TURKMENISTANL: AHAL TEKE TRIBE DOMINATES GOVERNMENT

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ASHGABAT 000055

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS

STATE FOR SCA/CEN

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PINR ECON SOCI TX
SUBJECT: TURKMENISTANL: AHAL TEKE TRIBE DOMINATES GOVERNMENT

REF: ASHGABAT 1284


1. (U) Sensitive but unclassified. Not for public Internet.


2. (SBU) SUMMARY: Examination of background information that is
available on government leadership reinforces the widely-held notion
that President Berdimuhamedov's Ahal Teke tribe dominates the senior
levels of government. Members of other tribes also have positions
of power, particularly in the oil and gas sector, but this may be a
place where job skills trump point of origin. Twenty-six of 31 top
Government of Turkmenistan officials are descended from the Ahal
Teke tribe, the dominant tribe in Turkmenistan. There are two
officials from each of Mary Teke and Balkan Yomut tribes. While
Dashoguz Yomut tribe is slightly better represented than the latter
two, the Ersari tribe is not represented at all. All Law
Enforcement Officials are Ahal Tekes. END SUMMARY.

TOP ECHELON STRONGLY AHAL TEKE


3. (SBU) Available information revealed that 26 of 31 senior
officials, or roughly 84 percent, including President
Berdimuhamedov, come from Ahal Province, suggesting that they are
Ahal Teke, the most dominant tribe in Turkmenistan (reftel). The
Speaker of Parliament, Akja Nurberdiyeva, is also Ahal Teke, as are
four of the seven Deputy Chairmen of the Cabinet of Ministers. They
are:

-- Rashid Meredov, the Deputy Chairman for Foreign Relations and
Minister of Foreign Affairs. (NOTE: Post has heard that Meredov's
mother is an ethnic Azeri and that he speaks Azeri fluently, but
nationality and tribe in Turkmenistan are based on the father's
lineage. Because Meredov was born in Ashgabat, he is presumably
Ahal Teke. END NOTE.);

-- Hojamuhammet Muhammedov, Deputy Chairman for Economy, Finance,
Textile, and Agriculture;

-- Nazarguly Shaguliyev, Deputy Chairman for Energy, Industry,
Construction and Motor Transport;

-- Gurbannazar Ashyrov, Deputy Chairman for Communication and
Transportation.

The remaining three Deputy Chairmen representing minority tribes are
Tachberdi Tagiyev, responsible for Oil and Gas, who is likely Balkan
Yomut; Hydyr Saparliyev, who covers Education, Science, and
Healthcare; and Maysa Yazmuhammedova, responsible for Culture, TV
Broadcasting and Press. The latter two are likely Mary Teke.

AHAL TEKE DOMINATE THE MINISTERIAL LEVEL


4. (SBU) Available information also suggests that 14 of 16 key
ministers or ministerial-level officials from various sectors are
Ahal Teke. They are:

-- Bayrammyrat Muradov, Head of the State Agency for Management and
Use of Hydrocarbon Resources;

-- Baymurat Hojamuhammedov, Minister of Oil and Gas Industry and
Mineral Resources;

-- Gurbannur Annaveliyev, Minister of Energy and Industry;

-- Hojamyrat Geldimyradov, Minister of Economy and Finance;

-- Geldimyrat Abylov, Chairman of Central Bank;

-- Jemal Goklenova, Minister of Textile Industry;

-- Norekguly Ataguliyev, Minister of Trade and Foreign Economic
Relations;

-- Ata Serdarov, Minister of Healthcare and Medical Industry;

-- Muhammetgeldi Annaamanov, Minister of Education;

ASHGABAT 00000055 002 OF 002



-- Esenmyrat Orazgeldiyev, Minister of Agriculture;

-- Resulberdi Hojagurbanov, Minister of Communication;

-- Shamuhammet Durdyliyev, Minister of Construction and Construction
Materials Industry;

-- Deryaguly Muhammetgulyev, Minister of Railway Transportation;

-- Gulmyrat Myradov, Minister of Culture and Broadcasting.

The two ministers who represent minority tribes are Yagshygeldi
Kakayev, State Minister of Turkmen Gas Concern, who is a Dashoguz
Yomut and Garyagdy Tashliyev, State Minister of Turkmen Oil Concern,
a Balkan Yomut.

POWER POSITIONS LIKEWISE AHAL TEKE


5. (SBU) Not surprisingly, Ahal Teke representatives also completely
monopolize law enforcement and power ministries. Defense Minister
Agageldi Mammetgeldiyev, Minister of National Security Charymyrat
Amanov, Minister of Internal Affairs Orazgeldi Amanmyradov, Minister
of Justice Myrat Garryev, Prosecutor General Muhammet Ogshukov, and
Chairman of the State Border Service Bayram Alovov all come from
Ahal Province, making it likely they are all Ahal Tekes. (NOTE:
The former Minister of National Security, Geldimuhammet
Ashyrmuhammedov, was from the small minority Nohur tribe. Although
he resigned reportedly due to health reasons, Post has heard that
Ashyrmuhammedov had to work twice as hard and constantly show his
loyalty to the leadership to prevail in his position. END NOTE.)


6. (SBU) COMMENT: Given the strong predominance of Ahal Tekes in the
top echelons of government here, it is safe to say that President
Berdimuhamedov wants the tribe to be the most politically
influential. Nevertheless, it is noteworthy that the president has
chosen to entrust three major portfolios relating to Turkmenistan's
oil and gas wealth to two Balkan Yomuts and a Dashoguz Yomut. The
appointment of these three officials may be one sign of
Berdimuhamedov's preference, particularly when it comes to certain
high-value sectors, for choosing people for their competence,
knowledge, and experience. This strongly contradicts former
President Niyazov's practice of appointing young and inexperienced
sycophants. END COMMENT.


7. (U) BACKGROUND: Historically, the Dashoguz Yomut were
associated with the Khanate of Khiva, and the Esarai in the east
with the Khanate of Bukhara. The Balkan Yomut in the west were
nomadic herders and fishermen. The Ahal Teke for the most part
exchanged nomadism for urban and agricultural life long before the
19th-century Imperial Russian invasion and mixed freely with the
Persians to the south, developing a relatively cosmopolitan
reputation. The first generation of Soviets in the 1920s hoped to
introduce liberal European values and blur tribal allegiances, but
throughout the Soviet era, the Ahal Teke dominated the senior
positions of the Communist Party of Turkmenistan. In the late
1920s, the Soviet authorities published a decree moving the capital
from Ashgabat to Charjev (now Turkmenabat) in the east, but the Ahal
Teke Soviets dragged their feet until it never happened. There has
always seemed to be a consensus among Turkmen, accepted so long as
everyone gets a culturally appropriate share, that the Ahal Teke are
first among equals.

HOAGLAND