PROCESS FOR SELECTING TURKMEN HAJJ TRAVELERS

UNCLAS ASHGABAT 001154 SIPDIS STATE FOR SCA/CEN E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PGOV KIRF KISL TX SUBJECT: PROCESS FOR SELECTING TURKMEN HAJJ TRAVELERS ¶1. (U) Sensitive but unclassified. Not for public Internet. ¶2. (U) During an Embassy-hosted Iftar on September 10, Turkmenistan's Grand Mufti Rowshen Allaberdiyev explained to us the process for selecting the 188 government-funded Hajj travelers each year. He also asserted that, in addition to the government-sponsored group, more than 1,000 Turkmen self-fund their Hajj trips each year. According to Allaberdiyev, individuals apply to go on the Hajj to a provincial-level committee. After those officials decide on candidates for their provinces, those successful candidates are advanced to a national-level review in Ashgabat, where the final cut is made. After that, the successful candidates are invited to travel. Allaberdiyev seemed to indicate that there was no hard and fast criteria for being selected at any level. ¶2. (SBU) COMMENT: It appears that this review process is only for those vying for government sponsorship and not for self-financing individuals. If you have the money and there is no other reason preventing your travel, you can make the pilgrimage. END COMMENT. CURRAN