Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
07ASHGABAT84
2007-01-19 12:53:00
UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
Embassy Ashgabat
Cable title:  

Russian Ambassador on NGO Activist Zatoka

Tags:  PREL PGOV PHUM PINS RU TX 
pdf how-to read a cable
VZCZCXRO2772
OO RUEHDBU RUEHLN RUEHVK RUEHYG
DE RUEHAH #0084/01 0191253
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 191253Z JAN 07
FM AMEMBASSY ASHGABAT
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 8267
INFO RUCNCIS/CIS COLLECTIVE
RUEHBUL/AMEMBASSY KABUL 0527
RUEHNE/AMEMBASSY NEW DELHI 0583
RUEHIL/AMEMBASSY ISLAMABAD 1784
RUEHKT/AMEMBASSY KATHMANDU 0072
RUEHLM/AMEMBASSY COLOMBO 0106
RUEHKA/AMEMBASSY DHAKA 0131
RHMFIUU/CDR USCENTCOM MACDILL AFB FL//CCJ2/HSE/CCJ5//
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHINGTON DC
RUEKJCS/JOINT STAFF WASHINGTON DC//J5/RUE//
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC
RHEFDIA/DIA WASHDC
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ASHGABAT 000084 

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE

SIPDIS

STATE FOR SCA/CEN (PERRY)

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL PGOV PHUM PINS RU TX
SUBJECT: Russian Ambassador on NGO Activist Zatoka

REF: Ashgabat 78

Summary
-------

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ASHGABAT 000084

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE

SIPDIS

STATE FOR SCA/CEN (PERRY)

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL PGOV PHUM PINS RU TX
SUBJECT: Russian Ambassador on NGO Activist Zatoka

REF: Ashgabat 78

Summary
--------------


1. (SBU) Russian Ambassador Igor Blatov told the Charge on January
19 that the Russian Embassy had been involved with the Zatoka case
for "many days" and that he had met Foreign Minister Meredov on the
issue. According to Blatov:

-- Local law does not recognize dual citizenship. The government
considers Zatoka exclusively a citizen of Turkmenistan so has denied
the embassy consular access;

-- Though Zatoka is an "activist," his case should not be compared
to that of dead journalist Ogulsapar Meredova who had close ties to
the opposition. On the contrary, authorities had not bothered
Zatoka in the past;

-- It is unlikely the incriminating evidence was all planted and
more likely that Zatoka actually had possession of the illegal items
in his apartment;

-- The best Russia could hope for was a fair trial, and in the best
possible case a suspended sentence.

-- The Zatoka case threatened to mar foreign impressions of the
elections and transition to a new administration, even though the
case was "inherited" by the new administration. (Note: Zatoka was
arrested on December 17, before Niyazov's death. End Note.)

End Summary.

Russian Embassy Involved in Case
--------------


2. (SBU) Russian Ambassador Blatov told Charge January 19 that the
Russian Embassy had involved itself in the Zatoka case early on.
(Comment: Contrary to grapevine allegations that Moscow's Ashgabat
Embassy intended no action in the matter. End Comment.) Blatov
had, in fact, seen FM Meredov on the matter "many days ago."
Subsequently, he volunteered, Zatoka's case was raised by FM Lavrov
in Lavrov's January 16 phone call to Meredov. Charge showed a copy
of the MFA note post had received late January 18 (reftel),with its
detailed allegations of illegal weapons-possession charges against
Zatoka. The Russian glanced at it and said it was the same
information given to him in his earlier Meredov meeting.


3. (SBU) The Lavrov/Meredov phone call was amply publicized by
Turkmenistan media but with no reference to the Zatoka case having

featured therein, which as far as we know has not been reported by
Russian media or confirmed by the Russian MFA, either. Blatov did
not specify that Lavrov had called after the Russians received the
MFA "evidence" against Zatoka, but that was the inference.

Planted Evidence?
--------------


4. (SBU) Blatov and Charge agreed on the gravity of the process and
possible sentence Zatoka faces. The Russian thought it unlikely the
evidence was planted, noting that in that context the long list of
illegal material allegedly uncovered seemed overkill. "A few
shotgun cartridges would have sufficed for the purpose." Perhaps
most puzzling, he said, was why the authorities would want to set up
Zatoka at this precise stage, if indeed this was what was happening.
Zatoka's activism has been confined to ecological causes, not
political dissent. His arrest came days before/before Niyazov's
death, so there could be no connection there.

No Dual Citizenship under Turkmenistan's Laws
--------------


5. (SBU) Charge described the intense attention and concern in
Washington and elsewhere in the United States over this case. She
asked if and when the Russian Embassy planned to visit the detainee.
Here Blatov and his deputy Aleksey Demin, sighing, explained that
Meredov had explained that even though he was a dual citizen under

ASHGABAT 00000084 002 OF 002


Russian law, Zatoka was a citizen of Turkmenistan under local law;
therefore, international consular conventions did not apply as far
as Ashgabat was concerned. Ashgabat and Moscow agreed to a
dual-citizenship regime in 2001; however, in 2004 the Government of
Turkmenistan unilaterally revoked it and thenceforth did not admit
the concept that a citizen of Turkmenistan could have any other
citizenship.

Suspended Sentence?
--------------


6. (SBU) Blatov said the Russians have requested to meet with
Zatoka anyway. Perhaps the interim leaders, who have shown a
certain fresh wish for good relations abroad "and are intelligent,"
would accommodate the request and in general move to defuse this
affair by prompting a suspended sentence or even an amnesty
connected to the incoming president's inauguration. However, they
would no doubt worry about this setting a precedent. The Russians
had not heard the rumor about Zatoka's trial having been scheduled
for the weekend of January 20/21, and disbelieved it.

Comment
--------------


7. (SBU) The Zatoka case is unlikely to have an outcome acceptable
to the numerous groups concerned with his case (and who apparently
have organized a significant letter-writing campaign; embassy has
received at least two dozen identical letters asking for embassy to
attend the trial today alone). Local authorities may very well have
been harassing Zatoka when the affair started a month ago, as Zatoka
was attempting to go to Moscow, but the resultant search of his
apartment may have provided authorities with evidence they cannot
ignore. Embassy will continue to consult with the Russians and will
suggest to MFA that a suspended sentence is the right way to start
off a new relationship with the international community. End
Comment.

BRUSH