Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
09ASHGABAT239
2009-02-18 13:03:00
UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
Embassy Ashgabat
Cable title:
TURKMENISTAN: PUBLIC BUSES IN MARY AWAIT PRESIDENTIAL
how-toVZCZCXRO5366 PP RUEHAG RUEHAST RUEHBI RUEHCI RUEHDBU RUEHDF RUEHIK RUEHLH RUEHLN RUEHLZ RUEHNEH RUEHPW RUEHROV RUEHSK RUEHSR RUEHVK RUEHYG DE RUEHAH #0239 0491303 ZNR UUUUU ZZH P 181303Z FEB 09 FM AMEMBASSY ASHGABAT TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 2333 INFO RUCNCLS/ALL SOUTH AND CENTRAL ASIA COLLECTIVE PRIORITY RUCNCIS/CIS COLLECTIVE PRIORITY RUCNMEM/EU MEMBER STATES COLLECTIVE PRIORITY RUEHAK/AMEMBASSY ANKARA PRIORITY 4848 RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING PRIORITY 2621 RUEHKO/AMEMBASSY TOKYO PRIORITY 2486 RUEHBS/USEU BRUSSELS PRIORITY RHMFIUU/CDR USCENTCOM MACDILL AFB FL PRIORITY RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC PRIORITY RHEFDIA/DIA WASHDC PRIORITY RUEKJCS/JOINT STAFF WASHDC PRIORITY RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC PRIORITY RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC PRIORITY RUEAWJA/DEPT OF JUSTICE WASHDC PRIORITY RUEHIT/AMCONSUL ISTANBUL 3092 RUEHVEN/USMISSION USOSCE 3336 RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC
UNCLAS ASHGABAT 000239
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
STATE FOR SCA/CEN, INL
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV KCRM SOCI TX
SUBJECT: TURKMENISTAN: PUBLIC BUSES IN MARY AWAIT PRESIDENTIAL
BLESSING
UNCLAS ASHGABAT 000239
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
STATE FOR SCA/CEN, INL
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV KCRM SOCI TX
SUBJECT: TURKMENISTAN: PUBLIC BUSES IN MARY AWAIT PRESIDENTIAL
BLESSING
1. (U) Sensitive but unclassified. Not for public internet.
2. (U) SUMMARY: Two hundred brand-new Russian buses sit parked in a
Ministry of Transportation parking lot in Mary Province awaiting
President Berdimuhamedov's official "inauguration" before they can
be put into service. The President has not yet scheduled his next
visit to the province. Meanwhile, the Ministry of Finance's
provincial branch in Mary is already charging the Ministry of
Transport for the revenues that the buses should have been
collecting. END SUMMARY.
3. (U) Last August, the Ministry of Transportation signed a
contract for the purchase of one thousand Russian PAZ buses, spare
parts and lubricants. President Berdimuhamedov, aiming to "improve
passenger transportation in rural areas and enhance the quality of
service offered to citizens," personally signed a decree authorizing
the purchase. The buses, a two-door version of the PAZ-32053 series
widely used on city and municipal roads in Russia, are produced by
the Pavlovsk Bus Plant.
4. (SBU) The buses were evenly distributed among the five provinces
of Turkmenistan five months ago. Local authorities in Mary
immediately hired additional personnel, including drivers and
mechanics, all of whom have yet to start working. A senior Ministry
of Finance specialist in Mary told one of our local staff that on
January 1 the Ministry of Finance began charging the Ministry of
Transportation for the revenues that the buses were supposed to be
collecting. As a result, the Ministry of Transportation's budget
for Mary is operating at a deficit, as they are being taxed for
buses that are not even in operation.
5. (U) The Ministry of Health in Mary is reportedly in a similar
situation after purchasing 50 Mercedes-Benz Sprinter ambulances in
July of 2007 from the Spanish firm IPC Motors. The ambulances,
delivered in October 2007, reportedly cost 46,500 euros each. A
farmer from Murgap District in Mary Province, a relative of our LES,
said that his son had been hired to drive one of the new ambulances,
but has not been called to work yet. He was told that the local
hospital must await the President's arrival and "blessing" before
the ambulances are put into service.
6. (U) COMMENT: It is true that in Turkmenistan the President
traditionally attends ribbon-cutting ceremonies for major national
construction projects, and personally ratifies international
contracts and treaties. In the case of these buses and ambulances,
however, it is unclear whether local officials are actually required
to await presidential "inauguration," or whether they are just
afraid to proceed without it. END COMMENT.
MILES
1
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
STATE FOR SCA/CEN, INL
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV KCRM SOCI TX
SUBJECT: TURKMENISTAN: PUBLIC BUSES IN MARY AWAIT PRESIDENTIAL
BLESSING
1. (U) Sensitive but unclassified. Not for public internet.
2. (U) SUMMARY: Two hundred brand-new Russian buses sit parked in a
Ministry of Transportation parking lot in Mary Province awaiting
President Berdimuhamedov's official "inauguration" before they can
be put into service. The President has not yet scheduled his next
visit to the province. Meanwhile, the Ministry of Finance's
provincial branch in Mary is already charging the Ministry of
Transport for the revenues that the buses should have been
collecting. END SUMMARY.
3. (U) Last August, the Ministry of Transportation signed a
contract for the purchase of one thousand Russian PAZ buses, spare
parts and lubricants. President Berdimuhamedov, aiming to "improve
passenger transportation in rural areas and enhance the quality of
service offered to citizens," personally signed a decree authorizing
the purchase. The buses, a two-door version of the PAZ-32053 series
widely used on city and municipal roads in Russia, are produced by
the Pavlovsk Bus Plant.
4. (SBU) The buses were evenly distributed among the five provinces
of Turkmenistan five months ago. Local authorities in Mary
immediately hired additional personnel, including drivers and
mechanics, all of whom have yet to start working. A senior Ministry
of Finance specialist in Mary told one of our local staff that on
January 1 the Ministry of Finance began charging the Ministry of
Transportation for the revenues that the buses were supposed to be
collecting. As a result, the Ministry of Transportation's budget
for Mary is operating at a deficit, as they are being taxed for
buses that are not even in operation.
5. (U) The Ministry of Health in Mary is reportedly in a similar
situation after purchasing 50 Mercedes-Benz Sprinter ambulances in
July of 2007 from the Spanish firm IPC Motors. The ambulances,
delivered in October 2007, reportedly cost 46,500 euros each. A
farmer from Murgap District in Mary Province, a relative of our LES,
said that his son had been hired to drive one of the new ambulances,
but has not been called to work yet. He was told that the local
hospital must await the President's arrival and "blessing" before
the ambulances are put into service.
6. (U) COMMENT: It is true that in Turkmenistan the President
traditionally attends ribbon-cutting ceremonies for major national
construction projects, and personally ratifies international
contracts and treaties. In the case of these buses and ambulances,
however, it is unclear whether local officials are actually required
to await presidential "inauguration," or whether they are just
afraid to proceed without it. END COMMENT.
MILES
1