Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
08ASHGABAT1371
2008-10-16 13:23:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Ashgabat
Cable title:
TURKMENISTAN: POSSIBLE ISSUE INVOLVING NEW
how-toVZCZCXRO7161 PP RUEHAG RUEHBI RUEHCI RUEHLH RUEHPW RUEHROV DE RUEHAH #1371/01 2901323 ZNY CCCCC ZZH P 161323Z OCT 08 FM AMEMBASSY ASHGABAT TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 1721 INFO RUCNCLS/ALL SOUTH AND CENTRAL ASIA COLLECTIVE PRIORITY RUCNCIS/CIS COLLECTIVE PRIORITY RUCNMEM/EU MEMBER STATES COLLECTIVE PRIORITY RUEHAK/AMEMBASSY ANKARA PRIORITY 4411 RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING PRIORITY 2223 RUEHKO/AMEMBASSY TOKYO PRIORITY 2088 RUEHIT/AMCONSUL ISTANBUL PRIORITY 2659 RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK PRIORITY 0908 RHMFISS/CDR USCENTCOM MACDILL AFB FL PRIORITY RUEHVEN/USMISSION USOSCE PRIORITY 2980 RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC PRIORITY RHEFDIA/DIA WASHDC PRIORITY RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC PRIORITY RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC PRIORITY RUEKJCS/JOINT STAFF WASHDC PRIORITY
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 ASHGABAT 001371
SIPDIS
STATE FOR SCA/CEN; DRL
E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/16/2018
TAGS: PGOV PHUM CPAS TX
SUBJECT: TURKMENISTAN: POSSIBLE ISSUE INVOLVING NEW
TURKMEN TRAVEL PASSPORTS FOR DUAL CITIZENS
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 SECTION 01 OF 02 ASHGABAT 001371
SIPDIS
STATE FOR SCA/CEN; DRL
E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/16/2018
TAGS: PGOV PHUM CPAS TX
SUBJECT: TURKMENISTAN: POSSIBLE ISSUE INVOLVING NEW
TURKMEN TRAVEL PASSPORTS FOR DUAL CITIZENS
Classified By: Charge Sylvia Reed Curran for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).
1. (C) SUMMARY: There are indications that the Turkmen
government may have stopped issuing new Turkmen travel
passports to citizens who hold dual citizenship. Most of
those who applied for the new passport in July received it
within a week to two weeks. Post knows of three individuals
with dual Russian and Turkmen citizenship, however, who have
heard nothing regarding their applications in several months,
and there are rumors that it has happened to others. The
reasons for the delay are unclear, although it is possible
that the Immigration Service is not issuing travel passports
to dual citizens because it has not received any guidance on
handling their applications yet. A Russian passport carries
privileges that facilitate travel abroad, but Turkmen
citizens still must have their Turkmen passports examined and
stamped before they can depart. With no information coming
out of government agencies on the issue, however, many are
becoming concerned. Post is looking into the implications of
this possible policy change for the few AmCits who hold both
U.S. and Turkmen nationality. END SUMMARY.
2. (C) Some Ashgabat residents have become convinced that
Turkmenistan's Immigration Service is withholding issuance of
the new foreign travel passport to Turkmen citizens who hold
Russian passports. The Immigration Service began accepting
applications for the new, separate foreign travel passport in
July, and a number of citizens who applied in July or August
reported that they received their new passports in as little
as one or two weeks. The application has a box that must be
checked to indicate whether the applicant has dual
citizenship, and rumors are circulating that those who check
yes are not receiving new travel passports. Meanwhile, the
MFA is still issuing the old Turkmen passport that will be
valid for foreign travel until 2013, and those holding
Russian passports can still renew them every five years.
3. (C) Post is aware of at least three individuals with
dual Russian-Turkmen citizenship, one of whom is an embassy
employee, who have received no feedback regarding their
applications in several months. In one case, two sisters
applied for the passport at the same time, in July. The
first sister, who held only the internal Turkmen passport,
received her new foreign travel passport after one week. The
second sister, who has dual Russian citizenship and a Russian
passport, has still not heard from the Immigration Service
regarding the status of her application. Russian passports
have valuable privileges. A Russian passport holder, for
example, enjoys visa-free travel to most former Soviet
republics. Turkmen citizens who do not have a Russian
passport must pay 120 US dollars to apply for a Russian visa,
and wait weeks to receive it. It is also easier for Russian
passport holders to get visas to travel to other foreign
countries than those with a Turkmen passport.
4. (C) However, a Turkmen citizen seeking to travel abroad
on his Russian passport is still required to show his Turkmen
passport and have it stamped, before clearing passport
control. If this is not done, the traveler cannot clear
passport control because his Russian passport does not
contain a Turkmen visa or a foreign citizen registration
card. Both passports have to be shown in order to depart.
5. (C) It is unclear why the Immigration Service would want
to withhold the travel passport from citizens holding Russian
passports. The newly adopted Constitution states that
Turkmenistan does not recognize the foreign citizenship of a
Turkmen citizen. This language was present in previous
iterations as well, but was not enforced. It is possible
that the Immigration Service is not issuing travel passports
to dual citizens because it has not received any guidance on
handling their applications yet. This would not be
surprising, given that until July, only the MFA issued
Turkmen passports. The MFA is still issuing the original
ASHGABAT 00001371 002 OF 002
passport, which will become an internal passport after 2013,
but the Immigration Service has responsibility for issuance
of the new foreign travel passport.
6. (U) Post to date has not heard from dual Turkmen/US
citizens who have been affected by the new passport rules.
It is likely that if forced to choose, most dual nationals
would abandon their Turkmen citizenship, and be subject to
the regular Turkmen entry requirements. Any developments
that affect AmCits will be reported septel.
BACKGROUND ON DUAL CITIZENSHIP
7. (C) The issue of dual citizenship in Turkmenistan is a
complex one: In 1993, just a year after Turkmenistan adopted
its first national constitution, the presidents of
Turkmenistan and Russia signed an Agreement on Dual
Citizenship. Turkmen citizens who were partially or fully
ethnic Russian rushed to acquire Russian passports, which
allowed them visa-free travel across the former Soviet Union,
and an easier application process for visas to Europe and the
United States. The Russian Embassy began issuing passports
to Turkmen citizens in 1993. As of 2003, Russian government
sources stated that some 95,000 Turkmen citizens held Russian
passports.
8. (C) In the spring of 2003, however, former President
Niyazov, angered that dual citizens had played a role in the
2002 attack on his motorcade, sought to terminate the
agreement. After a series of discussions failed to resolve
the issue, Turkmenistan unilaterally withdrew from the 1993
agreement, and Niyazov issued a decree forcing dual citizens
to give up one of their passports within three months. The
decree caused panic among dual citizens. In 2004, after
months of tense negotiations, the Russian and Turkmen
governments came to an agreement that appeared to have
settled concerns on both sides. The Russians said they would
stop granting citizenship to Turkmen citizens, and
Turkmenistan did not implement the decree forcing its
citizens to choose a single citizenship. Post's consular
section recently saw a dual citizen Russian passport with an
issuance year of 2007, so it appears that the Russian embassy
has continued to grant passports here.
9. (C) COMMENT: Post is keeping its ears open for
additional information regarding what formal policy position
the government will take on the issue of dual
citizenship/passports. As with other issues, the absence of
official information is causing concern among those affected.
END COMMENT.
CURRAN
SIPDIS
STATE FOR SCA/CEN; DRL
E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/16/2018
TAGS: PGOV PHUM CPAS TX
SUBJECT: TURKMENISTAN: POSSIBLE ISSUE INVOLVING NEW
TURKMEN TRAVEL PASSPORTS FOR DUAL CITIZENS
Classified By: Charge Sylvia Reed Curran for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).
1. (C) SUMMARY: There are indications that the Turkmen
government may have stopped issuing new Turkmen travel
passports to citizens who hold dual citizenship. Most of
those who applied for the new passport in July received it
within a week to two weeks. Post knows of three individuals
with dual Russian and Turkmen citizenship, however, who have
heard nothing regarding their applications in several months,
and there are rumors that it has happened to others. The
reasons for the delay are unclear, although it is possible
that the Immigration Service is not issuing travel passports
to dual citizens because it has not received any guidance on
handling their applications yet. A Russian passport carries
privileges that facilitate travel abroad, but Turkmen
citizens still must have their Turkmen passports examined and
stamped before they can depart. With no information coming
out of government agencies on the issue, however, many are
becoming concerned. Post is looking into the implications of
this possible policy change for the few AmCits who hold both
U.S. and Turkmen nationality. END SUMMARY.
2. (C) Some Ashgabat residents have become convinced that
Turkmenistan's Immigration Service is withholding issuance of
the new foreign travel passport to Turkmen citizens who hold
Russian passports. The Immigration Service began accepting
applications for the new, separate foreign travel passport in
July, and a number of citizens who applied in July or August
reported that they received their new passports in as little
as one or two weeks. The application has a box that must be
checked to indicate whether the applicant has dual
citizenship, and rumors are circulating that those who check
yes are not receiving new travel passports. Meanwhile, the
MFA is still issuing the old Turkmen passport that will be
valid for foreign travel until 2013, and those holding
Russian passports can still renew them every five years.
3. (C) Post is aware of at least three individuals with
dual Russian-Turkmen citizenship, one of whom is an embassy
employee, who have received no feedback regarding their
applications in several months. In one case, two sisters
applied for the passport at the same time, in July. The
first sister, who held only the internal Turkmen passport,
received her new foreign travel passport after one week. The
second sister, who has dual Russian citizenship and a Russian
passport, has still not heard from the Immigration Service
regarding the status of her application. Russian passports
have valuable privileges. A Russian passport holder, for
example, enjoys visa-free travel to most former Soviet
republics. Turkmen citizens who do not have a Russian
passport must pay 120 US dollars to apply for a Russian visa,
and wait weeks to receive it. It is also easier for Russian
passport holders to get visas to travel to other foreign
countries than those with a Turkmen passport.
4. (C) However, a Turkmen citizen seeking to travel abroad
on his Russian passport is still required to show his Turkmen
passport and have it stamped, before clearing passport
control. If this is not done, the traveler cannot clear
passport control because his Russian passport does not
contain a Turkmen visa or a foreign citizen registration
card. Both passports have to be shown in order to depart.
5. (C) It is unclear why the Immigration Service would want
to withhold the travel passport from citizens holding Russian
passports. The newly adopted Constitution states that
Turkmenistan does not recognize the foreign citizenship of a
Turkmen citizen. This language was present in previous
iterations as well, but was not enforced. It is possible
that the Immigration Service is not issuing travel passports
to dual citizens because it has not received any guidance on
handling their applications yet. This would not be
surprising, given that until July, only the MFA issued
Turkmen passports. The MFA is still issuing the original
ASHGABAT 00001371 002 OF 002
passport, which will become an internal passport after 2013,
but the Immigration Service has responsibility for issuance
of the new foreign travel passport.
6. (U) Post to date has not heard from dual Turkmen/US
citizens who have been affected by the new passport rules.
It is likely that if forced to choose, most dual nationals
would abandon their Turkmen citizenship, and be subject to
the regular Turkmen entry requirements. Any developments
that affect AmCits will be reported septel.
BACKGROUND ON DUAL CITIZENSHIP
7. (C) The issue of dual citizenship in Turkmenistan is a
complex one: In 1993, just a year after Turkmenistan adopted
its first national constitution, the presidents of
Turkmenistan and Russia signed an Agreement on Dual
Citizenship. Turkmen citizens who were partially or fully
ethnic Russian rushed to acquire Russian passports, which
allowed them visa-free travel across the former Soviet Union,
and an easier application process for visas to Europe and the
United States. The Russian Embassy began issuing passports
to Turkmen citizens in 1993. As of 2003, Russian government
sources stated that some 95,000 Turkmen citizens held Russian
passports.
8. (C) In the spring of 2003, however, former President
Niyazov, angered that dual citizens had played a role in the
2002 attack on his motorcade, sought to terminate the
agreement. After a series of discussions failed to resolve
the issue, Turkmenistan unilaterally withdrew from the 1993
agreement, and Niyazov issued a decree forcing dual citizens
to give up one of their passports within three months. The
decree caused panic among dual citizens. In 2004, after
months of tense negotiations, the Russian and Turkmen
governments came to an agreement that appeared to have
settled concerns on both sides. The Russians said they would
stop granting citizenship to Turkmen citizens, and
Turkmenistan did not implement the decree forcing its
citizens to choose a single citizenship. Post's consular
section recently saw a dual citizen Russian passport with an
issuance year of 2007, so it appears that the Russian embassy
has continued to grant passports here.
9. (C) COMMENT: Post is keeping its ears open for
additional information regarding what formal policy position
the government will take on the issue of dual
citizenship/passports. As with other issues, the absence of
official information is causing concern among those affected.
END COMMENT.
CURRAN