Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
08ASHGABAT292
2008-03-03 03:37:00
UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
Embassy Ashgabat
Cable title:
TURKMENISTAN: NGO FINDS WORK-AROUND TO
how-toVZCZCXYZ0181 PP RUEHWEB DE RUEHC #0292 0630337 ZNR UUUUU ZZH P 030337Z MAR 08 FM SECSTATE WASHINGTON DC TO RHMCSUU/DIA WASHINGTON DC FM AMEMBASSY ASHGABAT TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 0361 INFO RUCNCLS/ALL SOUTH AND CENTRAL ASIA COLLECTIVE RUCNCIS/CIS COLLECTIVE RUCNMEM/EU MEMBER STATES COLLECTIVE RUEHAK/AMEMBASSY ANKARA 3452 RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING 1270 RUEHKO/AMEMBASSY TOKYO 1137 RUEHIT/AMCONSUL ISTANBUL 1706 RUCPDOC/DEPT OF COMMERCE WASHDC RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC RUEATRS/DEPT OF TREASURY WASHDC RHMFIUU/CDR USCENTCOM MACDILL AFB FL RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC RHEFDIA/DIA WASHDC RUEKJCS/JOINT STAFF WASHDC RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHINGTON DC RUEHVEN/USMISSION USOSCE 2279
UNCLAS ASHGABAT 000292
SIPDIS
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
STATE FOR SCA/CEN, EUR/ACE, DRL
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PHUM EFIN SOCI TX
SUBJECT: TURKMENISTAN: NGO FINDS WORK-AROUND TO
BUREAUCRATIC MESS
REF: ASHGABAT 0181
UNCLAS ASHGABAT 000292
SIPDIS
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
STATE FOR SCA/CEN, EUR/ACE, DRL
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PHUM EFIN SOCI TX
SUBJECT: TURKMENISTAN: NGO FINDS WORK-AROUND TO
BUREAUCRATIC MESS
REF: ASHGABAT 0181
1. (U) SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED. NOT FOR PUBLIC INTERNET.
2. (SBU) DURING A ROUTINE VISIT TO A LOCAL NGO ON FEBRUARY
16, ECONOFF SAW THAT THE ORGANIZATION'S OFFICE WAS CLOSED FOR
"INSPECTION" BY THE MINISTRY OF TRADE. ON FEBRUARY 20,
ECONOFF RAN INTO ONE OF THE EMPLOYEES IN THE OFFICE BUILDING
AND FOUND OUT THAT THE ORGANIZATION IS STILL WORKING -- WITH
THE OFFICE APPEARING TO BE SEALED -- WITH THE AGREEMENT OF
THE BUILDING ADMINISTRATION. THE MINISTRY OF TRADE SEALED
THE NGO'S OFFICE FOR NONPAYMENT OF RENT. THE NGO RUNS ON A
SHOESTRING BUDGET AND WAS BROKE, BECAUSE IT COULD NOT RECEIVE
GRANT MONEY UNTIL IT OBTAINED A "GRANT CERTIFICATE," A
DOCUMENT THAT FORMERLY CAME FROM THE MINISTRY OF ECONOMY AND
FINANCE (MOEF) AS PROOF OF THE GRANT'S REGISTRATION. THE
DIVISION OF MOEF INTO THE MINISTRY OF FINANCEAND THE
MINISTRY OF ECONOMICS AND DEVELOPMENT (REFTEL) OCCURRED
BEFORE THE NEW MINISTRIES DECIDED WHICH WOULD BE RESPONSIBLE
FOR ISSUING GRANT CERTIFICATES. THE NGO EMPLOYEES EXPECTED
THINGS TO BE SORTED OUT BY THE END OF THE WEEK. HOWEVER, TWO
WEEKS LATER, AFTER SUBMITTING FIVE LETTERS TO THE MINISTRY OF
ECONOMY AND FINANCE, ALL WRITTEN PER THE MINISTRY'S EXPLICIT
INSTRUCTIONS, THE OFFICE IS STILL OFFICIALLY SEALED. REGULAR
OUTSIDE VISITORS TO THIS NGO'S LIBRARY KNOW THAT IT IS STILL
OPEN FOR BUSINESS, AND THE VISITORS GIVE THE NGO NOTICE BY
CALLING BEFORE ARRIVAL.
3. (SBU) COMMENT: THE NGO EMPLOYEES WERE NOT AT ALL RATTLED
-- JUST BUSINESS AS USUAL. HOWEVER, THEIR COURAGE UNDER THE
CIRCUMSTANCES WAS ADMIRABLE -- SECRET DOOR KNOCKS, PEERING
CAREFULLY OUT THE OFFICE DOOR DOWN A DARK HALLWAY FOR
MINISTRY EMPLOYEES OR STRANGERS. AS IN MUCH OF THE FORMER
SOVIET WORLD, ALL IS NOT AS IT APPEARS. BUREAUCRATIC
STUMBLING BLOCKS ARE NOT FINAL, BUT SIMPLY TEMPORARY BARRIERS
THAT NEED SOME CREATIVE THOUGHT IN ORDER TO FIND A WAY
AROUND. END COMMENT.
HOAGLAND
SIPDIS
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
STATE FOR SCA/CEN, EUR/ACE, DRL
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PHUM EFIN SOCI TX
SUBJECT: TURKMENISTAN: NGO FINDS WORK-AROUND TO
BUREAUCRATIC MESS
REF: ASHGABAT 0181
1. (U) SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED. NOT FOR PUBLIC INTERNET.
2. (SBU) DURING A ROUTINE VISIT TO A LOCAL NGO ON FEBRUARY
16, ECONOFF SAW THAT THE ORGANIZATION'S OFFICE WAS CLOSED FOR
"INSPECTION" BY THE MINISTRY OF TRADE. ON FEBRUARY 20,
ECONOFF RAN INTO ONE OF THE EMPLOYEES IN THE OFFICE BUILDING
AND FOUND OUT THAT THE ORGANIZATION IS STILL WORKING -- WITH
THE OFFICE APPEARING TO BE SEALED -- WITH THE AGREEMENT OF
THE BUILDING ADMINISTRATION. THE MINISTRY OF TRADE SEALED
THE NGO'S OFFICE FOR NONPAYMENT OF RENT. THE NGO RUNS ON A
SHOESTRING BUDGET AND WAS BROKE, BECAUSE IT COULD NOT RECEIVE
GRANT MONEY UNTIL IT OBTAINED A "GRANT CERTIFICATE," A
DOCUMENT THAT FORMERLY CAME FROM THE MINISTRY OF ECONOMY AND
FINANCE (MOEF) AS PROOF OF THE GRANT'S REGISTRATION. THE
DIVISION OF MOEF INTO THE MINISTRY OF FINANCEAND THE
MINISTRY OF ECONOMICS AND DEVELOPMENT (REFTEL) OCCURRED
BEFORE THE NEW MINISTRIES DECIDED WHICH WOULD BE RESPONSIBLE
FOR ISSUING GRANT CERTIFICATES. THE NGO EMPLOYEES EXPECTED
THINGS TO BE SORTED OUT BY THE END OF THE WEEK. HOWEVER, TWO
WEEKS LATER, AFTER SUBMITTING FIVE LETTERS TO THE MINISTRY OF
ECONOMY AND FINANCE, ALL WRITTEN PER THE MINISTRY'S EXPLICIT
INSTRUCTIONS, THE OFFICE IS STILL OFFICIALLY SEALED. REGULAR
OUTSIDE VISITORS TO THIS NGO'S LIBRARY KNOW THAT IT IS STILL
OPEN FOR BUSINESS, AND THE VISITORS GIVE THE NGO NOTICE BY
CALLING BEFORE ARRIVAL.
3. (SBU) COMMENT: THE NGO EMPLOYEES WERE NOT AT ALL RATTLED
-- JUST BUSINESS AS USUAL. HOWEVER, THEIR COURAGE UNDER THE
CIRCUMSTANCES WAS ADMIRABLE -- SECRET DOOR KNOCKS, PEERING
CAREFULLY OUT THE OFFICE DOOR DOWN A DARK HALLWAY FOR
MINISTRY EMPLOYEES OR STRANGERS. AS IN MUCH OF THE FORMER
SOVIET WORLD, ALL IS NOT AS IT APPEARS. BUREAUCRATIC
STUMBLING BLOCKS ARE NOT FINAL, BUT SIMPLY TEMPORARY BARRIERS
THAT NEED SOME CREATIVE THOUGHT IN ORDER TO FIND A WAY
AROUND. END COMMENT.
HOAGLAND