NEW ROUND OF CABINET ANNOUNCEMENTS IN TURKMENISTAN

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 ASHGABAT 000226 SIPDIS SENSITIVE SIPDIS STATE FOR SCA/CEN (PERRY),SCA/PPD, EUR/ACE E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PGOV PINR PREL SOCI EAID TX SUBJECT: NEW ROUND OF CABINET ANNOUNCEMENTS IN TURKMENISTAN REF: ASHGABAT 221 SUMMARY AND COMMENT -------------- ¶1. (SBU) President Berdimuhammedov's latest tranche of personnel picks, published February 22, does even less than the prior day's to fuel outsiders' hope of early new approaches in Turkmenistan's governance. Locals, however (including many who have typically been skeptics),stand by their belief that the absence of fresh faces or signs in Berdimuhammedov's first administration was inevitable, and not necessarily ominous. As well as behind-the-scenes constraints, Niyazov's old system literally did not leave personnel alternatives, they say. There also seems to exist broad social readiness to believe that many of the old guard who had to serve Niyazov slavishly may now emerge as reasonably competent and honest in office. In addition, Berdimuhammedov has yet to appoint any Deputy Chairmen, other than Foreign Minister Meredov, and has not touched any of the current, though Niyazov-vintage, "siloviki," i.e., security apparatus heavyweights. ¶2. SBU) Post continues unconvinced if not disappointed on this score, but our practical test will be in the tasting. Projected visits from Washington by five expert groups will give the chance to meet with and assess the top-down readiness of these Turkmenistan officials in their new circumstances to engage along lines promised by Berdimuhammedov and Foreign Minister Meredov. Perhaps some new wine can indeed be found even in old Niyazov bottles. END SUMMARY AND COMMENT. Steadily More of the Same -------------- ¶3. (U) Presidential decrees naming a further eighteen senior government members were published February 22. Even more than with the analogous February 21 list of decrees (reftel),almost all these cases involved Berdimuhammedov's simple reappointment of personnel already serving in the positions. The three semi-exceptions were the new State Committee of Sport and Tourism Chairman, Deryageldy Orazov, a political figure with assorted past experience; Social Welfare Minister Gurbandurdy Kakalyiev, who has served as Deputy Minister since 2005; and State News Agency Director Jeren Taimova who was additionally appointed to the vacant position of Editor-in-Chief of Neutralniy Turkmenistan newspaper. ¶4. (SBU) Unexpectedly appearing on the list of reappointments was Ashgabat Hakim (mayor) Orazmyrat "the Bulldozer" Esenov. Esenov was not, however, reappointed to his dual previous position as Minister of Construction. With the exception of the Ashgabat Mayor position, all other mayors were selected by the People's Councils elected in the December 2005 district (etrap) elections. None of Turkmenistan's five regional governors so far have been the subject of any decrees; nor does national law require the incoming president to confirm their reappointment. All five came into office only last October or November, appointed by Niyazov after he fired their predecessors en masse. Deputy Chairs: Phase-Out, or Undropped Shoes? -------------- - ¶5. (SBU) Conversely, still conspicuous by their absence are any new Deputy Chairmen of the Cabinet of Ministers. The sole current Deputy Chair is thus Foreign Minister Meredov, who was elevated back to that rank (of which Niyazov stripped him in 2005) by the same February 17 decree that confirmed his reappointment as Foreign Minister. One serious source has predicted to us that no more Deputy Chairs will be appointed at all, leaving Meredov alone at that level -- by inference, a sort of Prime Minister. ¶6. (U) Under Niyazov, the Deputy Chairs' notional function was to coordinate and transmit policy between the president to ministers. Turkmenistan's government organization chart depicts a total of eight Deputy Chair positions, not counting Defense Minister Mammetgeldiyev's comparable status as Secretary of the National Security Council. As a result of Niyazov's penchant for purges, the number of actual incumbents under Niyazov fluctuated, with a general ASHGABAT 00000226 002 OF 003 decline after the 1990s to just four at the time of his death. ¶7. (SBU) Of these four, one was Berdimuhammedov who served concurrently as Deputy Chairman for Education, Health, Science and Culture as well as Health Minister. His successor as Health Minister, has not gained Deputy Chair rank, nor has either the reappointed Minister of Culture or the new Minister of Education. Nor have the other three Deputy Chairman been re-appointed in that capacity, though all three were reappointed to lower capacities as ministers (Transport and Communication Minister Hudayberdiey, Oil and Gas Industry Minister Atayev, and Minister of Power Engineering and Industry Dawudov). Four Deputy Chair positions (for International Affairs; Agriculture; Economy, Finance and Banking; and Trade, Commerce and Textiles) were vacant at Niyazov's death. Ministers for all four areas have now been appointed, but none were given Deputy Chair status except for Meredov. Main Outstanding Business -------------- ¶8. (SBU) At first glance, it looks as if Berdimuhammedov could substantially supplement his ministerial appointments via his choice of Deputy Chairpersons over them. Yet the longstanding custom has been for the Deputy Chair slots to be occupied simply by the prominent minister involved in the sector. To seek others from outside might risk being seen as the type of destabilizing new departure that by all signs it has been the new president's priority to avoid throughout the regime transition. And with a few exceptions there would remain the practical question: where are the qualified outside candidates? ¶9. (SBU) The key area in regard to which Berdimuhammedov's personnel decisions to date have been wholly silent is that of Turkmenistan's security and law-enforcement organs, including the Justice Ministry. Especially given his almost unbroken policy of reappointments with the other ministries, no-one envisions any serious chance of Berdimuhammedov taking a "non-continuity" course in this critical sphere. Latest Listings -------------- ¶10. (U) Following is the list of appointments announced in president Berdimuhammedov's February 21 decrees: Gurbanurdy Kakalyev - Welfare and Social Protection Minister; Myratberdi Annalyev - State Customs Service Chairman (reappointed); Sapargeldi Jumayev - Turkmengeologiya State Concern Chairman (reappointed); Kakamyrat Mommadov - National Institute of Statistics and Information Director (reappointed); Enebay Atayeva - Culture and Broadcasting Minister (reappointed); Deryageldi Orazov - State Committee for Tourism and Sport Chairman; Yusup Dawudov - Energy and Industry Minister (reappointed); Jeren Taimova - Turkmendowlethabarlary (State News Service) Director (reappointed),and Neutralny Turkmenistan Editor-in-Chief (this position has been vacant since the death of former Editor-in-Chief and sole ethnic Russian Parliamentary Deputy Viktor Mihaylov in November 2006); Orazmyrat Esenov - Ashgabat Mayor (prior to his appointment to Ashgabat, Esenov was Mayor of Mary, where he earned the nickname "the Bulldozer" for his zeal for demolition. He has continued in this tradition during his tenure of Mayor of Ashgabat since July 2005); Resulberdi Hojagurbanov - Communications Minister (reappointed); Ashyrgeldi Zamanov - Motor Transport and Highways Roads Minister (reappointed); ASHGABAT 00000226 003 OF 003 Orazberdi Hudayberdiyev -Railway Transportation Minister (reappointed); Gurbanazar Ashyrov - Turkmendenizderyayollary (Maritime Transportation) Directorate Director (reappointed); Yaylym Berdiyev -State Service for Registration of Foreigners Chairman (reappointed); Bayram Hasanov - Turkmenstandartlary (State Standards) Inspectorate Chairman (formerly Acting Chairman); Hojamuhammet Muhammedov - State Commodity and Raw Materials Exchange Chairman (reappointed); Maya Mollayeva - State Archives Director (reappointed). BRUSH