Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
08ASHGABAT916
2008-07-18 13:18:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Ashgabat
Cable title:
TURKMENISTAN: FORMER DEMOCRATIC PARTY LEADER MAY
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C O N F I D E N T I A L ASHGABAT 000916
SIPDIS
STATE FOR SCA/CEN, DRL
E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/18/2018
TAGS: PGOV TX
SUBJECT: TURKMENISTAN: FORMER DEMOCRATIC PARTY LEADER MAY
BE IN PRISON
Classified By: Charge d'Affaires Sylvia R. Curran for reasons 1.4(B) an
d (D).
C O N F I D E N T I A L ASHGABAT 000916
SIPDIS
STATE FOR SCA/CEN, DRL
E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/18/2018
TAGS: PGOV TX
SUBJECT: TURKMENISTAN: FORMER DEMOCRATIC PARTY LEADER MAY
BE IN PRISON
Classified By: Charge d'Affaires Sylvia R. Curran for reasons 1.4(B) an
d (D).
1. (C) The former First Secretary of the Democratic Party
and Galkynysh (Revival) national movement, Onjyk Musayev, has
been imprisoned, according to an FSN's relative who lives
close to the village where Musayev's mother lives. Musayev,
who resigned his job for health reasons during a June 22
joint meeting of the two organizations, has been charged with
embezzling state funds. According to this source, Musayev
entered some 60 people's names on the party's payroll and
drew these individuals' salaries even though they never
worked for the party. However, we have also heard that the
president fired Musayev because he sought at a recent
official event to follow a Niyazov-era custom of kissing the
president's hand.
2. (C) During the June 22 meeting, party members approved an
organizational group to prepare for an extraordinary congress
slated to meet in July (possibly July 19-20). Kasymguly
Babeyev, deputy speaker of the Mejlis and a graduate of Texas
A&M's program in Turkmenistan was put in charge of the
organizational group.
3. (C) COMMENT: That Musayev may have been engaging in
economic wrongdoing is not a total surprise. Corruption is
endemic in Turkmenistan, and the party, which had permission
under President Niyazov to become involved in (high-value)
tobacco and alcohol sales, is not exempt from this
phenomenon. Traditionally, being placed in charge of the
organizational group is a sign that an individual is slated
to become the party's new leader. END COMMENT.
CURRAN
SIPDIS
STATE FOR SCA/CEN, DRL
E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/18/2018
TAGS: PGOV TX
SUBJECT: TURKMENISTAN: FORMER DEMOCRATIC PARTY LEADER MAY
BE IN PRISON
Classified By: Charge d'Affaires Sylvia R. Curran for reasons 1.4(B) an
d (D).
1. (C) The former First Secretary of the Democratic Party
and Galkynysh (Revival) national movement, Onjyk Musayev, has
been imprisoned, according to an FSN's relative who lives
close to the village where Musayev's mother lives. Musayev,
who resigned his job for health reasons during a June 22
joint meeting of the two organizations, has been charged with
embezzling state funds. According to this source, Musayev
entered some 60 people's names on the party's payroll and
drew these individuals' salaries even though they never
worked for the party. However, we have also heard that the
president fired Musayev because he sought at a recent
official event to follow a Niyazov-era custom of kissing the
president's hand.
2. (C) During the June 22 meeting, party members approved an
organizational group to prepare for an extraordinary congress
slated to meet in July (possibly July 19-20). Kasymguly
Babeyev, deputy speaker of the Mejlis and a graduate of Texas
A&M's program in Turkmenistan was put in charge of the
organizational group.
3. (C) COMMENT: That Musayev may have been engaging in
economic wrongdoing is not a total surprise. Corruption is
endemic in Turkmenistan, and the party, which had permission
under President Niyazov to become involved in (high-value)
tobacco and alcohol sales, is not exempt from this
phenomenon. Traditionally, being placed in charge of the
organizational group is a sign that an individual is slated
to become the party's new leader. END COMMENT.
CURRAN