Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
09ASHGABAT189
2009-02-06 07:13:00
UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
Embassy Ashgabat
Cable title:
TURKMENISTAN: INDIAN AMBASSADOR: MUSLIMS LOOK TO
how-toVZCZCXRO4465 PP RUEHAG RUEHAST RUEHBC RUEHBI RUEHCI RUEHDE RUEHDF RUEHDIR RUEHIK RUEHKUK RUEHLH RUEHLN RUEHLZ RUEHNEH RUEHPW RUEHROV RUEHSK RUEHSR RUEHVK RUEHYG DE RUEHAH #0189 0370713 ZNR UUUUU ZZH P 060713Z FEB 09 FM AMEMBASSY ASHGABAT TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 2274 INFO RUCNCLS/ALL SOUTH AND CENTRAL ASIA COLLECTIVE RUCNCIS/CIS COLLECTIVE RUCNMEM/EU MEMBER STATES COLLECTIVE RUCNIRA/IRAN COLLECTIVE RUEHAK/AMEMBASSY ANKARA 4801 RUEHNE/AMEMBASSY NEW DELHI 1048 RUEHIT/AMCONSUL ISTANBUL 3045 RHMFIUU/CDR USCENTCOM MACDILL AFB FL RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC RHEFDIA/DIA WASHDC RUEKJCS/JOINT STAFF WASHDC RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC
UNCLAS ASHGABAT 000189
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
STATE FOR SCA/CEN
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PREL TX
SUBJECT: TURKMENISTAN: INDIAN AMBASSADOR: MUSLIMS LOOK TO
THE U.S. WITH OPTIMISM
UNCLAS ASHGABAT 000189
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
STATE FOR SCA/CEN
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PREL TX
SUBJECT: TURKMENISTAN: INDIAN AMBASSADOR: MUSLIMS LOOK TO
THE U.S. WITH OPTIMISM
1. (SBU) In a 4 February meeting with the Charge, India's
Ambassador to Turkmenistan, Mohammed Afzal, emphasized that
Muslims everywhere are "looking with great hope to President
Obama" for a positive change in their relationship with the
U.S. Speaking, "from my own perspective as an Indian
Muslim," he said that the Muslim community feels greatly
encouraged by what they perceive as the new U.S.
administration's desire to reach out to them, as well as its
apparent plans to improve the situation between the U.S. and
Iran.
2. (SBU) Ambassador Afzal noted that the U.S. has
traditionally had public relations problems with Indian
Muslims, in part because most do not read English, and get
news and opinion from the Urdu-language press. The U.S.
needs to do more to reach out to that community, he said,
through Urdu publications. He said that the Indian people
are "not interested in war," but said that the government is
"under pressure" to take action since the terrorist attacks
in Mumbai in November. The discrimination against the
"Muhajer" (immigrants from India who arrived in 1948) in
Pakistan is well known to Indian Muslims. For example, there
is a one percent hiring quota to limit the number of Muhajer
in public sector jobs.
3. (SBU) The Indian government offers a number of
scholarships for short term study (several weeks) in India to
Turkmen professionals. Afzal was surprised to learn of the
difficulties that some U.S. program alumni have faced upon
their return to Turkmenistan, noting that one participant in
an Indian program was refused leave from the Carpet Museum in
order to take part. She opted instead to quit her job, but
was hired back when she returned.
4. (SBU) Bio Note: A journalist by profession who used to
run the second largest weekly newspaper in India, Ambassador
Afzal was previously a member of Parliament and served as
National Secretary of the Indian Congress Party. Prior to his
appointment to Turkmenistan he was India's Ambassador to
Angola. END NOTE.
5. (SBU) COMMENT: Ambassador Afzal was a thoughtful and
engaging interlocutor. His journalism background has no
doubt contributed to his interesting perspective on events in
the region. END COMMENT.
MILES
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
STATE FOR SCA/CEN
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PREL TX
SUBJECT: TURKMENISTAN: INDIAN AMBASSADOR: MUSLIMS LOOK TO
THE U.S. WITH OPTIMISM
1. (SBU) In a 4 February meeting with the Charge, India's
Ambassador to Turkmenistan, Mohammed Afzal, emphasized that
Muslims everywhere are "looking with great hope to President
Obama" for a positive change in their relationship with the
U.S. Speaking, "from my own perspective as an Indian
Muslim," he said that the Muslim community feels greatly
encouraged by what they perceive as the new U.S.
administration's desire to reach out to them, as well as its
apparent plans to improve the situation between the U.S. and
Iran.
2. (SBU) Ambassador Afzal noted that the U.S. has
traditionally had public relations problems with Indian
Muslims, in part because most do not read English, and get
news and opinion from the Urdu-language press. The U.S.
needs to do more to reach out to that community, he said,
through Urdu publications. He said that the Indian people
are "not interested in war," but said that the government is
"under pressure" to take action since the terrorist attacks
in Mumbai in November. The discrimination against the
"Muhajer" (immigrants from India who arrived in 1948) in
Pakistan is well known to Indian Muslims. For example, there
is a one percent hiring quota to limit the number of Muhajer
in public sector jobs.
3. (SBU) The Indian government offers a number of
scholarships for short term study (several weeks) in India to
Turkmen professionals. Afzal was surprised to learn of the
difficulties that some U.S. program alumni have faced upon
their return to Turkmenistan, noting that one participant in
an Indian program was refused leave from the Carpet Museum in
order to take part. She opted instead to quit her job, but
was hired back when she returned.
4. (SBU) Bio Note: A journalist by profession who used to
run the second largest weekly newspaper in India, Ambassador
Afzal was previously a member of Parliament and served as
National Secretary of the Indian Congress Party. Prior to his
appointment to Turkmenistan he was India's Ambassador to
Angola. END NOTE.
5. (SBU) COMMENT: Ambassador Afzal was a thoughtful and
engaging interlocutor. His journalism background has no
doubt contributed to his interesting perspective on events in
the region. END COMMENT.
MILES