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