TURKMENISTAN: UNDP ENCOURAGES DONOR COORDINATION

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 ASHGABAT 000198

SIPDIS

STATE FOR SCA/CEN

E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/08/2019
TAGS: PHUM PGOV PREL EAID UNDP TX
SUBJECT: TURKMENISTAN: UNDP ENCOURAGES DONOR COORDINATION
AND JOINT ACTIVITIES

REF: ASHGABAT 181

Classified By: Charge Richard Miles, reasons 1.4 (B) and (D).


1. (C) SUMMARY: In a recent meeting, the local United Nations
Development Program (UNDP) Deputy Representative mentioned
her organization's "privileged access" to work with the
Turkmen in some areas of Government reform. She contrasted
this with the Turkmen Government's wariness about U.S.
assistance in governance-related areas. She emphasized
UNDP's approach of working according to the Government's
timetable and raising awareness in areas where the Government
is not ready to reform. A joint UNDP/EU/OHCHR human rights
project will work to improve the Government's ability to
address citizens' grievances, and to raise the level of human
rights awareness among law enforcement officials and in the
general public. If additional donor funds can be located, an
electoral reform project could train candidates in local
council elections on how to develop a platform and conduct a
campaign. While it has a reform agenda approved by the
Government, UNDP still needs resources -- and partners -- in
order to carry it out. END SUMMARY.

UNDP: TURKMEN WARY OF U.S. INFLUENCE IN GOVERNANCE PROJECTS


2. (C) In a February 4 meeting with Political Officer, United
Nations Development Program (UNDP) Deputy Resident
Representative, Inita Paulovica, shared her view that UNDP
has "privileged access" to carrying out reform in some
sectors of the Government. She added that UNDP has told the
Government that UNDP needs additional program/donor partners
because the organization does not have adequate resources to
implement all proposed initiatives. Paulovica frankly said
that the Turkmen Government is "scared about American
influence," especially the activities of U.S. NGOs in areas
such as local governance, because of past events in places
like Georgia and Ukraine. She urged caution about any
projects involving the Open Society Institute, based on tQ
Government's reaction to OSI's past activities in
Turkmenistan. Paulovica also thought it would be difficult
for the International Republican Institute (IRI) to get
access here. She suggested, however, that the U.S.
Government could provide expertise by sending experts to work
for UNDP projects. Such involvement would "take away the
political baggage," although such experts would need to abide
by the UNDP rule of "no hidden (political) agendas."

THE UNDP APPROACH IN TURKMENISTAN: PATIENCE AND TRANSPARENCY


3. (C) According to Paulovica, the Turkmen Government wants
to work with UNDP because it knows how the organization works
-- not pushing any party's agenda, but rather staying neutral
in implementing its projects. She said the UN approach is to
operate openly and transparently. While it takes time to
work with the Turkmen to raise awareness about what needs to
be reformed, experience has shown that it is not productive
to push the Turkmen side until it is ready. According to
Paulovica, in all cases this approach has paid back with
interesting results. On the other hand, trying to push a
hidden agenda is counterproductive, as it will eventually
come to light and undermine the willingness of the Turkmen
side to engage. Paulovica said UNDP has disagreed with the
European Union over the EU's "conditionality approach." She
argues that setting unilateral conditions for reforms, a
standard practice for the programs of international financial
insitutions, won't work in Turkmenistan because there are no
internal circumstances that compel the Turkmen to reform. In
Paulovica's view, donors can most effectively exert influence
here by carrying out activities together with the Turkmen and
presenting a positive example.


4. (C) This approach has yielded success for UNDP, according
to Paulovica, in the areas of local Government and elections,
and in a self-employment program for women in Mary and
Dashoguz Provinces where UNDP worked together with the

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Women's Union and provincial officials. UNDP relations with
the Government have reached the point where the Turkmen
Government comes to UNDP to request assistance.

UNDP/EU/OHCHR PROJECT ON HUMAN RIGHTS CONTINUES


5. (C) Paulovica described the ongoing human rights project
jointly funded by UNDP, the EU and the Office of the UN High
Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR)(reftel). She mentioned
some differences between the partners, with the EU and OHCHR
trying to use the project for human rights monitoring in a
hidden way and their insistence on indicators. The project
has three main components; capacity building to comply with
reporting requirements under international human rights
conventions; human rights training for law enforcement
officials; and civic education and outreach on human rights.
This year Turkmenistan will need to report on its compliance
with the Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. Paulovica
explained the opportunity this represents as the Turkmen need
to come to terms with the international definitions of
concepts such as "independent judiciary." The UNDP project
will explain the elements of the international standard and
how existing Turkmen legislation falls short.


6. (C) Within the framework of the human rights project, UNDP
will work with the State Institute for Democracy and Human
Rights to develop a master plan for implementation that
identifies and prioritizes specific activities. Paulovica
described IDHR Director, Shirin Ahmedova, as decisive and
possessing the "full backing" of Deputy Chairman for
International Relations, Rashid Meredov. According to
Paulovica, Ahmedova has a good sense of which projects are
politically feasible, and doesn't hesitate to say if an idea
is too sensitive or premature. Paulovica also pointed out
that, in working with international donors, the Turkmen
Government does not want donors to take credit for the
project. They themselves want to be seen as having
"ownership."

ELECTORAL REFORM PROJECT LACKS FUNDING; CUT BACK


7. (C) Paulovica mentioned that 2009 UNDP funding for
electoral reform was approved at a lower level than
previously planned. The electoral assessment mission that
reviewed the results of the 2008 electoral reform project
recommended a unified election code, improved procedures for
tabulation of results, and civic education. To address the
civic education aspect, UNDP would like to conduct training
on preparation of electoral platforms and campaigns. It
would focus on potential candidates at the local ("gengesh")
level, drawn from interest groups such as women's, youth and
disabled persons' organizations. However, proceeding with
the project will depend on finding a funding partner(s) to
supplement UNDP funds.

PARLIAMENTARY DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM


8. (C) The Government has given UNDP a green light to
implement a three-year Parliamentary Development program.
Paulovica said that during the the first year, UNDP will
determine "how far (the Turkmen) are willing to go." She
remarked that they appear to be open to assistance and are
genuinely interested in understanding what role the
Parliament could play. One aspect of the program will be the
Parliament's role in budgetary oversight. As Paulovica
described it, in the current practice, the Parliament is
presented with signed contracts and has no input into the
budget approval process. She said UNDP would welcome donor
partners would could provide experts for this program.


9. (C) COMMENT: As was noted in reftel and again above, UNDP
officials in country often refer to their organization's
inside track on working with the Government, due, in
particular, to the UN's recognition of Turkmenistan's neutral
status, as well as to the organization's relatively lengthy

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in-country presence and patient approach to engagement. In
the meantime, UNDP is reaching out to donors for expertise
and funding that would enable it to fully implement electoral
and human rights projects already approved by the Turkmen
Government. END COMMENT.
MILES