TURKMENISTAN: POST INPUT TO OSCE PRE-HDIM

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ASHGABAT 000789

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS

STATE FOR SCA/CEN; DRL

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PREL PHUM OSCE TX
SUBJECT: TURKMENISTAN: POST INPUT TO OSCE PRE-HDIM
DEMARCHE IN ADVANCE OF SEPTEMBER MEETING

REF: STATE 60838


1. (U) Sensitive but unclassified. Not for public Internet.






2. (SBU) In response to reftel
request, post provides the following input for the pre-HDIM
demarche to the Turkmen government:

BEGIN DEMARCHE TEXT:


3. (SBU) The Government of the United States commends the
government of Turkmenistan for its decision to develop a
national strategic plan to catalogue and to implement the
international human rights conventions to which it is a
party, and for having already taken a number of concrete
steps toward fulfilling its international human rights
obligations, including:

-- The Government of Turkmenistan established a Human Rights
Commission under the President in late 2007, as part of its
publicly stated intention to fulfill the country's
international human rights obligations. The Commission has
been demonstrating its commitment to the process by working
closely with UNDP, the EU, and OSCE to introduce
international human rights standards into Turkmen
legislation, judicial practice, and state institutions.

-- The Government has already revised the Laws on Women's
Rights and Childrens' Rights, and instituted a new Law on
Trafficking in Persons as part of its continued effort to
bring national laws into conformity with the country's
international treaty and convention obligations. It is
currently undertaking a significant revision of the National
Constitution that will facilitate other planned reforms.

-- Shortly after taking office, President Berdimuhamedov
re-instated a tenth year of compulsory schooling, necessary
for Turkmen students to be considered for enrollment in
foreign institutes and universities. Additionally, higher
educational institutions have expanded their student
enrollments, extended the term of study to five years, and
has begun to re-establish post-graduate programs.


4. (SBU) We urge the government to continue its positive
momentum on reform by fully implementing steps it has already
begun to take:

-- The successful revision and reform of the Criminal Code,
Criminal Procedure Code, and Civil Code, carried out in
cooperation with international expert consultants, will
represent positive developments in building a sound framework
for strengthening the rule of law and supporting human rights.

-- The government recently registered the first
non-government organization since 2005. We urge the
government to continue to register non-government
organizations in the coming months. Two religious
organizations were also successfully registered in 2007, and
additional registrations would be welcomed.

-- Turkmen television media organizations have begun
broadening their coverage of international news events, and
the United States encourages additional efforts to increase
public access to information via television, Internet and
print sources. In the spirit of greater international
coverage, the United States would welcome press accreditation
for additional foreign correspondents in Turkmenistan.

-- For the first time, the Government of Turkmenistan engaged

ASHGABAT 00000789 002 OF 002


this year in substantive discussions with visiting high-level
ICRC, OSCE, and EU delegations, as well as the U.S. Committee
on International Religious Freedom. The United States
remains optimistic that such dialogues will continue and lead
to concrete cooperation agreements with such entities that
will advance Turkmenistan's human rights goals.

END DEMARCHE TEXT.
HOAGLAND