TURKMENISTAN: ICRC OFFICIALS NOT EXPECTING

C O N F I D E N T I A L ASHGABAT 000305 SIPDIS DEPT FOR SCA/CEN; DRL E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/05/2019 TAGS: PHUM PGOV TX SUBJECT: TURKMENISTAN: ICRC OFFICIALS NOT EXPECTING BREAKTHROUGH ON PRISON VISITS REF: ASHGABAT 0162 Classified By: Deputy Chief of Mission Sylvia Reed Curran. Reasons 1.4 (b) and (d) ¶1. (C) SUMMARY: International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) representatives are in Ashgabat to continue their discussions with the Turkmen Government regarding prison visits. After five years, it appears the two sides remain far from agreement, the main point of contention being one-on-one meetings with prisoners. The ICRC representatives were not optimistic that their meeting tomorrow with the Foreign Minister would yield any breakthrough, but thought it was important to show that the ICRC is still willing to engage. END SUMMARY. ¶2. (C) On March 6, DCM met with Tashkent-based International Committee of the Red Cross Regional Delegation Head Yves Giovannoni and Deputy Head Raffaello Muller to discuss the prospects for ICRC prison visits in Turkmenistan. Giovannoni said they will meet with Deputy Chairman for International Relations and Foreign Minister Rashid Meredov on March 7. The ICRC officials want to get a clear answer about whether or not the Turkmen Government is willing to negotiate on the prison visit issue. Talks began in 2003 and, according to Giovannoni, started well during the first couple years. Since then, talks have been "dragging on," although the terms being negotiated are clearly on the table. Giovannoni said the ICRC now wants to know whether or not the Turkmen will permit the prison visits. ¶3. (C) It was Giovannoni's view that, despite some opening up in areas such as business relations and Internet access, in practice things "have not developed" in Turkmenistan. He thought that, perhaps in the case of prison visits, there is still a "red line." ICRC has offered the Turkmen a "test period" in introducing prison visits in order to let them get acquainted with ICRC practice. Giovannoni said he was not optimistic about the outcome of tomorrow's meeting with FM Meredov, but wanted to let the Turkmen side know that the ICRC was still offering cooperation. ¶4. (C) Noting that the ICRC has a "headquarters agreement" with Turkmenistan, Giovannoni said the ICRC would "like to keep a foot in the door." ICRC has offered to organize courses in international law and norms for academics, law enforcement officials and the military, similar to its programs in other Central Asian countries. While Turkmenistan has indicated that it would be open to such a program, he said the ICRC wants to make sure it would result in sustainable activity eventually carried out by the Turkmen themselves. Giovannoni suggested that the Turkmen Government might agree to an international law program because it would be good for the country's international image, but he did not see the Turkmen wanting to engage in a sustainable, ongoing effort. He mentioned that in June, ICRC will hold a regional conference on implementation of human rights law in St. Petersburg. They would invite Turkmen representatives from the Ministries of Foreign Affairs, Defense and Justice, as well as from the Institute for Democracy and Human Rights. ¶5. (C) Giovannoni asked that post continue to raise the issue of ICRC prison visits with the government as a critical show of support. He emphasized that using the issue as a conditionality on another issue, as the European Union has done, does not work because in order for such a program to succeed, there must be political will, not simply coercion. ¶6. (C) COMMENT: We know from previously raising this issue with FM Meredov that the Turkmen are unlikely to budge on the main point of contention (reftel). Given that the ICRC feels equally strongly about the principle of one-on-one visits, there appears to be no chance for ICRC prison visits to begin in the near term. END COMMENT. MILES