2003 Press Releases

U.S. Ambassador to OSCE Discusses Human Rights in Turkmenistan

Sept. 23, 2003

U.S. Ambassador to the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) Stephan M. Minikes visited Ashgabat September 17, 2003, as part of his tour of Central Asia. He met with the Ministers of Foreign Affairs and Education, the Council on Religious Affairs, the Institute for Democracy and Human Rights, and representatives of non-governmental organizations to discuss human rights issues in Turkmenistan of concern to the OSCE. These included exit controls, lack of religious freedoms, and lack of international access to prisoners. He also had the opportunity to hear about developments in the field of education and expressed U.S. Government interest in assisting this critical sphere both directly and through academic exchange programs.

Ambassador Minikes emphasized the need for Turkmenistan to remain engaged with multilateral organizations such as the OSCE and to honor its commitments to international conventions. Ambassador Minikes stressed that while the United States wants to cooperate with Turkmenistan over a broad range of areas, progress in human rights is necessary.

Stephan Minikes assumed his role as U.S. Ambassador to the OSCE on December 4, 2001. Prior to his appointment as U.S. Ambassador, Mr. Minikes held management positions in a number of major law firms. Mr. Minikes has served as senior vice president and a member of the management committee of the Export-Import Bank of the United States. He is a 1961 graduate of Cornell University and a 1964 graduate of the Yale Law School. Mr. Minikes was born in Berlin, Germany in 1938, and immigrated to the United States in 1949. He has traveled extensively in Europe and is a life-long student of European affairs.