Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
08ASHGABAT1068
2008-08-18 08:35:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Ashgabat
Cable title:
TURKMENISTAN: DATE FOR ADOPTION OF REVISED
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C O N F I D E N T I A L ASHGABAT 001068
SIPDIS
STATE FOR SCA/CEN, DRL
E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/18/2018
TAGS: PGOV PHUM PREL KDEM UNGA TX
SUBJECT: TURKMENISTAN: DATE FOR ADOPTION OF REVISED
CONSTITUTION SEEMS TO CONFLICT WITH UNGA TRAVEL
Classified By: Charge Sylvia Reed Curran for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).
C O N F I D E N T I A L ASHGABAT 001068
SIPDIS
STATE FOR SCA/CEN, DRL
E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/18/2018
TAGS: PGOV PHUM PREL KDEM UNGA TX
SUBJECT: TURKMENISTAN: DATE FOR ADOPTION OF REVISED
CONSTITUTION SEEMS TO CONFLICT WITH UNGA TRAVEL
Classified By: Charge Sylvia Reed Curran for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).
1. (U) During an August 15 cabinet meeting, the president
announced that the 2000-plus member National Halk Maslahaty
(People's Council) will convene on 26 September. During the
session, the body will formally adopt the revised national
constitution, and will also reportedly discuss a presidential
decree to pardon prisoners on Night of Omnipotence, which
occurs near the end of Ramadan, likely at the end of
September this year. This is traditionally when the
government pardons the largest group of people.
2. (C) COMMENT: The late September date will give
government bureaucrats a little more time to hammer out
remaining rough spots in the constitutional draft, given the
short time the president allowed for this process. The
selection of the date for the session appears to have been a
sudden one, and immediately affected plans for Defense
Minister Mammetgeldiyev to visit the United States during the
week of September 24. DATT received notification soon after
the announcement that the Minister would not be able to
travel that week. This announcement also would seem to
guarantee that President Berdimuhamedov will not travel to
New York to attend the opening session of the UN General
Assembly on September 23 and give an address (scheduled for
September 25). Deputy Chairman/Foreign Minister Meredov had
previously told us that he would lead the Turkmenistan
delegation if the president did not attend the UNGA session.
END COMMENT.
CURRAN
SIPDIS
STATE FOR SCA/CEN, DRL
E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/18/2018
TAGS: PGOV PHUM PREL KDEM UNGA TX
SUBJECT: TURKMENISTAN: DATE FOR ADOPTION OF REVISED
CONSTITUTION SEEMS TO CONFLICT WITH UNGA TRAVEL
Classified By: Charge Sylvia Reed Curran for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).
1. (U) During an August 15 cabinet meeting, the president
announced that the 2000-plus member National Halk Maslahaty
(People's Council) will convene on 26 September. During the
session, the body will formally adopt the revised national
constitution, and will also reportedly discuss a presidential
decree to pardon prisoners on Night of Omnipotence, which
occurs near the end of Ramadan, likely at the end of
September this year. This is traditionally when the
government pardons the largest group of people.
2. (C) COMMENT: The late September date will give
government bureaucrats a little more time to hammer out
remaining rough spots in the constitutional draft, given the
short time the president allowed for this process. The
selection of the date for the session appears to have been a
sudden one, and immediately affected plans for Defense
Minister Mammetgeldiyev to visit the United States during the
week of September 24. DATT received notification soon after
the announcement that the Minister would not be able to
travel that week. This announcement also would seem to
guarantee that President Berdimuhamedov will not travel to
New York to attend the opening session of the UN General
Assembly on September 23 and give an address (scheduled for
September 25). Deputy Chairman/Foreign Minister Meredov had
previously told us that he would lead the Turkmenistan
delegation if the president did not attend the UNGA session.
END COMMENT.
CURRAN