Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
08ASHGABAT676
2008-05-29 05:22:00
UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
Embassy Ashgabat
Cable title:
TURKMENISTAN: INSTITUTE FOR DEMOCRACY AND HUMAN
how-toVZCZCXRO5533 PP RUEHAG RUEHAST RUEHBI RUEHCI RUEHDF RUEHIK RUEHLH RUEHLN RUEHLZ RUEHPW RUEHROV RUEHVK RUEHYG DE RUEHAH #0676 1500522 ZNR UUUUU ZZH P 290522Z MAY 08 FM AMEMBASSY ASHGABAT TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 0882 INFO RUCNCLS/ALL SOUTH AND CENTRAL ASIA COLLECTIVE PRIORITY RUCNCIS/CIS COLLECTIVE PRIORITY RUCNMEM/EU MEMBER STATES COLLECTIVE PRIORITY RUEHAK/AMEMBASSY ANKARA PRIORITY 3818 RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING PRIORITY 1636 RUEHKO/AMEMBASSY TOKYO PRIORITY 1503 RUEHIT/AMCONSUL ISTANBUL PRIORITY 2072 RHMFIUU/CDR USCENTCOM MACDILL AFB FL PRIORITY RUEHVEN/USMISSION USOSCE PRIORITY 2558 RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC PRIORITY RHEFDIA/DIA WASHDC PRIORITY RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC PRIORITY RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC PRIORITY RUEKJCS/JOINT STAFF WASHDC PRIORITY
UNCLAS ASHGABAT 000676
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
STATE FOR SCA/CEN, DRL
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PHUM KDEM TX
SUBJECT: TURKMENISTAN: INSTITUTE FOR DEMOCRACY AND HUMAN
RIGHTS INFORMALLY SEEKING ADVICE FROM OSCE
UNCLAS ASHGABAT 000676
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
STATE FOR SCA/CEN, DRL
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PHUM KDEM TX
SUBJECT: TURKMENISTAN: INSTITUTE FOR DEMOCRACY AND HUMAN
RIGHTS INFORMALLY SEEKING ADVICE FROM OSCE
1. (U) Sensitive but unclassified. Not for public Internet.
2. (SBU) On May 27, OSCE's human dimension director,
Benjamin Moreau reported that during his visit to
Turkmenistan last week, the OSCE High Commissioner for
National Minorities Knut Vollebaek, made two proposals to the
government related to constitutional reform on behalf of the
OSCE Centre. The first was an offer to bring in OSCE and
ODIHR experts to advise the Turkmen government on best
practices for incorporating the currently-known revision
proposals into the existing constitution. Moreau said the
Centre received official government approval to proceed with
this effort, and he is expecting experts to be on the ground
here in about two weeks.
3. (SBU) Vollebaek also proposed to have OSCE experts come
after July 1 to evaluate the final constitutional draft
regarding its ability to meet international standards. At
least one OSCE national minorities expert would be part of
this team. However, the Turkmen government has not yet
responded to this OSCE proposal.
4. (SBU) In a positive move, Institute for Democracy and
Human Rights Director Shirin Akhmedova, who frequently meets
with OSCE officials, invited Moreau to a working lunch
recently. According to Moreau, she raised topics during the
lunch that suggested she was seeking guidance on the best way
to organize and consolidate the proposed amendments and
changes to the existent constitution. Moreau said the
direction of her questions suggested that the Institute was
being overwhelmed by its many duties and needed help.
5. (SBU) COMMENT: The Institute may well be feeling the
heat, due to its key role in so many areas of reform that are
now underway. It is promising that OSCE may have found some
opportunities to assist the Institute as it grapples with
overseeing constitutional reform within a very short
timeline. Post hopes that the Institute and the parliament
will accept additional international help. END COMMENT.
HOAGLAND
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
STATE FOR SCA/CEN, DRL
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PHUM KDEM TX
SUBJECT: TURKMENISTAN: INSTITUTE FOR DEMOCRACY AND HUMAN
RIGHTS INFORMALLY SEEKING ADVICE FROM OSCE
1. (U) Sensitive but unclassified. Not for public Internet.
2. (SBU) On May 27, OSCE's human dimension director,
Benjamin Moreau reported that during his visit to
Turkmenistan last week, the OSCE High Commissioner for
National Minorities Knut Vollebaek, made two proposals to the
government related to constitutional reform on behalf of the
OSCE Centre. The first was an offer to bring in OSCE and
ODIHR experts to advise the Turkmen government on best
practices for incorporating the currently-known revision
proposals into the existing constitution. Moreau said the
Centre received official government approval to proceed with
this effort, and he is expecting experts to be on the ground
here in about two weeks.
3. (SBU) Vollebaek also proposed to have OSCE experts come
after July 1 to evaluate the final constitutional draft
regarding its ability to meet international standards. At
least one OSCE national minorities expert would be part of
this team. However, the Turkmen government has not yet
responded to this OSCE proposal.
4. (SBU) In a positive move, Institute for Democracy and
Human Rights Director Shirin Akhmedova, who frequently meets
with OSCE officials, invited Moreau to a working lunch
recently. According to Moreau, she raised topics during the
lunch that suggested she was seeking guidance on the best way
to organize and consolidate the proposed amendments and
changes to the existent constitution. Moreau said the
direction of her questions suggested that the Institute was
being overwhelmed by its many duties and needed help.
5. (SBU) COMMENT: The Institute may well be feeling the
heat, due to its key role in so many areas of reform that are
now underway. It is promising that OSCE may have found some
opportunities to assist the Institute as it grapples with
overseeing constitutional reform within a very short
timeline. Post hopes that the Institute and the parliament
will accept additional international help. END COMMENT.
HOAGLAND