TURKMENISTAN: EMERGING STORY CONTRADICTS OFFICIAL

C O N F I D E N T I A L ASHGABAT 001031 SIPDIS STATE FOR SCA/CEN, EEB PLEASE PASS TO USTDA DAN STEIN ENERGY FOR EKIMOFF/THOMPSON COMMERCE FOR HUEPER TREASURY FOR BAKER E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/07/2017 TAGS: PGOV PINR EIND ETRD TX SUBJECT: TURKMENISTAN: EMERGING STORY CONTRADICTS OFFICIAL REASON FOR TEXTILE MINISTER'S RESIGNATION REF: 07 ASHGABAT 1047 Classified By: CDA Sylvia Reed Curran for reasons 1.4 (B) and (D). ¶1. (C) President Berdimuhamedov accepted the resignation "for health reasons" of Minister of Textiles Jemal Goklenova during an August 1 Cabinet of Ministers meeting. Goklenova, related to Berdimuhamedov through his wife (reftel),dropped totally off the map during former President Niyazov,s later years. When she first reappeared more than a year ago after an imprisonment or home confinement, she looked gaunt and weak. Therefore, post immediately thought that Goklenova may actually have some health issues, in spite of the fact that "health reasons" is a common excuse for removing people from office who have committed some particularly bad act that the president does not wish to discuss publicly. ¶2. (C) On August 7, well-connected longtime post contact and head of EU-Tacis in Turkmenistan Michael Wilson (please strictly protect) said that, according to his sources, two people traveling with Goklenova from Turkey were arrested upon disembarking from a Turkish Airlines flight in Ashgabat on July 31. Goklenova, Wilson said, was not arrested because "she is family." Wilson did not know any other details or have the names of the individuals at the time. ¶3. (C) COMMENT: Corruption is widely acknowledged as a way of life in Turkmenistan and in the region, as is the assumption that ministers have a variety of extracurricular activities that add to their personal fortunes. Goklenova seemed to be very interested in increasing capacity in her Ministry and promoting Turkmenistan's textile industry. Nevertheless, it would have been beyond reason to think that she didn't also make use of opportunities for personal enrichment. Post will continue to look for further details on who was arrested and why. Unlike her traveling companions, Goklenova is lucky that she is related to the president. END COMMENT. CURRAN