TURKMENISTAN: UN CENTER FOR PREVENTIVE DIPLOMACY

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ASHGABAT 000880 SENSITIVE SIPDIS STATE FOR SCA/CEN E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PREL PHUM MARR UN TX SUBJECT: TURKMENISTAN: UN CENTER FOR PREVENTIVE DIPLOMACY STARTS ITS WORK REF: 07 ASHGABAT 1365 ¶1. (U) Sensitive but unclassified. Not for public Internet. ¶2. (SBU) SUMMARY: The UN Center for Preventive Diplomacy, which opened in fall 2007, has started its work. Center officials have traveled to Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan, meeting with high-level officials and getting their suggestions for areas on which the Center should focus. They also met with NGOs and, in Kyrgyzstan, with independent politicians. The next step will be to produce a workplan, and reach consensus on it with all five Central Asian countries. Activities already planned include a training seminar for young diplomats from the entire region as well as a conflict prevention seminar and a conference for political parties from Kyrgyzstan. Although local observers were skeptical about the effectiveness of the Center when it first opened, it apparently is committed to doing real work that could actually build confidence and encourage regional cooperation on common challenges. The United States should seriously consider cooperating with the Center on areas such as counter-narcotics and border management. END SUMMARY. MEETING WITH REGIONAL LEADERS AND OTHERS ¶3. (SBU) Deputy Head of the Regional Center for Preventive Diplomacy for Central Asia Fedor Klimchuk met July 11 to brief emboff on the work of the Center to date and its plans. Klimchuk said Center officials have been meeting with leaders in the region and getting their proposals for preventive diplomacy activities. UN SecGen Special Representative and Head of the Office Ambassador Miroslav Jenca has already traveled to Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, and Tajikistan, where he met with FM Norov, President Bakiyev, and President Rahmon, respectively. All three leaders mentioned religious extremism as a topic the Center should address. Both Bakiyev and Rahmon proposed ecological challenges. In addition, Rahmon said the Center should address the lack of trust between countries, confidence-building measures, and demining as fitting issues. According to Klimchuk, Rahmon claimed Uzbekistan had, in recent years, laid mines along the border, resulting in the deaths of scores of Tajik citizens and the wounding of many more. (COMMENT: Klimchuk said Rahmon had not been specific about the time frame of the alleged Uzbek mining, but indicated that it was relatively recent. END COMMENT.) In addition to meeting with government officials, Klimchuk said, they also met with NGOs in each country, with Uzbekistan's National Center for Human Rights, and with independent politicians in Kyrgyzstan. Jenca also plans to go to Kazakhstan when a visit can be arranged. (NOTE: Turkmen officials did not have any specific suggestions for topics. END NOTE.) ¶4. (SBU) In addition to regional travel, Jenca has decided to visit the capitals of the major countries and international organizations with special interests in the region. He has already been to Brussels and Vienna and plans to travel to Beijing the week of July 14, where, among others, he will meet with the head of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization. He will also go to Washington and Moscow. PREVENTIVE DIPLOMACY ACTIVITIES ¶5. (SBU) Klimchuk said the next step for the Center is to produce a workplan, which it will then show to officials of all five Central Asian countries in the fall. After consensus is reached, work will start in earnest. Activities already planned include a brainstorming session on regional activities (tentatively set for September),a training session for young diplomats from the region, and two national ASHGABAT 00000880 002 OF 002 events for Kyrgyzstan -- a conflict prevention seminar and a conference for political parties that will include a facilitator and regional experts (tentatively planned for the second half of August). ¶6. (SBU) While the Center has no mandate for Afghanistan, it does provide analysis on cross-border issues. It also monitors developments in the region and shares that with UN officials in Afghanistan. WANTS COOPERATION AND TO AVOID DUPLICATION ¶7. (SBU) To be effective, Klimchuk said, the Center wants to avoid duplication with other donors, and especially with major regional organizations, including the Shanghai Cooperation Organization and the CIS. He suggested the United States could possibly work with the Center on counter-narcotics issues, border management, and demining. ¶8. (SBU) COMMENT: When the Center opened in fall 2007, many local observers wondered what it would do. Even resident UN officials were mystified as to its real purpose (reftel). Now, however, it is clear that the Center is committed to doing real work that could actually build confidence and encourage regional cooperation on common challenges. It would be valuable for the United States to cooperate with the Center in areas of mutual interest, such as counter-narcotics and border management, though such cooperation will need to be carefully coordinated with the UNODC in order to avoid possible duplication. END COMMENT. CURRAN