MEJLIS CHAIRS OPEN TO USAID COOPERATION

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 ASHGABAT 000758 SIPDIS SIPDIS SENSITIVE STATE FOR SCA/CEN, EUR/ACE E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PREL PGOV EAID TX SUBJECT: MEJLIS CHAIRS OPEN TO USAID COOPERATION ASHGABAT 00000758 001.2 OF 003 ¶1. (U) Sensitive but unclassified. Not for public Internet. SUMMARY ¶2. (SBU) During a July 24 meeting with USAID Deputy Assistant Administrator Drew Luten, Maral Poltayeva, Chairperson of the Mejlis (Parliament) Committee on Social and Economic Policy, and Akmuhammet Shamuhammedov, Chairman of the Committee on Inter-Parliamentary Communication, were receptive to Luten's presentation and asked for further concrete information about USAID program suggestions. END SUMMARY. FILLING EACH OTHER IN ON PARLIAMENTARY PROCESS ¶3. (SBU) Poltayeva offered a basic description of the parliamentary structure, emphasizing that 16% of deputies are women. The committees coordinate legislation with different ministries, international organizations, and even the local population. The people of Turkmenistan learn about and offer feedback on legislation through print media, a TV talk-show, and town-hall meetings. The parliament has passed over 400 pieces of legislation, 100 of which were drafted by the Social and Economic Policy Committee. The committee currently is working on a maritime trade law and laws aimed at increasing local and foreign investment. LUTEN: WHAT USAID DOES FOR OTHERS AND CAN DO FOR YOU ¶4. (SBU) Praising the broad engagement of Turkmenistan's parliament, Luten stated that USAID can offer extensive legal, technical, and operational experience from its work in the CIS. It is important for USAID to understand how the parliamentary committees operate so that it can best support Turkmenistan's needs and priorities. ¶5. (SBU) Luten explained that, during his meeting at the Ministry of Economy and Finance, he had promoted the idea of developing an Investor Road-Map exercise in Turkmenistan. In cooperation with host governments, USAID has developed a "road-map" of everything a potential investor would want or need to know to do business in Turkmenistan, including laws, policies, regulations, and strategies to navigate bureaucracy. The World Bank and the United States have been involved in these exercises in over 50 countries. The exercise involves not only summarizing policy and legislation, but also comparing Turkmenistan's system to other countries and offering suggestions to improve investment. The next step would be for the Ministry of Economics and Finance to express interest in pursuing the program. ¶6. (SBU) Luten noted that USAID has recently awarded the new Agricultural Linkages project ("AgLinks") in Central Asia. The program supports the development of private agriculture and offers policy support to governments to achieve this goal. This would include assistance in drafting legislation and regulations. USAID would provide a program description to the Ministry of Agriculture, as it had requested, and could give it to the parliament, too. Luten also offered a basic description of USAID's Community Empowerment program, and stressed that its focus on training local officials complements the Government of Turkmenistan's efforts to support rural people. Luten then emphasized that these "pieces of cooperation" are an important part of a larger framework of increased bilateral cooperation. COMMUNITY EMPOWERMENT CARRIES INTEREST ¶7. (SBU) Poltayeva stated that the programs that Luten had raised were related to the Mejlis' own work of implementing laws on improving rural conditions. At Poltayeva's invitation, Shamuhammedov stated that improving rural conditions had been a main ASHGABAT 00000758 002.2 OF 003 platform of President Berdimuhammedov's election campaign. In response to this priority, the Mejlis has been focusing on passing laws on farmers' unions, farmers' assistance, and local governance reform. In drafting the laws, the Mejlis had drawn upon input from international experts, ministry experience, and citizens. ¶8. (SBU) USAID Turkmenistan Country Director Ashley Moretz asked how USAID could cooperate with Turkmenistan and make sure its efforts were consistent with Turkmenistan's goals. Shamuhammedov replied that the Mejlis was open to discussing proposals. Moretz inquired whether information on Central Asian programs he had sent through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs the previous week had reached the Mejlis. Moretz hoped to discuss these potential programs with the parliamentarians after they have a chance to review the material. Poltayeva responded that the Mejlis reviews proposals, discusses applicability, and then signs Memoranda of Understanding (MOUs). Agreements with UNICEF, OSCE, and the implementation of a women's leadership resource center had been successful examples of this process. Moretz replied that this process was good in principle and that it was helpful to know how the Mejlis works. ¶9. (SBU) Luten emphasized that USAID needs "to understand priorities so that we can respond to priorities." The delegation was getting a better sense of priorities by meeting with the parliament and others. It was most important to continue communication and discussion on a regular basis. USAID also hoped to speak to other donor organizations to address Turkmenistan's priorities without overlapping effort. DISCUSSION PROMPTS FURTHER IDEAS FOR COOPERATION ¶10. (SBU) USAID/CAR Senior Economist Michael Boyd suggested that Turkmenistan's parliament could cooperate with USAID in a similar fashion to ongoing work in Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan. In these countries, USAID has offered consultations and technical assistance to the parliaments. The framework was flexible in order to offer assistance on either an ad-hoc basis or for specific issues. The parliaments and their committees presented annual work plans, and the program is then developed to respond to their needs. If the Mejlis could provide the embassy its work plan, USAID could identify some areas of potential cooperation. ¶11. (SBU) EUR/ACE Central Asia Assistance Coordinator Dean Fischer asked a series of questions on the availability of foreign investment legislation in Turkmenistan. Poltayeva responded that the laws are published in newspapers and bulletins in the Turkmen and Russian languages. There are no plans to re-publish them in English or other languages, or to make them available by Internet. Citizens and organizations can subscribe to bulletins that regularly publish new or amended laws, but they must compile the laws themselves. Fischer added that the U.S. government and USAID have programs that could translate these laws and make them available. Poltayeva replied that it is the parliament's responsibility to advertise these laws in the mass media. Luten offered to send information on existing programs in other countries to Poltayeva, including an example of a memorandum of understanding with Kazakhstan's parliament. She readily and eagerly accepted the offer. COMMENT ¶12. (SBU) Consistent with their approach to other recent meetings with embassy staff, Poltayeva and Shamuhammedov seemed genuinely interested in what USAID has to offer. Focusing on Presidential priorities and "world standards" continues to be a viable strategy for gaining the attention and cooperation of Government of Turkmenistan officials who are inexperienced in the broader world. ASHGABAT 00000758 003.2 OF 003 This meeting was one more positive building block for the new bilateral relationship. END COMMENT. ¶13. (U) DAA Luten has cleared this cable. HOAGLAND