Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
07ASHGABAT176
2007-02-09 13:24:00
UNCLASSIFIED
Embassy Ashgabat
Cable title:  

CONFIDENCE AND SINCERE CONCERN FOR A "LEGITIMATE" VOTING

Tags:  PGOV ETRD TX TNGD KPAO ECON 
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DE RUEHAH #0176/01 0401324
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 091324Z FEB 07
FM AMEMBASSY ASHGABAT
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 8369
INFO RUCNCIS/CIS COLLECTIVE
RUEHIL/AMEMBASSY ISLAMABAD 1843
RUEHNE/AMEMBASSY NEW DELHI 0640
RUEHBUL/AMEMBASSY KABUL 0586
RUEHKA/AMEMBASSY DHAKA 0177
RUEHKT/AMEMBASSY KATHMANDU 0103
RUEHLM/AMEMBASSY COLOMBO 0155
RUEHKP/AMCONSUL KARACHI 0071
RUEHBI/AMCONSUL MUMBAI 0031
RUEHCG/AMCONSUL CHENNAI 0024
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC
RUEKJCS/JOINT STAFF WASHINGTON DC//J5/RUE//
RHEFDIA/DIA WASHDC
RHMFIUU/CDR USCENTCOM MACDILL AFB FL//CCJ2/HSE/GCJ5//
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 ASHGABAT 000176 

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

STATE FOR SCA/CEN (PERRY),SCA/PPD (KAMP),EUR/ACE

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV ETRD TX TNGD KPAO ECON

SUBJECT: CONFIDENCE AND SINCERE CONCERN FOR A "LEGITIMATE" VOTING
PROCESS -- AHAL WELAYAT ELECTION VISIT


ASHGABAT 00000176 001.2 OF 003


SUMMARY
-------

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 ASHGABAT 000176

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

STATE FOR SCA/CEN (PERRY),SCA/PPD (KAMP),EUR/ACE

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV ETRD TX TNGD KPAO ECON

SUBJECT: CONFIDENCE AND SINCERE CONCERN FOR A "LEGITIMATE" VOTING
PROCESS -- AHAL WELAYAT ELECTION VISIT


ASHGABAT 00000176 001.2 OF 003


SUMMARY
--------------


1. (U) Ahal Welayat (province) officials appeared well-prepared,
sincere, and uncharacteristically inquisitive about America during
PAO's visit concerning preparations for Turkmenistan's first ever
multi-candidate election for the presidency. Despite the controlled
nature of the transition and electoral process following
president-for-life Niyazov's death, preparations for the actual
voting process seemed genuine. Interaction with the welayat
electoral commission was more collegial than the standard official
government meeting. Some members, but especially the deputy hakim,
were open and confident in their discussions with the PAO. End
Summary.

RELATIVELY "OPEN" DISCUSSION AT THE WELAYAT
HEADQUARTERS
--------------


2. (U) On February 7, PAO visited Ahal Welayat as part of the
embassy's election visits for the upcoming presidential vote on
February 11. At the Anew governor's office (hakimlik) PAO met with
the confident and personable deputy hakim, Maysa Yazmuhammedova, who
also serves as the welayat's electoral commission chair, along with
other commission members. Despite a rather formal beginning, the
relaxed nature of most commission members -- including
Yazmuhammedova -- eventually resulted in the meeting turning towards
less formal, even friendly discussion. At times PAO mildly asked
for input and views from all members of the commission. Most
members made an effort to speak, and even revealed a minor diversity
of opinion among commission members.


3. (U) PAO's initial questions about Ahal's nominating process of
two candidates in the December 26 Halk Malahaty session, financial
assistance or local support for the "Ahal candidate," Orazmyrat
Garajayev, received direct and cordial answers. Yazmuhammedova took
the lead on answering these questions, and confidently explained
that the Halk Maslahaty's agenda requesting that each welayat be
prepared to nominate candidates had been provided two-three days

prior to the session. She openly said that Ahal had considered
nominating the interim president, among many other candidates from
various parts of Ahal (Note: Interim President Berdimuhammedov was
nominated in an emotional speech by the head of the Democratic
Party. End Note). She and other members also explained that all
travel, speaking engagements, voter meetings with candidates, etc.
were paid from the country's central budget and therefore no other
financial support was "needed." A heavy emphasis was placed on the
fairness and equality of government support for all six candidates.


4. (U) Although Yazmuhammedova did not directly admit a lack of
polling procedures, she made a great effort to draw attention to the
ways that candidates were eliciting public opinion. In addition to
public meetings with candidates, she highlighted the recently
created "hotline" for providing information on the elections as a
channel for proposals and complaints from ordinary citizens. (Note:
Reportedly a caller must provide personal details before offering
any suggestions. End Note)


5. (U) From time to time other members of the commission offered
specific details about the electoral process and support for
specific candidates, helping to create a slightly more comfortable
discussion atmosphere. When asked, various commission members
stressed that Ahal voters could and would vote for whomever they
thought the best candidate was, and that Garajayev was unlikely to
receive many local just because he was the "Ahal candidate." They
thought that as Abadan city's mayor, he might get more votes from
his district or from those who already knew him. Yazmuhammedova
also emphasized that she could not speak for typical voters and each
individual could vote for any of the candidates.


6. (U) Nearing the end of the meeting, PAO asked for the opinion of
all commission members as to what issue would be the most important

ASHGABAT 00000176 002.2 OF 003


for the new president. Yazmuhammedova non-verbally encouraged
members to speak up with approving body language. The result was
that each one provided individualized comments, but still within the
lines of official campaign platforms. Peace and stability was
emphasized by some members. One noted that stability was a
prerequisite for any others. Agriculture was noted by another as an
area that should be reformed because of Turkmenistan's great
agricultural potential. Education was noted more than once with one
member specifying that the return to 10 years of mandatory education
would be an important improvement. As a preface to answers, many
stated that Turkmenistan did not face any urgent or crisis issues,
before noting an area in need of reform.


7. (U) As the discussion become more interactive, commission
members started to query the PAO about American presidential
elections. The questions reflected sincere interest, including "How
does a candidate get on the ballot?" and "Do candidates have to be
sponsored by a party or can they run as individuals?" In the course
of talking about American political parties, PAO commented that few
foreigners knew about the U.S. Communist Party, which had a
presidential candidate on the ballot in every recent election. The
deputy chair of the election commission, also the head of the
Turkmenistan Democratic Party for Ahal Welayat, jokingly quipped "we
don't need to hear more about the communists!" and helped to further
lighten the mood. Due to time constraints the active discussion was
cut short, but PAO used the opportunity to advertise the embassy's
Information Resource Center and the possibility of learning more
about American elections and politics through exchanges or other PD
programs.

INFORMATIVE AND FRIENDLY VISITS TO POLLING STATIONS
-------------- --------------


8. (U) Following the meeting, Yazmuhammedova escorted PAO through
polling stations number 4 and 5 in the Ak Bugday Etrap (county). It
was apparent that Yazmuhammedova had a close working relationship
with these polling stations as she introduced the PAO to staff and
personally gave an overview of the stations' procedures. The
procedures described appeared to be adequate at assuring one vote
per person and the secrecy of an individual's ballot. Beyond this,
great efforts were made to provide information and procedural
instructions to voters. Yazmuhammedova also pointed out politically
neutral "extra information" beyond election law requirements. This
included contact information for individual polling station staff,
some general statistics about voters in the precincts covered and a
"newcomer list," congratulating young first-time voters in the
precinct. During the visit to polling station four, at least two
individuals entered for information on the voting process.


9. (U) Station number four was housed in a state cultural center
with a large auditorium that had previously been the venue of a
campaign meeting with candidates. Yazmuhammedova proudly answered
questions about the popularity and enthusiasm of the overflow crowd
of people who attended that meeting. When asked who was allowed to
attend, she confidently explained that it was open to the public but
they had tried to ensure that a few people from each voting precinct
were included.

COMMENT
--------------


10. (U) The welayat electoral commission and staff at polling
stations, were well-versed in electoral procedures but in a sincere
manner distinct from the rote memorization commonplace before
Niyazov's death. They also appeared to have made strong efforts to
be politically neutral in their election preparations. Even though
the "elephant in the room" is that the nominating and campaign
processes are still choreographed by the state, the comments of most
commission members reflected a greater concern for the "legitimacy"
and procedures of this election than that encountered during
December 2006 etrap elections.


ASHGABAT 00000176 003.2 OF 003



11. (U) The open, confident, and enthusiastic nature of the Deputy
Hakim Yazmuhammedova appeared to demonstrate sincere commitment to
the electoral process as something more than a formal exercise. Her
analytical and thoughtful responses to questions (rather than a
"party line" response) were more reminiscent of a problem-solving
critical thinker. Moreover, she responded warmly to PAO's
suggestions of further embassy engagement with the Ahal Welayat.
End Comment.

BRUSH