Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
08ASHGABAT204
2008-02-08 11:59:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Ashgabat
Cable title:
TURKMENISTAN: DETAILS EMERGE ABOUT NEW
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C O N F I D E N T I A L ASHGABAT 000204
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
STATE FOR SCA/CEN, EUR/ACE, INL
DUSHANBE FOR DEA
MOSCOW FOR DEA
ISLAMABAD FOR DEA
ANKARA FOR DEA
AID/W FOR EE/AA (BOB WALLIN)
E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/08/2018
TAGS: PGOV PREL PINR EAID SNAR TX
SUBJECT: TURKMENISTAN: DETAILS EMERGE ABOUT NEW
COUNTERNARCOTICS AGENCY
REF: ASHGABAT 0122
Classified By: CDA RICHARD E. HOAGLAND: 1.4 (B),(D)
C O N F I D E N T I A L ASHGABAT 000204
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
STATE FOR SCA/CEN, EUR/ACE, INL
DUSHANBE FOR DEA
MOSCOW FOR DEA
ISLAMABAD FOR DEA
ANKARA FOR DEA
AID/W FOR EE/AA (BOB WALLIN)
E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/08/2018
TAGS: PGOV PREL PINR EAID SNAR TX
SUBJECT: TURKMENISTAN: DETAILS EMERGE ABOUT NEW
COUNTERNARCOTICS AGENCY
REF: ASHGABAT 0122
Classified By: CDA RICHARD E. HOAGLAND: 1.4 (B),(D)
1. (C) SUMMARY: A symbol of Turkmenistan's new commitment
to combating narcotics trafficking, the State Agency for
Combating Narcotics that President Berdimuhamedov established
January 18, will have nearly 700 employees and will function
much as the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) does,
according to UNODC and an official from Turkmenistan's
Ministry of Internal Affairs (MVD). It will focus on
counternarcotics operations, and will have authority over
investigations of drug-related crimes. Headed by a
well-respected official with a "can-do" attitude, the
organization seems to have everything -- except training and,
possibly, fiscal resources -- working in its favor. END
SUMMARY.
2. (C) During recent separate meetings, UN Office on Drugs
and Crime (UNODC) Project Coordinator Ercan Saka and the
Acting Chief of the Ministry of Internal Affairs' (MVD's)
Forensic Laboratory Murad Cherkezov (please strictly protect
both throughout) told the Embassy details of the composition
and purpose of the State Agency for Combating Narcotics
(SACN),announced on January 18 at a meeting of
Turkmenistan's National Security Council (reftel). According
to Cherkezov, this new agency will function much like the
U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). It will focus on
the operations side of counternarcotics activity and will
have authority over the investigation of drug-related crimes,
as well as spearheading the Government of Turkmenistan's drug
awareness/prevention efforts. It will operate under the
Cabinet of Ministers and its head, Murad Islamov, will report
directly to the president. (NOTE: Until his appointment to
lead the State Agency for Combating Narcotics, Islamov headed
the State Drug Coordination Committee. END NOTE.)
A PLETHORA OF PERSONNEL, BUT OTHER RESOURCES NEEDED
3. (SBU) About 700 officers will work for the new agency in
offices in each province and municipality. The Agency will
also have its own forensic laboratory. SACN's headquarters
is located next to the MVD in Ashgabat. According to Saka,
although President Berdimuhamedov told UNODC Executive
Director Antonio Maria Costa that the government of
Turkmenistan would self-fund this agency, Islamov pointedly
asked Saka what UNODC's contribution would be. Islamov
informed UNODC that his new agency needs technical and
training assistance, office equipment, computer
equipment/information technology, and vehicles.
MVD LOSES COUNTERNARCOTICS FUNCTION
4. (SBU) The State Drug Coordination Committee will be kept
intact with responsibility for coordination of
law-enforcement agencies' policies. The government
dismantled the MVD's Department on Fighting Illegal Drug
Trafficking and transferred its functions to the
newly-established agency.
5. (SBU) COMMENT: We had wondered what the new Agency would
do and how much authority it would have. With 700 employees,
it certainly appears that it will have the manpower, if not
yet the other resources, to do the job. It bodes well that
Murad Islamov is in charge, since he is well-known as a
"can-do" Turkmen official. END COMMENT.
HOAGLAND
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
STATE FOR SCA/CEN, EUR/ACE, INL
DUSHANBE FOR DEA
MOSCOW FOR DEA
ISLAMABAD FOR DEA
ANKARA FOR DEA
AID/W FOR EE/AA (BOB WALLIN)
E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/08/2018
TAGS: PGOV PREL PINR EAID SNAR TX
SUBJECT: TURKMENISTAN: DETAILS EMERGE ABOUT NEW
COUNTERNARCOTICS AGENCY
REF: ASHGABAT 0122
Classified By: CDA RICHARD E. HOAGLAND: 1.4 (B),(D)
1. (C) SUMMARY: A symbol of Turkmenistan's new commitment
to combating narcotics trafficking, the State Agency for
Combating Narcotics that President Berdimuhamedov established
January 18, will have nearly 700 employees and will function
much as the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) does,
according to UNODC and an official from Turkmenistan's
Ministry of Internal Affairs (MVD). It will focus on
counternarcotics operations, and will have authority over
investigations of drug-related crimes. Headed by a
well-respected official with a "can-do" attitude, the
organization seems to have everything -- except training and,
possibly, fiscal resources -- working in its favor. END
SUMMARY.
2. (C) During recent separate meetings, UN Office on Drugs
and Crime (UNODC) Project Coordinator Ercan Saka and the
Acting Chief of the Ministry of Internal Affairs' (MVD's)
Forensic Laboratory Murad Cherkezov (please strictly protect
both throughout) told the Embassy details of the composition
and purpose of the State Agency for Combating Narcotics
(SACN),announced on January 18 at a meeting of
Turkmenistan's National Security Council (reftel). According
to Cherkezov, this new agency will function much like the
U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). It will focus on
the operations side of counternarcotics activity and will
have authority over the investigation of drug-related crimes,
as well as spearheading the Government of Turkmenistan's drug
awareness/prevention efforts. It will operate under the
Cabinet of Ministers and its head, Murad Islamov, will report
directly to the president. (NOTE: Until his appointment to
lead the State Agency for Combating Narcotics, Islamov headed
the State Drug Coordination Committee. END NOTE.)
A PLETHORA OF PERSONNEL, BUT OTHER RESOURCES NEEDED
3. (SBU) About 700 officers will work for the new agency in
offices in each province and municipality. The Agency will
also have its own forensic laboratory. SACN's headquarters
is located next to the MVD in Ashgabat. According to Saka,
although President Berdimuhamedov told UNODC Executive
Director Antonio Maria Costa that the government of
Turkmenistan would self-fund this agency, Islamov pointedly
asked Saka what UNODC's contribution would be. Islamov
informed UNODC that his new agency needs technical and
training assistance, office equipment, computer
equipment/information technology, and vehicles.
MVD LOSES COUNTERNARCOTICS FUNCTION
4. (SBU) The State Drug Coordination Committee will be kept
intact with responsibility for coordination of
law-enforcement agencies' policies. The government
dismantled the MVD's Department on Fighting Illegal Drug
Trafficking and transferred its functions to the
newly-established agency.
5. (SBU) COMMENT: We had wondered what the new Agency would
do and how much authority it would have. With 700 employees,
it certainly appears that it will have the manpower, if not
yet the other resources, to do the job. It bodes well that
Murad Islamov is in charge, since he is well-known as a
"can-do" Turkmen official. END COMMENT.
HOAGLAND