TURKMENISTAN: MIROSLAV JENCA ARRIVES TO HEAD UN

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 ASHGABAT 000743 SIPDIS STATE FOR SCA/CEN, IO E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/11/2018 TAGS: PREL UN TX SUBJECT: TURKMENISTAN: MIROSLAV JENCA ARRIVES TO HEAD UN REGIONAL CENTER FOR PREVENTIVE DIPLOMACY Classified By: CDA RICHARD E. HOAGLAND, 1.4 (B),(D) ¶1. (C) SUMMARY: UN Secretary General's Special Representative Ambassador Miroslav Jenca arrived June 9 in Ashgabat to head the UN Regional Center for Preventive Diplomacy for Central Asia. He describes his role as "diplomat" rather than "project officer." In their initial meeting, Foreign Minister Meredov pressed the idea of a UN Security Council Resolution on pipeline security, which Jenca said he will approach cautiously. END SUMMARY. ¶2. (SBU) Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General and Head of the United Nations Regional Center for Preventive Diplomacy for Central Asia (UNRCCA) Ambassador Miroslav Jenca called on Charge June 11, accompanied by UN Political Affairs Officer Brian Vitunic. Before arriving in Ashgabat on June 9, Jenca said he consulted extensively in Europe with the European Commission, NATO, OSCE, and various UN bodies. He intends to consult with the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, Economic Cooperation Organization, and the various Russia-led regional organizations like the Commonwealth of Independent States and the Commonwealth Security Treaty Organization. He plans quarterly visits to the other four Central Asian capitals. ¶3. (C) He said his mandate is broad and his primary goal is to build trust. Areas in which he expects the UNRCCA to have an early interest include political security, counter-terrorism, counter-extremism, counter-narcotics, migration, borders, climate, environment, water, and human rights -- in other words, a range of issues already handled by specific UN bodies. Jenca described his role as "diplomat" rather than "project officer." In reply to a direct question, he admitted his status as UNSYG Special Representative with rank of Assistant Secretary General has made other UN heads in Central Asia, especially UNDP Resident Directors, a tad uneasy. He laughed off that concern as "human nature turf concerns." He said his role is not to duplicate others' work but to streamline and give political guidance. He re-emphasized UNRCCA will not be a "project office." ¶5. (SBU) Jenca met on June 10 for nearly two hours with Deputy Prime Minister/Foreign Minister Rashid Meredov. He said he suggested to Meredov a program to train young diplomats from the region in preventive diplomacy and will soon officially propose this to the UN Secretariat. The idea would be regular seminars in the region to bring together experienced international experts and regional senior officials and public opinion leaders. FOREIGN MINISTER PRESSES PIPELINE SECURITY RESOLUTION ¶6. (C) Jenca said Meredov raised the idea of a UN Security Council Resolution on pipeline security, one of President Berdimuhamedov's pet issues. Meredov asked that the UNRCCA help promote the idea and help draft the resolution. Jenca said he responded cautiously that the idea would require a great deal detailed expertise and analysis. To the Charge, he said he had made no commitment and wants to approach the issue cautiously. ¶7. (C) The government of Turkmenistan has allocated one of the Niyazov-era white-elephant hotels on Archibil Avenue as the UNRCCA headquarters. Jenca said the renovation is complete, but he seemed a little shell-shocked that it doesn't yet have telephone lines and satellite dishes for communications and Internet access. Even so, he plans an official opening on June 24. Until then, he is camping out in the UNDP building. When fully staffed, the UNRCCA will ASHGABAT 00000743 002 OF 002 have six expatriate officers and 13 local staff on both the substantive and support sides. HOAGLAND