Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
07ASHGABAT1344
2007-12-13 13:36:00
UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
Embassy Ashgabat
Cable title:
TURKMENISTAN TAKES UNPRECENDENTED STEP, ANNOUNCES
how-toVZCZCXRO0933 PP RUEHAG RUEHAST RUEHBI RUEHCI RUEHDF RUEHIK RUEHLH RUEHLN RUEHLZ RUEHPW RUEHROV RUEHVK RUEHYG DE RUEHAH #1344/01 3471336 ZNR UUUUU ZZH P 131336Z DEC 07 FM AMEMBASSY ASHGABAT TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 9863 INFO RUCNCLS/ALL SOUTH AND CENTRAL ASIA COLLECTIVE RUCNCIS/CIS COLLECTIVE RUCNMEM/EU MEMBER STATES COLLECTIVE RUEHAK/AMEMBASSY ANKARA 3093 RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING 0908 RUEHKO/AMEMBASSY TOKYO 0782 RUEHIT/AMCONSUL ISTANBUL 1358 RUEABND/DEA HQS WASHINGTON DC RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC RHMFIUU/CDR USCENTCOM MACDILL AFB FL RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC RHEFDIA/DIA WASHDC RUEKJCS/JOINT STAFF WASHDC RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHINGTON DC RUEHGV/USMISSION GENEVA 1346 RUEHVEN/USMISSION USOSCE 1983
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ASHGABAT 001344
SIPDIS
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
STATE FOR SCA/CEN AND INL, MOSCOW ALSO FOR DEA, DUSHANBE
ALSO FOR DEA, ISLAMABAD ALSO FOR DEA, ANKARA ALSO FOR DEA
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL SNAR TX
SUBJECT: TURKMENISTAN TAKES UNPRECENDENTED STEP, ANNOUNCES
STATISTICS AT UNODC PARIS PACT MEETING
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ASHGABAT 001344
SIPDIS
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
STATE FOR SCA/CEN AND INL, MOSCOW ALSO FOR DEA, DUSHANBE
ALSO FOR DEA, ISLAMABAD ALSO FOR DEA, ANKARA ALSO FOR DEA
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL SNAR TX
SUBJECT: TURKMENISTAN TAKES UNPRECENDENTED STEP, ANNOUNCES
STATISTICS AT UNODC PARIS PACT MEETING
1. (U) Sensitive but unclassified. Not for public Internet.
2. (SBU) SUMMARY: On December 11, officials of the United
Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) discussed U.S.
support of U.S.-funded UNODC border crossing projects with
the Charge. In a major policy change, Turkmenistan's
Chairman of the State Counternarcotics Commission, Myrat
Yslamov, for the first time ever gave several statistics on
Turkmenistan's narcotics problem at the December 3 UNODC
Paris Pact Strategic Policy meeting in Vienna. Pending
funding, UNODC envisages implementing new operational and
drug demand projects in Turkmenistan. UNODC Executive
Director Antonio Maria Costa will discuss Iranian trafficking
issues with President Berdimuhamedov January 8-11. All of
these signs are encouraging, so much so that UNODC hopes the
United States will make additional funding available in 2008.
END SUMMARY.
3. (SBU) On December 11, officials of the United Nations
Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) discussed U.S. support of
U.S.-funded UNODC Turkmenistan border crossing projects with
the Charge. Ercan Saka, Project Coordinator of UNODC's
Turkmenistan office, stated that Turkmenistan's Chairman of
the State Counternarcotics Commission, Myrat Yslamov, stated
at the Paris Pact Strategic Policy meeting in Vienna on
December 3 that there are approximately 33,000 drug abusers
in Turkmenistan. (COMMENT: It is unclear how Turkmenistan's
authorities determined this number. It could be the number
of people apprehended for narcotics possession, the number of
registered drug abusers, or perhaps an estimate. However,
Turkmenistan's admission and the fact that an official named
a specific number is a step forward. END COMMENT.) Yslamov
also listed many other statistics for the first ten months of
2007:
-- The State Border Services prevented 41 cases of border
infringement (18 from Iran, 23 from Afghanistan),seizing
1,612 kilograms of narcotics (616 kilograms from Iran, 996
kilograms from Afghanistan).
-- The State Customs Service stopped 47 cases of drug
smuggling, seizing 24.766 kilograms (6.453 kilograms of
heroin, 18.313 kilograms of opium, and 13,107 tablets of
"strong medicinal preparations").
-- The Ministry of Internal Affairs and the Ministry of
National Security seized 239.906 kilograms of heroin and
2147.668 kilograms of opium.
-- In 2006, judicial bodies reviewed 1,403 criminal cases
linked to illicit drug trafficking. In 2007, these judicial
bodies reviewed 1,450 criminal cases connected to illicit
drug trafficking and sentenced 2,902 people for these
offenses.
4. (SBU) UNODC's Central Asia Regional Representative, James
Callahan, said that UNODC wants to increase protection of the
"green borders" -- the unmanned border areas between border
posts -- including by introducing mobile interdiction teams,
and increasing cooperation between interagency teams on both
sides of the border. The interagency teams would surveil the
green borders using SUV's or ATV's and could use the gathered
intelligence in other operations. Callahan said that UNODC
is currently leading similar pilot projects in Kyrgyzstan and
Tajikistan.
5. (SBU) Callahan said that UNODC Executive Director Antonio
Maria Costa will discuss Iranian trafficking issues with
President Berdimuhamedov during Costa's January 8-11 visit to
Turkmenistan. It was the Turkmenistan government that raised
this problem with UNODC. Callahan added that
ASHGABAT 00001344 002 OF 002
Berdimuhamedov is concerned about the Iranian/Afghan border
in general, and said that UNODC will look for funding for a
mobile unit.
6. (SBU) Callahan said that the Government of Turkmenistan
expressed interest in establishing an organization similar to
the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA),with an umbrella role over
Turkmenistan's counternarcotics effort. If this agency comes
to fruition, UNODC would assist with training, equipment, the
vetting process, and the policy structure. UNODC has also
proposed a drug demand reduction project in Turkmenistan,
similar to one introduced in Uzbekistan, aimed at school
children.
7. (SBU) Callahan said that UNODC was still planning on
introducing a Coordination and Analysis Unit as part of the
Caspian Sea Initiative, and which would be located in
Ashgabat. The office would have a seconded officer and local
analyst.
8. (SBU) COMMENT: Counternarcotics remains a fruitful area
of cooperation both for international organizations such as
UNODC and for the United States. Yslamov noted cooperation
with the United States in his December 3 speech several
times. His announcement of 2007 statistics is unheard of and
a welcome development. If anything, this is a sign that
increased DEA engagement with Turkmenistan would not be a
waste. END COMMENT.
CURRAN
SIPDIS
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
STATE FOR SCA/CEN AND INL, MOSCOW ALSO FOR DEA, DUSHANBE
ALSO FOR DEA, ISLAMABAD ALSO FOR DEA, ANKARA ALSO FOR DEA
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL SNAR TX
SUBJECT: TURKMENISTAN TAKES UNPRECENDENTED STEP, ANNOUNCES
STATISTICS AT UNODC PARIS PACT MEETING
1. (U) Sensitive but unclassified. Not for public Internet.
2. (SBU) SUMMARY: On December 11, officials of the United
Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) discussed U.S.
support of U.S.-funded UNODC border crossing projects with
the Charge. In a major policy change, Turkmenistan's
Chairman of the State Counternarcotics Commission, Myrat
Yslamov, for the first time ever gave several statistics on
Turkmenistan's narcotics problem at the December 3 UNODC
Paris Pact Strategic Policy meeting in Vienna. Pending
funding, UNODC envisages implementing new operational and
drug demand projects in Turkmenistan. UNODC Executive
Director Antonio Maria Costa will discuss Iranian trafficking
issues with President Berdimuhamedov January 8-11. All of
these signs are encouraging, so much so that UNODC hopes the
United States will make additional funding available in 2008.
END SUMMARY.
3. (SBU) On December 11, officials of the United Nations
Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) discussed U.S. support of
U.S.-funded UNODC Turkmenistan border crossing projects with
the Charge. Ercan Saka, Project Coordinator of UNODC's
Turkmenistan office, stated that Turkmenistan's Chairman of
the State Counternarcotics Commission, Myrat Yslamov, stated
at the Paris Pact Strategic Policy meeting in Vienna on
December 3 that there are approximately 33,000 drug abusers
in Turkmenistan. (COMMENT: It is unclear how Turkmenistan's
authorities determined this number. It could be the number
of people apprehended for narcotics possession, the number of
registered drug abusers, or perhaps an estimate. However,
Turkmenistan's admission and the fact that an official named
a specific number is a step forward. END COMMENT.) Yslamov
also listed many other statistics for the first ten months of
2007:
-- The State Border Services prevented 41 cases of border
infringement (18 from Iran, 23 from Afghanistan),seizing
1,612 kilograms of narcotics (616 kilograms from Iran, 996
kilograms from Afghanistan).
-- The State Customs Service stopped 47 cases of drug
smuggling, seizing 24.766 kilograms (6.453 kilograms of
heroin, 18.313 kilograms of opium, and 13,107 tablets of
"strong medicinal preparations").
-- The Ministry of Internal Affairs and the Ministry of
National Security seized 239.906 kilograms of heroin and
2147.668 kilograms of opium.
-- In 2006, judicial bodies reviewed 1,403 criminal cases
linked to illicit drug trafficking. In 2007, these judicial
bodies reviewed 1,450 criminal cases connected to illicit
drug trafficking and sentenced 2,902 people for these
offenses.
4. (SBU) UNODC's Central Asia Regional Representative, James
Callahan, said that UNODC wants to increase protection of the
"green borders" -- the unmanned border areas between border
posts -- including by introducing mobile interdiction teams,
and increasing cooperation between interagency teams on both
sides of the border. The interagency teams would surveil the
green borders using SUV's or ATV's and could use the gathered
intelligence in other operations. Callahan said that UNODC
is currently leading similar pilot projects in Kyrgyzstan and
Tajikistan.
5. (SBU) Callahan said that UNODC Executive Director Antonio
Maria Costa will discuss Iranian trafficking issues with
President Berdimuhamedov during Costa's January 8-11 visit to
Turkmenistan. It was the Turkmenistan government that raised
this problem with UNODC. Callahan added that
ASHGABAT 00001344 002 OF 002
Berdimuhamedov is concerned about the Iranian/Afghan border
in general, and said that UNODC will look for funding for a
mobile unit.
6. (SBU) Callahan said that the Government of Turkmenistan
expressed interest in establishing an organization similar to
the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA),with an umbrella role over
Turkmenistan's counternarcotics effort. If this agency comes
to fruition, UNODC would assist with training, equipment, the
vetting process, and the policy structure. UNODC has also
proposed a drug demand reduction project in Turkmenistan,
similar to one introduced in Uzbekistan, aimed at school
children.
7. (SBU) Callahan said that UNODC was still planning on
introducing a Coordination and Analysis Unit as part of the
Caspian Sea Initiative, and which would be located in
Ashgabat. The office would have a seconded officer and local
analyst.
8. (SBU) COMMENT: Counternarcotics remains a fruitful area
of cooperation both for international organizations such as
UNODC and for the United States. Yslamov noted cooperation
with the United States in his December 3 speech several
times. His announcement of 2007 statistics is unheard of and
a welcome development. If anything, this is a sign that
increased DEA engagement with Turkmenistan would not be a
waste. END COMMENT.
CURRAN