Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
09ASHGABAT24
2009-01-08 05:08:00
UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
Embassy Ashgabat
Cable title:
TURKMENISTAN: A FIRST LOOK AT THE COMPOSITION OF
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UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ASHGABAT 000024
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
STATE FOR SCA/CEN; DRL
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV KDEM TX
SUBJECT: TURKMENISTAN: A FIRST LOOK AT THE COMPOSITION OF
THE NEW MEJLIS
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ASHGABAT 000024
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
STATE FOR SCA/CEN; DRL
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV KDEM TX
SUBJECT: TURKMENISTAN: A FIRST LOOK AT THE COMPOSITION OF
THE NEW MEJLIS
¶1. (U) Sensitive but unclassified. Not for public Internet.
¶2. (SBU) SUMMARY: A picture is beginning to form of the
group of deputies that will comprise the new Mejlis, set to
meet for the first time on January 9. Chairman Nurberdiyeva
and her deputy, Kasymguly Babayev, have retained their
positions, as well as the chairmen of three of the five major
Mejlis committees. Although biographic information is
available for only about half the deputies, it is enough to
conclude that the body will be dominated by the Democratic
Party of Turkmenistan. Deputies-elect largely came from the
ranks of regional government, national unions, and state
enterprises. It is too early to tell whether the confluence
of incumbent experience and continued party leadership, along
with fresh regional government and representation from other
sectors will cast the body in a new light when it meets on
Friday. END SUMMARY.
¶3. (SBU) On December 22, Neytralniy Turkmenistan published
the names and current positions of 123 new deputies elected
to the Mejlis (parliament) on December 14. Two
representative districts did not report final winners. In
Lebap province, a runoff election was held on December 28 for
two of the three candidates with the largest number of votes,
and the winner was announced in a provincial newspaper on
January 3. In Mary province, a new deputy was successfully
elected in the 101st district, but the deputy-elect
immediately resigned, citing "family circumstances." An
election is scheduled for February 8.
¶4. (SBU) A Post review of available biographic data for
about half of the 124 known deputies-elect indicates that 12
incumbent deputies who served previously in leadership
positions or on one of the Mejlis' five committees have been
reelected, as well as one Mejlis staff person. The 12
include Chairman Nurberdiyeva and her deputy, Kasymguly
Babayev, who is also First Secretary of the Democratic Party
of Turkmenistan (DPT). Also reelected were the chairs of
three of the five major Mejlis committees--Maral Paltayeva,
of the Social and Economic Policy Committee, Ahmed Chariyev,
of the Committee on Local Councils, and Baymyrat Babayev, of
the Science, Education and Culture Committee. (NOTE: The
other two committees, Human Rights and Freedom, and
International and Inter-parliamentary Relations, will get new
chairmen. END NOTE.) Six other incumbents who served on
Mejlis committees were also reelected.
¶5. (U) Post was able to obtain biographic information for
candidates representing Ashgabat city, Ahal and Lebap
provinces printed only in provincial newspapers. Post could
not obtain biographic information on Balkan, Mary, and Balkan
province candidates, although the current occupations of the
deputies-elect were published in national newspapers. (NOTE:
Bottom line, post has biographic information for 61 of the
124 deputies-elect, and minimal information on the remaining
¶63. (Septels) END NOTE.)
¶6. (SBU) It appears the new Mejlis will be dominated by the
DPT. Available information indicates that 77 percent of the
61 new deputies for whom post has biographic information have
an affiliation with the party, including Dashoguz's incumbent
Deputy Chairman Babayev. A significant number of new
deputies came from regional governments, or were members of
the national Halk Maslahaty (Peoples' Council). Four were
provincial administrators, 29 were district government
officials, and eight served in the now-abolished Halk
Maslahaty. At least 22 of the new deputies are school
principals or educators, and at least 13 had been
functionaries in unions or other state organizations.
¶7. (SBU) COMMENT: There appears to be many fresh new
faces among the deputies, and could be a potential source of
new ideas and perspectives as this new Mejlis goes forward.
It is too early to tell, however, whether the confluence of
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incumbent experience and continued party leadership, along
with substantial regional government and representation from
other sectors will cast the body in a new light when it meets
on Friday. END COMMENT.
MILES