Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
08ASHGABAT1617
2008-12-18 11:17:00
UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
Embassy Ashgabat
Cable title:
TURKMENISTAN: OSCE AND UN ELECTION EXPERTS OBSERVE
how-toVZCZCXRO9528 PP RUEHAG RUEHAST RUEHBI RUEHCI RUEHDF RUEHIK RUEHLH RUEHLN RUEHLZ RUEHNEH RUEHPW RUEHROV RUEHSK RUEHSR RUEHVK RUEHYG DE RUEHAH #1617/01 3531117 ZNR UUUUU ZZH P 181117Z DEC 08 FM AMEMBASSY ASHGABAT TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 2010 INFO RUCNCLS/ALL SOUTH AND CENTRAL ASIA COLLECTIVE PRIORITY RUCNCIS/CIS COLLECTIVE PRIORITY RUCNMEM/EU MEMBER STATES COLLECTIVE PRIORITY RUEHAK/AMEMBASSY ANKARA PRIORITY 4599 RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING PRIORITY 2403 RUEHKO/AMEMBASSY TOKYO PRIORITY 2268 RUEHIT/AMCONSUL ISTANBUL PRIORITY 2847 RHMFIUU/CDR USCENTCOM MACDILL AFB FL PRIORITY RUEHVEN/USMISSION USOSCE PRIORITY 3153 RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC PRIORITY RHEFDIA/DIA WASHDC PRIORITY RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC PRIORITY RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC PRIORITY RUEKJCS/JOINT STAFF WASHDC PRIORITY
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ASHGABAT 001617
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
STATE FOR SCA/CEN; DRL
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV KDEM TX
SUBJECT: TURKMENISTAN: OSCE AND UN ELECTION EXPERTS OBSERVE
SMALL IMPROVEMENTS IN ELECTION CONDUCT
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ASHGABAT 001617
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
STATE FOR SCA/CEN; DRL
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV KDEM TX
SUBJECT: TURKMENISTAN: OSCE AND UN ELECTION EXPERTS OBSERVE
SMALL IMPROVEMENTS IN ELECTION CONDUCT
1. (U) Sensitive but unclassified. Not for public Internet.
2. (SBU) SUMMARY: During recent parliamentary elections,
OSCE and UN election experts assessed election officials'
observance of internationally-acknowledged election
procedures. They also did fact-finding about the candidates,
the electoral process and the implementation of the new
parliamentary election law. While OSCE representatives were
overall more negative in their election day observations, UN
representatives acknowledged that the Turkmen government is
making small steps forward on electoral reform. Both believe
there is still much work to be done. Although not official
observer missions, the two teams' visits gave Turkmen
officials a first taste of what hosting Western observers
would entail, and what such observers might expect of them.
END SUMMARY.
OBSERVERS HAD QUICK ACCREDITATION AND GOOD ACCESS
3. (SBU) On December 15, both OSCE and UNDP election
assessment experts shared their observations of official
conduct on election day here. OSCE experts said their
experience on Sunday had gone relatively well, although there
continue to be major obstacles to the OSCE sending an
official team of election observers for future elections.
OSCE/ODIHR representatives Gilles Saphy and Nikolai Vulchanov
said the government accredited their team immediately upon
arrival, which was a very good sign. The team was also told
they could go anywhere except detention and military
facilities to do their work. They were able to visit polling
stations in at least three provinces.
VAGUE CAMPAIGNS AND SOME IRREGULARITIES
4. (SBU) The OSCE experts were also able to attend campaign
events before the elections. Overall, they said the
campaigns appeared to be very vague, and could identify no
specific platform positions for the candidates, other than
support for the president's policies. During their travels,
the experts also noted that while election officials at the
polling stations had a good general understanding of election
procedures, their understanding was much more limited on the
specifics. They also noticed that while government officials
did not escort them between polling sites, each site had
representatives from the MFA, provincial government and
district overseeing their interactions with local
representatives. OSCE representatives also encountered
strange irregularities along the way, such as the sudden
appearance at closing time of six boxes filled with ballots
that joined the primary one in a polling station they visited.
OBSTACLES TO FUTURE OSCE OBSERVER MISSION
5. (SBU) The OSCE representatives said there are still
several key issues that stand in the way of official OSCE
observer missions coming here for future elections. The
revised election law, while a step in the right direction,
did not include sufficient reforms to qualify for a more
expanded OSCE participation. For example, there was still no
specific provision for multiple political parties, although
multiple parties were not expressly forbidden. The lack of
separation between public unions and organizations and the
central government was another problem, given associations'
major role in advancing the nominations of almost all
potential political candidates. When they met with Foreign
Minister Meredov during their visit, he argued that at this
point in time, Turkmen citizens do not need plurality, they
need unity. Vulchanov said that their two meetings with
Meredov made it clear to him that future cooperation between
the Turkmen government and OSCE will continue to have clear
and yet limited parameters.
UN EXPERTS RECOGNIZED SMALL STEPS TOWARD DEMOCRACY
ASHGABAT 00001617 002 OF 002
6. (SBU) The UN Election Assessment Team reported a similar
experience during the elections, but generally opined that
Turkmenistan is making small steps forward in the process of
democratization. On the positive side, the team saw many
signs that UNDP's election procedure training had paid off,
and officials were managing the technical details more
effectively. Although still strongly influenced by the
traditions of the past, election officials told the team that
this election felt different from previous elections, and
that they were working hard to improve their procedures.
Government officials told team members that they appreciated
the electoral reform assistance they had received thus far,
and wanted to continue with electoral project work. The team
told Charge that the UN was currently looking for new ways to
promote progress here on democratization and pluralism, and
for opportunities to discuss further concrete steps.
VOTER TURNOUT FIGURES EXAGGERATED
7. (SBU) On the other hand, the team was concerned by the
turnout percentage the government reported, which was above
94 percent. The team saw that on one station's voter list
near the end of the day, only about 30 percent of the names
had been crossed off, making them doubtful about the turnout
information reported. The team also saw election workers at
one station bring in an additional, full ballot box, just
before the station closed. When questioned about the box,
the workers indicated that these were the votes of the sick
and elderly who could not make it to the polls.
8. (SBU) COMMENT: Hosting these two groups before and
during the election was a big step for Turkmen officials, who
had never before hosted Western or UN groups and had no idea
what their own responsibilities would be, much less the
election experts. It provided an impetus for election
officials to do a good job and generated on-the-ground
feedback about how to improve the electoral process. Such
commentary from experts who actually observed the elections
might carry more weight with the Turkmen than criticism from
overseas observers. The presence of the experts also
provided officials here with a first taste of what hosting an
official election observer mission might entail, should that
happen in the future. END COMMENT.
MILES
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
STATE FOR SCA/CEN; DRL
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV KDEM TX
SUBJECT: TURKMENISTAN: OSCE AND UN ELECTION EXPERTS OBSERVE
SMALL IMPROVEMENTS IN ELECTION CONDUCT
1. (U) Sensitive but unclassified. Not for public Internet.
2. (SBU) SUMMARY: During recent parliamentary elections,
OSCE and UN election experts assessed election officials'
observance of internationally-acknowledged election
procedures. They also did fact-finding about the candidates,
the electoral process and the implementation of the new
parliamentary election law. While OSCE representatives were
overall more negative in their election day observations, UN
representatives acknowledged that the Turkmen government is
making small steps forward on electoral reform. Both believe
there is still much work to be done. Although not official
observer missions, the two teams' visits gave Turkmen
officials a first taste of what hosting Western observers
would entail, and what such observers might expect of them.
END SUMMARY.
OBSERVERS HAD QUICK ACCREDITATION AND GOOD ACCESS
3. (SBU) On December 15, both OSCE and UNDP election
assessment experts shared their observations of official
conduct on election day here. OSCE experts said their
experience on Sunday had gone relatively well, although there
continue to be major obstacles to the OSCE sending an
official team of election observers for future elections.
OSCE/ODIHR representatives Gilles Saphy and Nikolai Vulchanov
said the government accredited their team immediately upon
arrival, which was a very good sign. The team was also told
they could go anywhere except detention and military
facilities to do their work. They were able to visit polling
stations in at least three provinces.
VAGUE CAMPAIGNS AND SOME IRREGULARITIES
4. (SBU) The OSCE experts were also able to attend campaign
events before the elections. Overall, they said the
campaigns appeared to be very vague, and could identify no
specific platform positions for the candidates, other than
support for the president's policies. During their travels,
the experts also noted that while election officials at the
polling stations had a good general understanding of election
procedures, their understanding was much more limited on the
specifics. They also noticed that while government officials
did not escort them between polling sites, each site had
representatives from the MFA, provincial government and
district overseeing their interactions with local
representatives. OSCE representatives also encountered
strange irregularities along the way, such as the sudden
appearance at closing time of six boxes filled with ballots
that joined the primary one in a polling station they visited.
OBSTACLES TO FUTURE OSCE OBSERVER MISSION
5. (SBU) The OSCE representatives said there are still
several key issues that stand in the way of official OSCE
observer missions coming here for future elections. The
revised election law, while a step in the right direction,
did not include sufficient reforms to qualify for a more
expanded OSCE participation. For example, there was still no
specific provision for multiple political parties, although
multiple parties were not expressly forbidden. The lack of
separation between public unions and organizations and the
central government was another problem, given associations'
major role in advancing the nominations of almost all
potential political candidates. When they met with Foreign
Minister Meredov during their visit, he argued that at this
point in time, Turkmen citizens do not need plurality, they
need unity. Vulchanov said that their two meetings with
Meredov made it clear to him that future cooperation between
the Turkmen government and OSCE will continue to have clear
and yet limited parameters.
UN EXPERTS RECOGNIZED SMALL STEPS TOWARD DEMOCRACY
ASHGABAT 00001617 002 OF 002
6. (SBU) The UN Election Assessment Team reported a similar
experience during the elections, but generally opined that
Turkmenistan is making small steps forward in the process of
democratization. On the positive side, the team saw many
signs that UNDP's election procedure training had paid off,
and officials were managing the technical details more
effectively. Although still strongly influenced by the
traditions of the past, election officials told the team that
this election felt different from previous elections, and
that they were working hard to improve their procedures.
Government officials told team members that they appreciated
the electoral reform assistance they had received thus far,
and wanted to continue with electoral project work. The team
told Charge that the UN was currently looking for new ways to
promote progress here on democratization and pluralism, and
for opportunities to discuss further concrete steps.
VOTER TURNOUT FIGURES EXAGGERATED
7. (SBU) On the other hand, the team was concerned by the
turnout percentage the government reported, which was above
94 percent. The team saw that on one station's voter list
near the end of the day, only about 30 percent of the names
had been crossed off, making them doubtful about the turnout
information reported. The team also saw election workers at
one station bring in an additional, full ballot box, just
before the station closed. When questioned about the box,
the workers indicated that these were the votes of the sick
and elderly who could not make it to the polls.
8. (SBU) COMMENT: Hosting these two groups before and
during the election was a big step for Turkmen officials, who
had never before hosted Western or UN groups and had no idea
what their own responsibilities would be, much less the
election experts. It provided an impetus for election
officials to do a good job and generated on-the-ground
feedback about how to improve the electoral process. Such
commentary from experts who actually observed the elections
might carry more weight with the Turkmen than criticism from
overseas observers. The presence of the experts also
provided officials here with a first taste of what hosting an
official election observer mission might entail, should that
happen in the future. END COMMENT.
MILES