TURKMENISTAN: PRESIDENT BERDIMUHAMEDOV INCREASES

C O N F I D E N T I A L ASHGABAT 000602 SIPDIS STATE FOR SCA/CEN E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/08/2018 TAGS: PGOV ASEC PTER SOCI TX SUBJECT: TURKMENISTAN: PRESIDENT BERDIMUHAMEDOV INCREASES HIS SECURITY Classified By: CHARGE SYLVIA REED CURRAN OR REASONS 1.4 (B) AND (D). ¶1. (C) Over recent months, there has been a noticeable increase in security around President Berdimuhamedov. For example, both RSO and defense attaches from various embassies have noticed that there are more police (including plainclothes officers) on the street when the president moves around town. Instead of having a security person at every other or every third street corner, now they seem to be at every corner. (COMMENT: Our understanding is that officers have been pulled from other ministries to provide additional security and not that the presidential protective detail has been enlarged. END COMMENT.) Embassy FSN Investigator has noted that security officials now close down a larger part of the city for the presidential motorcade. Previously, only an area 2-3 blocks wide was cleared and now it is a 4-5 block area. In addition, several people have noted that the motorcade now travels in a diamond-formation, with the presidential vehicle in the center, rather than the more usual linear motorcade that was employed until recently. Colleagues at the Turkish Embassy observed what looked like decoy conveys deployed to increase the president's security while in transit. ¶2. (C) Changes to presidential security do not seem to be limited to the motorcade. The recently-departed Turkish ambassador said that he saw increased security around the president during the recent opening of a conference. He saw three security officers in front and three in back of the president, with the whole group led by Chief of the Presidential Administration Ishanguliyev. At the opening, only FM Meredov and Ishanguliyev were allowed to get close to the president. During the recent Galkan 2008 military demonstration attended by the diplomatic corps, Berdimuhamedov ventured only briefly to exchange words with his guests at the conclusion of the demonstration. When he chatted with two Arab ambassadors (the only guests he chatted with),two security officers separated the three from others present. This is in contrast with the very light security during the opening of the UN Center for Preventive Diplomacy in late 2007. At that time, Berdimuhamedov strolled freely up to the assembled diplomatic corps and chatted with the entire line of people with no security close by. ¶3. (C) COMMENT: Observers believe that the reason for the increased security is concern over growing discontent sparked by worsening economic conditions for the average Turkmen citizen. One rumor claims that a group of women at an event in the provinces got close enough to the president to berate him over economic conditions, and after that, his security was beefed up. Whether or not this change is due to any particular incident, the president is well aware that people are unhappy and blame him. Several months ago, graffiti was found on an underpass, criticizing Berdimuhamedov. And graffiti of any type is rare here. Presidential security, no doubt, just wants to be cautious. END COMMENT. CURRAN