Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
09ASHGABAT172
2009-02-04 05:58:00
UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
Embassy Ashgabat
Cable title:
TURKMENISTAN: STATE COUNTER NARCOTICS AGENCY SAYS
how-toVZCZCXRO2355 PP RUEHAG RUEHAST RUEHBC RUEHBI RUEHCI RUEHDE RUEHDF RUEHDIR RUEHIK RUEHKUK RUEHLH RUEHLN RUEHLZ RUEHNEH RUEHPW RUEHROV RUEHSK RUEHSR RUEHVK RUEHYG DE RUEHAH #0172 0350558 ZNR UUUUU ZZH P 040558Z FEB 09 FM AMEMBASSY ASHGABAT TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 2253 INFO RUCNCLS/ALL SOUTH AND CENTRAL ASIA COLLECTIVE RUCNCIS/CIS COLLECTIVE RUCNMEM/EU MEMBER STATES COLLECTIVE RUCNIRA/IRAN COLLECTIVE RUEHAK/AMEMBASSY ANKARA 4787 RUEHIT/AMCONSUL ISTANBUL 3031 RHMFIUU/CDR USCENTCOM MACDILL AFB FL RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC RHEFDIA/DIA WASHDC RUEKJCS/JOINT STAFF WASHDC RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC
UNCLAS ASHGABAT 000172
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
STATE FOR SCA/CEN AND INL
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PREL SNAR TX
SUBJECT: TURKMENISTAN: STATE COUNTER NARCOTICS AGENCY SAYS
TRAINING IS MOST PRESSING NEED
UNCLAS ASHGABAT 000172
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
STATE FOR SCA/CEN AND INL
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PREL SNAR TX
SUBJECT: TURKMENISTAN: STATE COUNTER NARCOTICS AGENCY SAYS
TRAINING IS MOST PRESSING NEED
1. (U) Sensitive but unclassified. Not for internet
distribution.
2. (SBU) In a February 2 meeting, the acting director of the
State Counter Narcotics Service (SCNS),Serdar Batyrov, told
Political Officer and DEA Dushanbe Special Agent (SA)
(currently temporarily assigned to Ashgabat) that his
personnel urgently need training, both in Turkmenistan and,
when possible, in the United States. Ninety percent of the
staff at the one-year old Agency are new. He said that his
Agency wants to profit from the "vast experience" that U.S.
officials possess in the counter narcotics field. In
addition to training opportunities, he said, the SCNS
particularly needs material assistance and training with
canine teams, as well as forensic techniques.
3. (SBU) Although Batyrov declined to elaborate when asked
about Turkmenistan's main challenges in stemming the flow of
Afghan opiates across its borders (he called the issue
"outside the purview of his agency" and the responsibility,
rather, of the State Border Service),he described his
Agency's main tasks as battling the narcotics trade inside
Turkmenistan and preventing and treating drug addiction among
the Turkmen population. He was vague when asked to elaborate
on the extent of the drug addiction problem in Turkmenistan,
saying he "believed" that addicts number "around 30,000."
(NOTE: 30,000 is the figure that the President's office
announced publicly last year, although reliable sources
within the NGO community believe that the number is much
higher and the problem extremely widespread. END NOTE.) He
noted that the counter narcotics strategy for 2006-2010
announced by President Berdimuhamedov also includes plans for
drug treatment facilities.
4. (SBU) COMMENT: Batyrov is 32 years old and became acting
chief of the SCNS last month during a Cabinet reshuffle that
saw former director, Murat Islamov, moved over to head the
State Border Service. It is unclear whether he will be
confirmed as the Agency's permanent head. He participated in
two U.S. study tours in the past year, one organized by INL
and the U.S. Coast Guard and another by DEA and CENTCOM. DEA
Dushanbe's SA participated in the latter trip. Batyrov
clearly felt comfortable working with the SA, greeting him
effusively as an old friend and addressing him by his first
name. Such friendly relations are an invaluable asset in
Turkmenistan where relationships form the basis for
cooperation. As such, they are a testament to the value of
activities such as the U.S. study trips for working with
Turkmen officials. END COMMENT.
MILES
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
STATE FOR SCA/CEN AND INL
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PREL SNAR TX
SUBJECT: TURKMENISTAN: STATE COUNTER NARCOTICS AGENCY SAYS
TRAINING IS MOST PRESSING NEED
1. (U) Sensitive but unclassified. Not for internet
distribution.
2. (SBU) In a February 2 meeting, the acting director of the
State Counter Narcotics Service (SCNS),Serdar Batyrov, told
Political Officer and DEA Dushanbe Special Agent (SA)
(currently temporarily assigned to Ashgabat) that his
personnel urgently need training, both in Turkmenistan and,
when possible, in the United States. Ninety percent of the
staff at the one-year old Agency are new. He said that his
Agency wants to profit from the "vast experience" that U.S.
officials possess in the counter narcotics field. In
addition to training opportunities, he said, the SCNS
particularly needs material assistance and training with
canine teams, as well as forensic techniques.
3. (SBU) Although Batyrov declined to elaborate when asked
about Turkmenistan's main challenges in stemming the flow of
Afghan opiates across its borders (he called the issue
"outside the purview of his agency" and the responsibility,
rather, of the State Border Service),he described his
Agency's main tasks as battling the narcotics trade inside
Turkmenistan and preventing and treating drug addiction among
the Turkmen population. He was vague when asked to elaborate
on the extent of the drug addiction problem in Turkmenistan,
saying he "believed" that addicts number "around 30,000."
(NOTE: 30,000 is the figure that the President's office
announced publicly last year, although reliable sources
within the NGO community believe that the number is much
higher and the problem extremely widespread. END NOTE.) He
noted that the counter narcotics strategy for 2006-2010
announced by President Berdimuhamedov also includes plans for
drug treatment facilities.
4. (SBU) COMMENT: Batyrov is 32 years old and became acting
chief of the SCNS last month during a Cabinet reshuffle that
saw former director, Murat Islamov, moved over to head the
State Border Service. It is unclear whether he will be
confirmed as the Agency's permanent head. He participated in
two U.S. study tours in the past year, one organized by INL
and the U.S. Coast Guard and another by DEA and CENTCOM. DEA
Dushanbe's SA participated in the latter trip. Batyrov
clearly felt comfortable working with the SA, greeting him
effusively as an old friend and addressing him by his first
name. Such friendly relations are an invaluable asset in
Turkmenistan where relationships form the basis for
cooperation. As such, they are a testament to the value of
activities such as the U.S. study trips for working with
Turkmen officials. END COMMENT.
MILES