ON REGISTRATION DURING
VATICAN OFFICIALS' VISIT
REF: ASHGABAT 1097
ASHGABAT 00001367 001.2 OF 002
Classified By: CHARGE RICHARD E. HOAGLAND FOR REASONS 1.4 (B) AND (D).
1. (C) SUMMARY: No progress was made on registration of the
Roman Catholic Church during the recent visit of two Vatican
officials to Turkmenistan. Only one of the sought after
meetings with Turkmen officials took place. The Minister of
Justice, during that meeting, affirmed that there is no way
around the requirement that the head of a church must be a
Turkmen citizen in order to register -- the main stumbling
block. Since the Catholic Church is able to fully function
here without registration, the main concern for the Turkmen
may be setting a precedent by allowing a foreigner to head a
religious organization. END SUMMARY.
2. (C) No progress was made on the issue of registration of
the Roman Catholic Church during the visit of two Vatican
officials December 9-16. Archbishop Antonio Lucibello, the
Apostolic Nuncio to Turkmenistan (resident in Ankara),and
Archbishop Luigi Travaglino from the Vatican's Secretariat of
State came for the opening of the UN Preventive Diplomacy
Center (septel). Lucibello stayed longer to mark the 10th
anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations
between Turkmenistan and the Holy See. While those two
events were the official reasons for their visit, they had
very much hoped to discuss with Turkmenistan officials the
long-standing problem of Church registration (reftel).
3. (C) According to local nunciature officials, the only
meeting Lucibello was able to get (Travaglino had to depart
December 12 before any meeting was scheduled) was with the
Ministry of Justice, the body responsible for the
registration of religious organizations and groups. In the
MOJ meeting, Lucibello said it should not be so difficult for
the Turkmenistan government to register the Catholic church
because it already has relations with the Vatican. He
stressed that theirs was not an ordinary Embassy, but quite
openly was here to serve the Catholic community. Lucibello
asked if there was any way to reach a compromise on the legal
requirement that the head of the church must be a citizen of
Turkmenistan. Minister of Justice Marat Garryev replied "the
law is the law," and there is not much that could be done
about it.
4. (C) The Ministry of Foreign Affairs turned down a request
for a meeting. Although Deputy Prime Minister/Foreign
Minister Rashit Meredov attended the dinner marking the 10th
anniversary of bilateral relations, nothing substantive was
discussed there.
5. (C) Lucibello told EmbOff the Catholic Church had
previously tried to sweeten the registration deal by offering
training in the construction trades to Turkmen youth. The
Turkmenistan government replied such training was not needed.
(COMMENT: The mainly Turkish and French construction
companies bring in employees almost exclusively from abroad.
Since it would be cheaper and more efficient to hire local
staff, the only logical explanation for the practice of
hiring from abroad is that Turkmen lack the skills to work in
construction on the level demanded by foreign companies. END
COMMENT.)
6. (C) COMMENT: Although there has been no progress on
registration, the Catholic Church is able to function openly
and without problems. There are two masses on Sunday
(English and Russian),attracting about 100 congregants. The
church holds regular classes for potential converts.
According to one priest, neither members nor potential
converts are harassed by the security services. Students are
sent to Poland to study, and pilgrims travel to shrines in
Europe (Lourdes) and to Rome, where one group had an audience
with the Pope. The Turkmen may be more concerned about
setting a precedent by allowing a foreigner to head a
ASHGABAT 00001367 002.2 OF 002
religious organization than anything the Catholic Church may
do in Turkmenistan. END COMMENT.
HOAGLAND
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
STATE FOR SCA/CEN, DRL
E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/17/2017
TAGS: PHUM PREL SOCI KIRF TX
SUBJECT: TURKMENISTAN: NO PROGRESS ON REGISTRATION DURING
VATICAN OFFICIALS' VISIT
REF: ASHGABAT 1097
ASHGABAT 00001367 001.2 OF 002
Classified By: CHARGE RICHARD E. HOAGLAND FOR REASONS 1.4 (B) AND (D).
1. (C) SUMMARY: No progress was made on registration of the
Roman Catholic Church during the recent visit of two Vatican
officials to Turkmenistan. Only one of the sought after
meetings with Turkmen officials took place. The Minister of
Justice, during that meeting, affirmed that there is no way
around the requirement that the head of a church must be a
Turkmen citizen in order to register -- the main stumbling
block. Since the Catholic Church is able to fully function
here without registration, the main concern for the Turkmen
may be setting a precedent by allowing a foreigner to head a
religious organization. END SUMMARY.
2. (C) No progress was made on the issue of registration of
the Roman Catholic Church during the visit of two Vatican
officials December 9-16. Archbishop Antonio Lucibello, the
Apostolic Nuncio to Turkmenistan (resident in Ankara),and
Archbishop Luigi Travaglino from the Vatican's Secretariat of
State came for the opening of the UN Preventive Diplomacy
Center (septel). Lucibello stayed longer to mark the 10th
anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations
between Turkmenistan and the Holy See. While those two
events were the official reasons for their visit, they had
very much hoped to discuss with Turkmenistan officials the
long-standing problem of Church registration (reftel).
3. (C) According to local nunciature officials, the only
meeting Lucibello was able to get (Travaglino had to depart
December 12 before any meeting was scheduled) was with the
Ministry of Justice, the body responsible for the
registration of religious organizations and groups. In the
MOJ meeting, Lucibello said it should not be so difficult for
the Turkmenistan government to register the Catholic church
because it already has relations with the Vatican. He
stressed that theirs was not an ordinary Embassy, but quite
openly was here to serve the Catholic community. Lucibello
asked if there was any way to reach a compromise on the legal
requirement that the head of the church must be a citizen of
Turkmenistan. Minister of Justice Marat Garryev replied "the
law is the law," and there is not much that could be done
about it.
4. (C) The Ministry of Foreign Affairs turned down a request
for a meeting. Although Deputy Prime Minister/Foreign
Minister Rashit Meredov attended the dinner marking the 10th
anniversary of bilateral relations, nothing substantive was
discussed there.
5. (C) Lucibello told EmbOff the Catholic Church had
previously tried to sweeten the registration deal by offering
training in the construction trades to Turkmen youth. The
Turkmenistan government replied such training was not needed.
(COMMENT: The mainly Turkish and French construction
companies bring in employees almost exclusively from abroad.
Since it would be cheaper and more efficient to hire local
staff, the only logical explanation for the practice of
hiring from abroad is that Turkmen lack the skills to work in
construction on the level demanded by foreign companies. END
COMMENT.)
6. (C) COMMENT: Although there has been no progress on
registration, the Catholic Church is able to function openly
and without problems. There are two masses on Sunday
(English and Russian),attracting about 100 congregants. The
church holds regular classes for potential converts.
According to one priest, neither members nor potential
converts are harassed by the security services. Students are
sent to Poland to study, and pilgrims travel to shrines in
Europe (Lourdes) and to Rome, where one group had an audience
with the Pope. The Turkmen may be more concerned about
setting a precedent by allowing a foreigner to head a
ASHGABAT 00001367 002.2 OF 002
religious organization than anything the Catholic Church may
do in Turkmenistan. END COMMENT.
HOAGLAND