Turkmenistan's Presidential Candidates Raise Hopes With

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 ASHGABAT 000021 SIPDIS SENSITIVE SIPDIS STATE FOR EUR/PPD, EUR/ACE, SCA/CEN (TPERRY),and IIP/G E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PGOV PREL PHUM KPAO TX SUBJECT: Turkmenistan's Presidential Candidates Raise Hopes With Promises of Substantive Reform SUMMARY -------------- ¶1. (U) All channels of Turkmenistan State television were tuned to the first campaign meeting of two presidential hopefuls on the night of January 3, 2007, at a townhall-style gathering held at the Mekan Palace in Ashgabat. The Ashgabat-based candidates, Deputy Minister of the Oil and Gas Industry and Mineral Resources Ishanguly Nuryev and Acting President Gurbanguly Berdimuhammedov, sat on a dais before over 1,000 Ashgabat City "voters" assembled to hear the candidates' platforms and ask follow-up questions. While both candidates made positive statements in support of reform (Berdimuhammedov also repeatedly emphasized stability), Berdimuhammedov's presentation suggested a substantive break from the past. His proposed reforms signaled a retreat from some Niyazov-era policies that have damaged the education and health care systems, denied private access to the Internet and discouraged private enterprise, while maintaining support for the social contract through continued provision of free utilities, and cheap fuel, flour, and transport. While Berdimuhammedov's intentions appear enlightened, post remains skeptical given similar unfulfilled promises -- many of which were cruelly contradicted -- by President Niyazov and by Berdimuhammedov himself while he was serving as Niyazov's deputy. End Summary. Nuryev's Speech Positive But Unsurprising -------------- ¶2. (U) The deputy hakim (mayor) of Ashgabat, Ogulhan Ilgeldyeva (also Chairman of the Ashgabat City Election Committee),opened the January 3 meeting, ceding the podium first to Nuryev and then to Berdimukhammedov. Each candidate took the microphone only after being introduced by an advocate, who reviewed the candidate's biography, career path and character, and appealed directly for votes. The audience consisted of Ashgabat city residents: the elderly, members of the Central Election Committee, employees of various city enterprises, journalists and students. A billboard outside the hall displayed the pictures and biographical information on each of the six presidential candidates. ¶3. (U) Nuryev's advocate claimed that he was the best candidate because he was a self-made man who had worked his way up from common laborer to state representative, winning numerous prestigious state awards and a high degree of respect along the way. Nuryev then took the floor, promising a gradual transition to a market economy, continued provision of subsidized social services, and improved living standards. He emphasized expanding the agricultural sector through market-oriented reform and continuing "progress" in the education sector consistent with former President Niyazov's policies. In response to questions from the audience, Nuryev promised further growth of the oil and gas sector and an increase in salaries and pensions. He said that the Ruhnama would continue to be taught in schools. Berdimukhammedov Leads With Promise of Stability -------------- --- ¶4. (U) Guldjemal Ezizova, who introduced herself as a colleague of Berdimuhammedov, introduced the interim president and urged that he be elected because he was a companion of the late president; was an honest, responsible person, faithful to his motherland; and had contributed greatly to the development of independent, neutral Turkmenistan. Berdimuhammedov then stated that he did not want to use his temporary incumbency to the disadvantage of the other candidates and therefore would donate his share of TV and radio time to the other candidates. He also expressed pleasure that the Halk Maslahaty (People's Council) had chosen five other candidates, ensuring an open and competitive race, but added that, if there had had more time to prepare, even more qualified candidates might have been proposed. ¶5. (U) Asserting that his plan was based on and would continue the policies of Niyazov, Berdimuhammedov maintained that he would: -- Adhere to all international treaties, contracts and extant ASHGABAT 00000021 002 OF 003 intergovernmental relationships; -- Seek to expand the energy sector; -- Continue reform of the agricultural sector and adhere to realistic production targets; -- End the distortion of agricultural production statistics; -- Create jobs by building new factories and supporting establishment of small and medium enterprises; -- Maintain current low prices for fuel, flour and other staples and subsidies for communal services, including public transportation; -- Keep taxes low (Note: The tax on private enterprises is two percent, while livestock, agricultural production and land are tax-exempt. End Note.); -- Further develop Turkmenistan's transportation and communication systems; -- Continue to provide loans at favorable rates; -- Support private ownership of land for home construction and farming; and -- Double all pensions, student stipends, salaries, and other social assistance payments in January 2008 (a promise that Niyazov made during the October, 2006 meeting of Parliament.) Education and Health: A True Promise of Reform? -------------- --- ¶6. (U) Responding to a question about his plans for the education sector, Berdymuhammedov promised construction of new schools and universities. Expanding this theme, he summarized Niyazov's educational policy and said that, although those policies had made sense at the time, "that stage has passed"; Turkmenistan needed educated people. To that end, subjects that had been removed from school and university curricula would be brought back in order to bring Turkmenistan's education to international standards -- and make it possible for local degrees to be recognized internationally. (Comment: Such a statement would have been interpreted as criticism under Niyazov, as, until now, the host government has not tolerated any suggestion that there is room for improvement in the education sector. End Comment.) ¶7. (U) Berdimuhammedov pledged to extend mandatory secondary schooling from the current 9 years to 10 years, and to extend university study to 5 years of theory (up from 2 years of theory and 2 years of practical experience). Extracurricular courses such as physical education would be reintroduced. Like Nuryev, Berdimuhammedov emphasized Niyazov's goal of promoting foreign language study, but went further, stating his support for sending Turkmenistan's gifted youth to higher educational institutions abroad, including in the United States, United Kingdom, France, Germany, Japan and China. He urged the training of lawyers, economists, bank specialists, computer programmers, engineers and other specialists in "highly developed" countries around the world. He also expressed a belief that every citizen of Turkmenistan should have access to Internet and new technologies. ¶8. (U) In the health sector, Berdimuhammedov promised construction of hospitals and sanatoriums; he also promised to equip these facilities fully. New pharmaceutical factories would be built in Turkmenistan, those medicines that cannot be produced locally would be imported. The state would dedicate greater resources to preventive medicine and would reform the curricula of the medical institute and colleges to reflect international standards. ¶9. (U) In response to a question about construction projects and plans for Ashgabat, Berdimuhammedov promised to implement Niyazov's plans, which ran through 2014 and included construction of a Halk Maslahaty building and development of the area along the Archabil street in the foothills of the Kopetdag mountains. Responding to a question about leisure facilities for children, he claimed that one of his top priorities was to build or improve resorts and camps for children in Geokdere (Chuli),the provinces and especially on the Caspian Sea shore. Meredov: "It's As If He Was Listening to You" -------------- - ¶10. (U) During a meeting late on January 4, Foreign Minister Rashit ASHGABAT 00000021 003 OF 003 Meredov drew the Charge's attention to Berdimuhammedov's statements. "It was almost as if he was listening to you (during our January 3 meeting)," he said. COMMENT -------------- ¶9. (SBU) Turkmenistan's interim leaders are attempting a clumsy charm offensive with the diplomatic and international organization community. OSCE Ambassador Djikic told A/DCM January 5 that Minister Meredov, as he handed over the letter accepting the January 8-9 visit of an election needs assessment team from the OSCE Office of Democratic Initiatives and Human Rights (ODIHR),said he hoped that the visit would represent the beginning of increased cooperation between the OSCE and Turkmenistan. While post still does not believe that Turkmenistan's leaders are ready to embrace democracy, we do believe that the contrived nomination process and klutsy attempt to make the elections appear fair and open are genuine positive steps for a country that has lived in isolation and seclusion for its entire existence. DAS Feigenbaum's visit will provide an invaluable measure of how far and how quickly post-Niyazov Turkmenistan is willing to reform. End comment. BRUSH