DEATH OF NIYAZOV SITREP 005: 12/27/2006

S E C R E T SECTION 01 OF 06 ASHGABAT 001313

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

DEPT FOR SCA; NSC FOR MERKEL

E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/27/2016
TAGS: PGOV PREL ASEC CASC TX
SUBJECT: DEATH OF NIYAZOV SITREP 005: 12/27/2006

REF: A. (A) ASHGABAT 1303

B. (B) ASHGABAT 1295

C. (C) ASHGABAT 1292

D. (D) ASHGABAT 1289

E. (E) ASHGABAT 162

Classified By: Charge d'Affaires a.i. Jennifer L. Brush for reasons 1.4
(B) and (D).

Summary
--------------


1. (C) Turkmenistan remains calm. Peace Corps volunteers
are returning to their assigned cities, and government
institutions are continuing to function, albeit in some
chaos. Charge met today with the head of the Americas
section at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to discuss next
steps, including visits by PDAS Mann/DAS Feigenbaum and
EUR/ACE Adams. Visitors are beginning to come to the embassy
to report increased surveillance of their homes and
activities; embassy officers are meeting with all. Embassy's
EAC met and agreed upon a range of next steps, including
stepped-up travel to the provinces to monitor preparations
for elections. Bios contained paras 9-18. Given the
continuing calm, this is embassy's last sitrep. End Summary.

Calm
--------------


2. (SBU) The situation throughout Turkmenistan remains calm;
most Peace Corps volunteers have started returning to their
assigned cities, and are reporting safe arrivals and quiet
conditions. Airports are open, and markets are full of
holiday shoppers; prices remain normal, with none of the
usual increases due to the holiday season. The number of
police remains slightly elevated, and we have been told that
law enforcement agencies may remain at heightened alert at
least through January.

Government Functioning
--------------


3. (SBU) Government institutions continue to function.
While the Charge met December 27 with Americas Desk Head
Serdar Bashimov at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, she has
had no contact with Foreign Minister Meredov, in spite of
repeated requests.


4. (SBU) Newspapers were delivered unusually late December
27, likely due to disagreement over how to cover the December
26 events at the Halk Maslahaty (People's Council -- ref a),
and, in particular, whether to print new constitutional
provisions on presidential succession approved during the
Halk Maslahaty session. Berdimuhammedov appears to be
working to consolidate his position vis-a-vis the "power"
(security) ministries, who reportedly have thrown their
support to him. Bios of the six presidential candidates
selected by the Halk Maslahaty contained paras 9-18.

Charge Gives Interviews
--------------


5. (U) The Charge gave an interview for the state-run TV-4
station, in which she responded to questions about the legacy
of President Niyazov, her views of the December 26 session of
the Halk Maslahaty, and on Turkmenistan's future. She also
gave an interview on background to Wall Street Journal
reporter/op-ed writer Hugh Pope on December 27. Pope says
his op-ed piece will run within the week.

Surveillance Increases
--------------


6. (S) Locals are beginning to visit the embassy to report
increased law enforcement surveillance and/or harassment, and
request embassy assistance. Embassy is meeting with all
visitors. At a December 27 strategy session, embassy reviewed
procedures for meeting with walk-ins and for responding to

ASHGABAT 00001313 002 OF 006


requests for assistance and/or asylum.

Next Steps
--------------


7. (C) At the December 27 strategy session, embassy came up
with a list of next steps, including:

-- Push for a meeting with Meredov in order to ask for
responde to demarche on concerns on human rights and
Jackson-Vanik/freedom of movement;
-- Plan for DAS Feigenbaum/PDAS Mann and EUR/ACE Adams visits;
-- Move forward with retesting for FLEX applicants, as agreed
to on December 20 by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs;
-- Deploy EXBS and Nevada National Guard teams to visit
Turkmenistan's borders;
-- Send out embassy officers on provincial visits to continue
to monitor the security situation and preparations for
presidential elections.
-- Continue return of Peace Corps volunteers to their
provinces;
-- Begin planning for an appropriate delegation to attend the
presidential inauguration, which will likely be held sometime
after the Halk Maslahaty confirms the president on February

14.

Additional Funeral Tidbits
--------------


8. (U) All noticed and are talking about the fact that
Ukrainian Prime Minister Yanukovich failed to offer
condolences to Niyazov's family and Berdimuhammedov after
laying his wreath; embassy has learned that Yunukovich did
not read his briefing paper, and mistakenly followed the
wreath, rather than going over to the family. Embassy also
has identified that a number of Turkmenistan's high-level
officials were "assigned" during the funeral to certain key
delegations. These included:

-- USA - Minister of Agriculture Esenmyrat Orazgeldiyev;
-- Russian Federation -- Central Bank Chairman Geldimyrat
Abilov;
-- Ukraine -- Turkmengaz State Concern Chairman Bagtyar
Hajygurbanov;
-- Iran -- Chairman of the State Agency for Caspian Sea
Issues Hoshgeldi Babayev; and
-- Kazakhstan -- Minister of Water Management Tekebay Altyev.


Bio for Gurbanguly Berdimuhammedov
--------------


9. (SBU) Berdimuhammedov was born in 1957 in Babarap
Village, Gokdepe Etrap (District),Ahal Welayat (Province).
He studied dentistry at Turkmen State Medical Institute and
was an average student, according to a well-connected embassy
assistant. Upon graduating in 1979, he served his internship
at the #5 polyclinic in Ashgabat. From 1980-1982, he served
as a dentist at the Errik-Gala Village clinic in Ashgabat,
then he served for three years (until 1985) as a freelance
dentist in Ashgabat. From 1985-1987, he was head of the
dentistry department of the Koshi Gengeshlik (Village)
Central District Clinic. In 1987, he went to Moscow to
pursue post-graduate studies in therapeutic dentistry.


10. (U) Upon Berdimuhammedov's return to Ashgabatin 1990, he
worked as an assistant at the Therapeutic Dentistry
Department at Turkmen State Medical Institute until 1992,
when he was promoted to the position of Assistant Professor,
Deputy Dean and Dean of the Therapeutic Dentistry Department.


11. (SBU) In 1995, Berdimuhammedov was promoted to the
position of Director of the Ministry of Health Dental Center,
where he was assigned the task of overseeing the center's
transition from being a state-financed to becoming a
self-supporting entity. According to a well-informed embassy
assistant, he came to President Niyazov's attention when his
center succeeded in upgrading its equipment and becoming

ASHGABAT 00001313 003 OF 006


self-supporting, while still delivering good dental work for
affordable prices.


12. (SBU) From 1997-December 23, 2006, Berdimuhammedov
served as Minister of Healthcare and the Medical Industry; he
also was named General Director of the International Medical
Center Named after S.A. Niyazov (i.e., President Niyazov's
private health facility) in June 1998. From 1999-2004,
Berdimuhammedov also served as Acting Rector of the Turkmen
State Medical Institute, and from April 3, 2001-December 23,
2006, he served as Deputy Chairman of the Cabinet of
Ministers responsible for Healthcare, Education, Culture, and
Television and Broadcasting. He was appointed Acting
President of Turkmenistan and Acting Supreme
Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces during a joint session
of the National Security Council and the Cabinet of Ministers
on December 21, 2006.


13. (C) Many have rumored that Berdimuhammedov was President
Niyazov's illegitimate son; Armenian Ambassador Grigoryan
contends that this was bruted by the government in order to
make Berdimuhammedov "the hier" to Niyazov. Embassy
personnel have met with Berdimuhammedov to discuss Peace
Corps and education issues. A well-connected FSN who has
worked extensively with him notes he is not detail-oriented
and does not like to read briefing papers. Instead, he tends
to rely on the advice of people near him. In this regard,
embassy notes that Meredov, who in recent years had been
demoted from his Deputy Chairman job and relegated to the
second row, stood at Berdimuhammedov's right hand throughout
the funeral services, sat to his right during the Halk
Maslahaty and even spoke for the Berdimuhammedov following
the "unanimous" nomination.

Bio for Orazmyrat Garajayev, Mayor of Abadan City, Ahal
Welayat
-------------- --------------


14. (U) Embassy has never had any contact with Garajayev
and local staff know nothing about him. According to his
official biography:

Garajayev was born July 23, 1960 in Yalkym Village, Ruhabat
Etrap, Ahal Welayat. He graduated from the Turkmen
Polytechnic Institute, where he majored in construction
engineering and industrial and civil construction in 1983.

Professional Experience includes:

12-3-06 Elected to the Abadan City people's council and as
hakim (mayor) of Abadan City.

2005 Appointed hakim of Abadan City, Ahal Welayat by
President Niyazov.

2004-2005 Deputy hakim of Ahal Welayat.

2001-2004 Head of the department of human resources and
coordination with local bodies at the Ahal Welayat government
offices.

1998-2001 Chief of the Abadan City Drinking Water
Production-Maintenance Administration.

1991-1998 Deputy chief and chief engineer of the Production
Association of Residential-Communal Enterprises in Abadan
City.

1989-1991 Head of the Ideology Department of the Ashgabat
district committee of the Communist Party.

1982-1988 Department head of the Ashgabat district committee
off the Communist Youth Union.

Instructor and deputy department head of the
Ashgabat district committee of the Communist Party.

1977-1982 File clerk at secondary school #12.

ASHGABAT 00001313 004 OF 006



Head of Ashgabat district unit of the Communist
Youth Union of the Kolkhoz named after Sverdlov.


Bio for Ashyrniyaz Pommanov, Mayor of Turkmenbashy City
-------------- --------------


15. (SBU) Born in 1962 in Balkanabat City, Balkan Welayat.
He was educated at the Balkanabat branch of the Moscow Gubkin
Institute of Oil and Gas, where he majored in mining power
engineering.

Professional Experience includes:

2005- Mayor of Turkmenbashy City.

1996-2005 Chairman of Balkan Welayat Trade Unions.

1993-1996 Deputy mayor of Balkan Welayat.

1992-1993 Assistant to the Balkan Welayat governor.

1991-1992 Specialist at the Ideological section of Balkanabat
Commmunist Party Committee.

First Secretary of Balkan Welayat Komsomol
Committee.

Chairman of Balkan Welayat Magtymguly Youth
Organization Committee.

1990-1991 Attended Higher Party School, Baku, Azerbaijan.

1989-1990 Lecturer, Balkanabat Communist Party City Committee.

1988-1989 Electrician, then chief power engineer at the
"Nebitdagnebit" oil production unit.

1984-1988 Secretary of the City Health Department Komsomol
(Young Communist Union) Committee.

Chief of the City Komsomol Committee management
section.

Executive Secretary of "Znaniye" (Knowledge)
Society in Balkanabat.

1984 Completed military service.

Electrician at "Bashnebitgazelektrogurlushuk"
(Central power construction enterprise for oil and gas)
construction and assembling unit in Balkanabat.

Awards: "Gayrat" medal and "For Love of Motherland" medal.

Charge's meeting with Pommanov on January 20 easily ranks him
as one of the least impressive bureaucrats in Turkmenistan.
According to ref E: Pommanov showed a curious lack of
knowledge of the city's history -- he claimed the city was
founded in 1891 (10 years after the battle of Goktepe and 12
years after official city records cite its establishment) and
outright lied about a number of current issues, including
energy outages -"there are none in Balkan Welayat," pensions
-"everyone's getting his/her full pension here," and the
destruction of Awaza holiday village "it was just a slum
anyway/the people will have a whole new complex."

Bio of Amanniyaz Atajykov, First Deputy Governor of Dashoguz
Province
-------------- --------------


16. (U) Born on October 4, 1947 in Village named after S.A.
Niyazov, Gorogly District, Dashoguz Welayat. He graduated
from Turkmen Agricultural Institute, where he majored in
engineering and hydro-technics, in 1994.

Professional Experience:

ASHGABAT 00001313 005 OF 006



December 31, 2005 Appointed First deputy governor of Dashoguz
Welayat.

2001-2005 Deputy head and head of Dashoguz unit of Water
Resources production association.

Head of housing maintenance and utilities services
of Gorogly Etrap.

Deputy governor of Dashoguz Welayat for agriculture.

1979-2001 Master, chief engineer, and head of irrigation
system, Mobile Mechanical Divisions #25 and #29.

1972-1979 Continued working as amaster at the Dashoguz repair
and construction unit.

Laboratory assistant, student and secretary of the
Communist Youth Union committee at the Turkmen
Agricultural Institute.

1969-1972 Military service.

1967 Master at the Dashoguz repair and construction unit.

Awards: "For Love of Motherland" medal.

A/DCM met with Atajykov in December 2006 during her trip to
observe FLEX testing in Dashoguz. The meeting was highjacked
by Central Election Commission Chairman Garriyev, and
Atajykov seemed satisfied to let Garriyev do all the talking.

Bio of Muhammetnazar Gurbanov, Head of Garabekeul District in
Lebap Welayat
-------------- --------------


17. (U) Embassy has never had any contact with Garajayev and
local staff know nothing about him. According to his
official biography:

Gurbanov was born in 1957 in Merye Village, Sayat Etrap,
Lebap Welayat. He majored in agricultural accounting at
Turkmen Agricultural Institute (1976-1980).

Professional Experience:

2000- District head of Garabekeul, Lebap Welayat.

1998-2000 Head of Lebap Welayat State Tax Service.

1991-1998 General director of Miwe agro-industrial
association.

Deputy general director of Azyk (Food) regional
industrial association.

1981-1991 Head of credit and pricing department of the
regional agro-industrial committee.

Chief specialist of the statistics and accounting
department.

Chief accountant of forestry department of the
regional executive committee.

Auditing accountant for agro-industrial association
"Miwe."

1975 Worked for state farm in Merye Village, Sayat Etrap.



Bio of Ishanguly Nuryev, Deputy Minister of Oil and Gas
Industry and Mineral Resources
-------------- --------------


18. (U) Embassy has never had any contact with Garajayev and

ASHGABAT 00001313 006 OF 006


local staff know nothing about him. According to his
official biorgrapahy:

Nuryev was born in 1955 in Ashgabat. He graduated from the
Turkmen Polytechnic Institute, where he majored in mountain
engineering and oil and gas well drilling, in 1979.

Professional Experience:

December 15, 2005 Appointed Deputy Minister of Oil and Gas
by President Niyazov.

Relieved from the position of State
Minister/Chairman of TurkmenGeologiya (Turkmen Geology) State

Corporation.

2005 State Minister/Chairman of the TurkmenGeologiya
State Corporation.

1994-2005 Chairman of militarized anti-flow service of the
Turkmen Gas" State Concern.

1994 Engineer of hydro-geology trust of the
"TurkmenGeologiya" State Corporation.

1993-1994 Senior engineer of Garagum Administration of the
mechanized Automobile Tranport Enterprise of the
"TurkmenNebit" (Turkmen Oil) State Concern.

1989-1993 Chairman of the Central Engineering-Technical
Service of the Eastern Deep Drilling Expedition of the
"TurkmenGeologiya" Production Association.

1979-1989 Drilling master and engineer of the district
engineering-technical service of the Oil and Gas Exploration
Expedition of the "TurkmenGeologiya" Production
Association.

1974-1979 Student at Turkmen Polytechnic Institute.

1974 Driver at the Central Forecasting Administration
of Turkmenistan.

1973-1974 Worker at the wood processing enterprise of
Ashgabat.

1973 Worker at "Turkmenkolkhoztaslama" (Turkmen kolkhoz
projects) Enterprise.

Awards: 3rd degree "Altyn Asyr" order, "Gayrat" medal,
"For Love of the Motherland" medal.


Comment
--------------


19. (SBU) More interesting than the candidates themselves is
the studied attempt to represent Turkmenistan's major regions
and tribes in the elections. Embassy will request meetings
with the candidates and flesh out their views on their
reasons for running and their vision of Turkmenistan's
future. Certainly no one was fooled by the ham-handed
nomination process, but embassy again urges patience as
Turkmenistan awkwardly addresses its post-Niyazov future.
End Comment.
BRUSH