TURKMENISTAN IMPLICATES FRENCH EMBASSY, OSCE

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 04 ASHGABAT 000652

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

SECSTATE WASHDC SCA/CEN FOR LFRESE

E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/20/2016
TAGS: PGOV PREL PINR TX FR UK
SUBJECT: TURKMENISTAN IMPLICATES FRENCH EMBASSY, OSCE
CENTER IN SPY SCANDAL


Classified By: CLASSIFIED BY AMB TRACEY JACOBSON FOR REASONS 1.4 B AND
D

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


1. (C) On June 19, Foreign Minister Rashit Meredov told
Ambassador that French Charge Henri Tomasini was implicated
in a scheme to foment political unrest in Turkmenistan.
Meredov unveiled a complicated story involving a
Turkmenistani dissident, foreign journalists, spy gear,
&color8 revolution training and diplomatic subterfuge.
Meredov informed/forewarned at least four other missions
(French, UK, OSCE, Ukraine) about the upcoming evening news
broadcast that would reveal details of their collaboration to
"foment massive public unrest" in Turkmenistan. The scandal
will have a chilling effect on Western efforts to promote
freedom of speech and democratic reform, as well as on the
willingness of Turkmenistani citizens to interact with
foreigners. End Summary.

Ambassador Briefed by Foreign Minister
--------------


2. (C) The Foreign Minister called Ambassador in on June
19 to describe how Turkmenistan had prevented a
foreign-assisted attempt to destabilize the government.
Security forces arrested Anakurban Amanklichev for plotting
to provoke mass protests at the behest of Turkmen citizen
"criminals" in Europe with the assistance of "special
services" of some European countries, including Ukraine.
Amanklichev had been arrested in January 2003 for fraud and
sentenced to five years, but received an early amnesty. Over
the past several years, according to Meredov, Amanklichev
participated in two training courses in Ukraine on how to
provoke mass unrest and undertake other actions against the
government. The "criminals" with whom Amanklichev was in
contact included Bulgaria-based former Central Bank Deputy
and Turkmenistan Helsinki Foundation founder Hajiyev (charged
with embezzling millions and coup plotting) and other
convicted coup plotters Orazov, Begmedov, Hannamov and
Yklimov.


3. (C) In March 2006, according to Meredov, two Europeans
with tourist visas came to Turkmenistan from Baku via ferry:
UK citizen Stuart Nicholas Hook and French citizen Catherine
Berthillier. Amanklichev met them in his car at Turkmenbashy
and brought them to Ashgabat, where he showed them housing
demolitions, suggesting this was a fruitful area to provoke a
mass action. The visitors said they would send him special
equipment to help document the demolitions, and then departed
for Uzbekistan. In April, the visitors called Amanklichev to
say he could pick up the equipment at the French Embassy.
Amanklichev met with French DCM (now Charge) Henri Tomasini,
who did not turn over the equipment at that time because
Amanklichev arrived at the embassy empty handed, he would
have to depart without the case in order to avoid suspicion.
Tomasini met Amanklichev a few hours later in a French
Embassy car on Atamyrat Niyazov Street and handed over a
large briefcase containing the promised equipment.


4. (C) Meredov then showed the Ambassador a picture of the
equipment -- special glasses (resembling what the U.S.
military calls government-issue "birth control glasses")
equipped with invisible cameras for still and video
recording. Meredov alleged that Amanklichev was instructed
to use the glasses not only to photograph potential sources
of public discontent but also military facilities, police
stations, and special services buildings. Meredov said
Amanklichev had taken pictures at the crowded Teke Bazaar and
made a photo-montage of destroyed housing. He reported back
to the "criminals" that the people in the bazaar were all
distraught over the demolitions and that this was a good
source of public protest.


5. (C) Meredov also claimed that Amanklichev received
instructions and sent information abroad with the assistance
of RFE/Turkmenistan Helsinki Foundation contacts Ogulsapar

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Myradova (sister of Hajiyev in Bulgaria) and Anadurdy
Hajiyev. He insisted that Myradova,s adult children were
involved, which is why they were arrested.


6. (C) Meredov said he called Tomasini in for an
explanation. Initially, Tomasini claimed not to know what
Meredov was talking about, but after Meredov showed him the
pictures, Tomasini admitted that though he may have given
some equipment to a journalist, he did not really know what
the equipment was. Meredov chastised him, saying "this is
not a kindergarten." He said the Government of Turkmenistan
valued its relationship with France, and therefore had no
plans to declare Tomasini persona non grata.

Ambassador Highlights Transparency
--------------


7. (C) Ambassador pointed out that the USG conducted
various training programs with activists and civil society
leaders, but these were directed at how to work as civil
organizations, how to better work with local government, etc.
) and not/not how to do anything secretly. Ambassador also
said the glasses looked like something out of a bad 1960's
spy movie. She urged Meredov to ensure that the ensuing
investigations and court cases were open and transparent, and
that they fully complied with international norms, including
access to counsel. Because the USG had a particular interest
due to Myradovs/Hajiyev's connection to RFE/RL, she asked
that the GOTX share any hard evidence it had against them.

The Televised Denouement
--------------


8. (SBU) Immediately following the June 19 2100 (local)
broadcast of the Cabinet of Ministers meeting, the broadcast
continued with a special session with Niyazov and the heads
of his security agencies. Niyazov listened impassively to
Minister of National Security Geldimuhammet
Ashyrmuhammedov,s equally impassively-told tale of
Amanklichev,s foiled attempt to foment a revolution after
being trained in the Ukraine and assisted by diplomats in
Turkmenistan. Asyrmuhammedov mentioned by name French Charge
Tomasini and also stated that OSCE human dimensions officer
Benjamin Moreau was involved. Niyazov appeared placid, but
pleased, with the investigation read verbatim from a written
report. Niyazov ordered the press to initiate a campaign to
expose any people who were against the government and the
country, and told Ashyrmuhammedov to &find them all,8
including any diplomats who might be involved in such
shenanigans.

According to French, Spy Specs Standard Journalistic Tool
-------------- --------------


9. (C) Ambassador met with French Charge Henri Tomasini on
June 20. Tomasini was visibly shaken, but bolstered by
communications he had from Paris overnight. He admitted to
providing the equipment to Amanklichev on instructions from
his ministry's press department. The two Europeans cited by
the GOTX (Bertilier and Hook) are correspondents with the
Galaxie Presse, and had asked for and received permission
from the French MFA,s press department to transfer the
camera glasses via diplomatic pouch to their contact in
Turkmenistan in order to report on developments in the
country. (Note: No information exists to confirm that
Amanklichev is a published journalist. End Note.) Tomasini
had a demarche from Paris which he hoped to deliver to the
Foreign Minister later on June 20, stating that France
provided the equipment as a form of journalistic technical
assistance, and it had no other purpose. The French demarche
also calls on Turkmenistan to stand by its commitments to
freedom of expression under the UN Human Rights agreement.

Ukraine: Not a Training Camp for Democratic Reformers
-------------- --------------


10. (C) Ukrainian DCM Valeriy Vasilyev told DCM on June 20
he had been summoned by Meredov at 2130 on June 19 (in the

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middle of the Ukraine-Saudi Arabia World Cup match).
According to Vasilyev, Meredov accused the Government of
Ukraine of "training Turkmen in your ORANGE Revolution
methods" in Donetsk. Vasilyev said he told Meredov he would
not dignify the baseless allegation with an answer, and
furthermore there was no such thing as "ORANGE Revolution
Methods Training." Vasilyev said he told Meredov he thought
it strange that one man, Amanklichev, could have successfully
put together such a complicated plot, including the
Ukrainians, the French, and the OSCE; to which Meredov
replied "he was not alone, there were others."


11. (C) Vasilyev told DCM he considered the whole incident
a "trumped up affair" and thought it likely Amanklichev was
an "agent provocateur" set up by the government to discredit
the West. Vasilyev said he was proud Ukraine was now
considered part of the "western camp" of democratic
reformers. He also noted that it probably was not a
coincidence that the announcement came on the heels of
GAZPROM Executive Director Miller's visit and that accusing
Ukraine of running "ORANGE Revolution Training Camps"
increasingly was part of Russia's black propaganda campaign
in Central Asia. He agreed that the audience for this
incident was the local public who, as a result, would be
increasingly reluctant to interact with any foreigners.

OSCE Cautious, No Formal Response
--------------


12. (SBU) PolOffs met with OSCE Center in Ashgabat with
Acting OSCE Head of Office Dieter Matthei and human
dimensions officer Benjamin Moreau on June 20. Matthei
characterized the situation as &a case under development8
and refused to make any statement absent official
notification and charges. He expressed total confidence in
his colleague,s above-board conduct, stating that Moreau
was, &always careful, and he knows his business well -- all
actions were received and documented.8 Matthei firmly
declined to speculate as to the reasons behind the public
accusation of OSCE, but acknowledged that alleged RFE/RL
stringer Myradova had regular contact with the OSCE. The
OSCE &has an open door ) anyone who wants to meet with us
can do so.8 (Note: The case against Amanklichev also
includes participation in an OSCE-sponsored human rights
conference in Warsaw. End note.).

Questions at DCM,s Residence
--------------


13. (C) Probably not coincidentally on June 19 a
representative from the municipal government spoke with DCM's
gardener (and next door neighbor),and asked him if he had
seen anything suspicious going on at the DCM's residence.
The gardener told the DCM that he had responded, "What do I
know? I'm just a gardener, and I look after her kid every
now and then, I don't ask any questions." The representative
requested the gardener to report anything suspicious
immediately.

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


14. (C) The ill-advised French move to supply a local
journalist with equipment in every way resembling spy gear
has given the government a welcome hook to round up a number
of individuals who have contact with Western news and
opposition organizations, and to send a chilling message to
regular citizens in Turkmenistan about the consequences of
contacts with foreigners. Tomasini and Moreau may or may not
be asked to leave, but in any case, the French have played
into the hands of an already paranoid and xenophobic regime
by supplying this bizarre equipment and as a result,
seriously undermined the ability of all Western and
international organizations -- as well as local independent
journalists or non-governmental organizations -- to promote
human rights and freedom of expression. End Comment.

JACOBSON

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JACOBSON