Turkmenistan Customs Seeks Increased Cooperation

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ASHGABAT 000046

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE

SIPDIS

DEPT FOR SCA/CEN (PERRY); INL (BUHLER); EUR/ACE (MCKANE)

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PHUM SNAR TX
SUBJECT: Turkmenistan Customs Seeks Increased Cooperation

Summary
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1. (SBU) Deputy Chief of Customs Amanmamet Muhammetgulyev told SCA
Deputy Assistant Secretary Evan Feigenbaum during an unexpected
sit-down meeting at the Altyn Asyr Customs Training Center on
January 10 that Customs has benefited from USG cooperation and
looked forward to enhancing this relationship in the future.
Muhammetgulyev cited both the International Narcotics and Law
Enforcement Affairs (INL) English language training project and the
two border crossing checkpoint construction projects, one on the
border with Iran and one on the border with Afghanistan, as positive
areas of engagement and noted the continuing need for training
assistance. End Summary.

A Conversation with Law Enforcement
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2. (SBU) Although the Government of Turkmenistan agreed to host
just one official meeting during DAS Feigenbaum's January 10-15
introductory visit to Turkmenistan -- a meeting with Foreign
Minister Rashit Meredov that ran to three and a half hours -- DAS
Feigenbaum created an opportunity to discuss USG law enforcement
assistance cooperation and areas for further engagement during an
INL project site visit. Deputy Chief of Customs Muhammetgulyev, a
familiar face to Embassy officers working with the customs service,
hosted the DAS and Charge at the Altyn Asyr State Customs Service
training center in Ashgabat. Muhammetgulyev was prepared to make a
statement of gratitude and guide the visitors through a routine tour
of the semi-renovated building, but during the initial meet and
greet, DAS Feigenbaum ignited a discussion after acknowledging that
law enforcement, particularly counternarcotics and border security
efforts, was one of the more positive and productive areas of
cooperation the USG enjoyed with the host government.


3. (SBU) DAS Feigenbaum solicited areas of Turkmen interest for
expansion, but Muhammetgulyev was indirect in answering the query.
After thanking DAS Feigenbaum for USG support for the customs
service in general, Muhammetgulyev said that over 100 students had
already benefited from the U.K. English language program that is now
a joint U.K./U.S project. Muhammetgulyev was responsive, though
vague, in answering questions about specific shortcomings or needs
within the customs service, but was comfortable and verbose in
describing customs' work in the border areas, including an admission
that border checkpoints communicate only monthly with their
cross-border counterparts in Kazakhstan by raising a flag to signal
a meeting time; there are no direct lines of communication across
the borders. Avoiding any specific requests, Muhammetgulyev
indirectly noted the need for continued training and appropriate
equipment.

Customs Training Center
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4. (SBU) The Altyn Asyr center was, until 2002, an operational
customs building. During the past few years, the building has been
renovated, room by room, by a variety of international and
diplomatic missions, both addressing the needs of developing a
professional customs service and making their best attempts to get a
foot in the door with law enforcement agencies. The building houses
classrooms laden with computers and instructional materials supplied
by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC),OSCE, the
European Union and, most recently, the European Customs service.
Notably a latecomer in providing assistance to the training center,
the USG is providing only language learning support to the
participating law enforcement agencies: Customs, Ministry of the
Interior, Ministry of National Security, Ministry of Foreign
Affairs, and the State Border Service. In response to Feigenbaum's
questions about the integration of the language learners in the work
force, Muhammetgulyev said that customs officials are routinely
rotated throughout the border stations and national points of entry,
and that the student population crosscuts the agency.
Muhammetgulyev said he was also a student in the program.

Comment
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5. (SBU) Muhammetgulyev did not waver in discussing the need for
continued assistance, particularly in regard to cross-border issues
and training. Muhammetgulyev is not the Customs Service point of
contact for the border crossing checkpoint stations, but he was keen
to note the benefits of the modern and fully-equipped buildings on
two significant borders and identified the need for integrated
training at these sites. End Comment.

BRUSH