Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
09ASHGABAT701
2009-06-08 10:57:00
UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
Embassy Ashgabat
Cable title:
TURKMENISTAN: U.S. FORENSICS OFFICIALS
how-toVZCZCXRO2954 PP RUEHAG RUEHAST RUEHBI RUEHCI RUEHDBU RUEHDF RUEHIK RUEHLH RUEHLN RUEHLZ RUEHNEH RUEHPW RUEHROV RUEHSK RUEHSR RUEHVK RUEHYG DE RUEHAH #0701/01 1591057 ZNR UUUUU ZZH P 081057Z JUN 09 FM AMEMBASSY ASHGABAT TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 2924 INFO RUCNCLS/ALL SOUTH AND CENTRAL ASIA COLLECTIVE PRIORITY RUCNCIS/CIS COLLECTIVE PRIORITY RUCNMEM/EU MEMBER STATES COLLECTIVE PRIORITY RUEHAK/AMEMBASSY ANKARA PRIORITY 5271 RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING PRIORITY 3005 RUEHKO/AMEMBASSY TOKYO PRIORITY 2870 RUEHBS/USEU BRUSSELS PRIORITY RHMCSUU/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 3515 RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ASHGABAT 000701
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
STATE FOR SCA/CEN,INL/AAE BUHLER
DOJ/ICITAP FOR MOGLE
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV KCRM SOCI TX
SUBJECT: TURKMENISTAN: U.S. FORENSICS OFFICIALS
DISCUSS COOPERATION WITH PROSECUTOR'S OFFICE
REF: ASHGABAT 684
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ASHGABAT 000701
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
STATE FOR SCA/CEN,INL/AAE BUHLER
DOJ/ICITAP FOR MOGLE
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV KCRM SOCI TX
SUBJECT: TURKMENISTAN: U.S. FORENSICS OFFICIALS
DISCUSS COOPERATION WITH PROSECUTOR'S OFFICE
REF: ASHGABAT 684
1. (U) Sensitive but unclassified. Not for public
Internet.
2. (SBU) SUMMARY: Visiting DOJ/ICITAP Forensic
Advisor and DEA Chemist met with section chiefs of the
Turkmen Prosecutor General's Office. The purpose of
the meeting, the first between U.S. forensics experts
and the prosecutor's office, was to discuss possible
forensics and criminology cooperation. The meeting
lasted for nearly ninety minutes, during which both
general and specific areas of possible cooperation
were discussed. The prosecutors listed the need for
training in comparative criminology, interrogation
techniques and on the more efficient use of forensics
equipment as priorities. END SUMMARY.
3. (U) On June 3, DOJ/ICITAP Forensic Advisor Robert
Bianchi and DEA Chemist Bryan Geer met with
representatives of the Prosecutor General's Office in
Ashgabat to discuss areas of possible cooperation.
Although it was the U.S. officials' fifth visit to
Ashgabat, it was their first meeting with the
Prosecutor's Office. The Prosecutor's Office was
represented by Bayram Bayramov (Chief of International
Relations),Batyr Kulhanov (Senior Prosecutor),
Durdymyrat Taganov (Chief of Criminology),and Myrat
Annamyradov (Chief Criminologist). As is customary,
a MFA representative was present and took notes.
4. (U) Kulhanov gave a briefing on the history and
functions of the Prosecutor's Office. It was
established in 1992 and operates in accordance with
the Constitution and its own statute, as well as other
regulations. It has both supervisory and regulatory
functions, overseeing the implementation of the
country's laws and regulations by economic entities,
penitentiary institutions, the armed forces, criminal
investigators, law enforcement operatives and court
marshals. It addition, the Prosecutor's Office has a
role in foreign relations, providing legal advice on
criminal cases and extradiction matters according to
Turkmenistan's bilateral commitments.
5. (U) Annamyradov, Senior Criminologist (and INL
program alumnus) then briefed on the functions of his
department. It employs about 100 criminologists
around the country and is responsible for providing
assistance to investigators during the investigation
process in the form of methodology and the use of
forensics equipment. In addition, the Criminology
Department conducts trainings for junior and
provincial-level prosecutors. Annamyradov mentioned
his recent participation at the American Academy of
Forensic Scientists conference in Denver, sponsored by
INL at the invitation of ICITAP, in February. He said
that he reported on the proceedings afterwards to the
Prosecutor General, Chary Hojamyradov, and had also
briefed his colleagues in a subsequent general staff
meeting. He said that he drafted a memo to Prosecutor
General Hojamyradov on the need to establish a DNA lab
in Turkmenistan. Annamyradov said "a number of
Central Asian countries already have DNA labs.
Turkmenistan needs to have one as well."
6. (SBU) Discussing what they see as the most
important areas of possible cooperation, the
prosecutors outlined the need for training in
comparative criminology, interrogation techniques and
ASHGABAT 00000701 002 OF 002
on the more efficient use of forensics equipment.
They were very interested in learning how prosecutors
use forensic science in the U.S. Annamyradov also
shared his experience from a CSI training course he
took in Budapest in 2007 at the invitation of the FBI.
He noted that CSI training would be especially useful
in Turkmenistan, particularly for the newer
specialists working in their office. "We like the
system in the U.S., where crime scene investigations
are conducted by a group of specialists, but here,
unfortunately everything is on the shoulders of an
investigator." (NOTE: These remarks appeared to
surprise his colleagues, who immediately interrupted
him. END NOTE.)
7. (SBU) Upon learning that cooperation with ICITAP
could extend beyond the area of forensics, Kulhanov
proposed that cooperation be created in the areas of
extradition, investigations and evidence-gathering
related to money laundering, terrorist financing and
trafficking in persons. He mentioned the recent
passage in Turkmenistan of an anti-money laundering
and terrorist finance law (reftel). Kulhanov said, "We
don't have an urgent need of assistance in these
areas, but we would like to know how to conduct
investigations of these crimes in order to better
implement the law."
8. (SBU) COMMENT: ICITAP's first official meeting
with the Prosecutor's Office was conducted in a room
which, oddly for a government facility, had no
portrait of President Berdymuhamedov on the wall.
What was even more unusual was Taganov's invitation to
the visitors to have dinner at his home, which is
rare in view of the Turkmen Government's strict
contact policy vis-a-vis foreigners. END COMMENT.
MILES
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
STATE FOR SCA/CEN,INL/AAE BUHLER
DOJ/ICITAP FOR MOGLE
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV KCRM SOCI TX
SUBJECT: TURKMENISTAN: U.S. FORENSICS OFFICIALS
DISCUSS COOPERATION WITH PROSECUTOR'S OFFICE
REF: ASHGABAT 684
1. (U) Sensitive but unclassified. Not for public
Internet.
2. (SBU) SUMMARY: Visiting DOJ/ICITAP Forensic
Advisor and DEA Chemist met with section chiefs of the
Turkmen Prosecutor General's Office. The purpose of
the meeting, the first between U.S. forensics experts
and the prosecutor's office, was to discuss possible
forensics and criminology cooperation. The meeting
lasted for nearly ninety minutes, during which both
general and specific areas of possible cooperation
were discussed. The prosecutors listed the need for
training in comparative criminology, interrogation
techniques and on the more efficient use of forensics
equipment as priorities. END SUMMARY.
3. (U) On June 3, DOJ/ICITAP Forensic Advisor Robert
Bianchi and DEA Chemist Bryan Geer met with
representatives of the Prosecutor General's Office in
Ashgabat to discuss areas of possible cooperation.
Although it was the U.S. officials' fifth visit to
Ashgabat, it was their first meeting with the
Prosecutor's Office. The Prosecutor's Office was
represented by Bayram Bayramov (Chief of International
Relations),Batyr Kulhanov (Senior Prosecutor),
Durdymyrat Taganov (Chief of Criminology),and Myrat
Annamyradov (Chief Criminologist). As is customary,
a MFA representative was present and took notes.
4. (U) Kulhanov gave a briefing on the history and
functions of the Prosecutor's Office. It was
established in 1992 and operates in accordance with
the Constitution and its own statute, as well as other
regulations. It has both supervisory and regulatory
functions, overseeing the implementation of the
country's laws and regulations by economic entities,
penitentiary institutions, the armed forces, criminal
investigators, law enforcement operatives and court
marshals. It addition, the Prosecutor's Office has a
role in foreign relations, providing legal advice on
criminal cases and extradiction matters according to
Turkmenistan's bilateral commitments.
5. (U) Annamyradov, Senior Criminologist (and INL
program alumnus) then briefed on the functions of his
department. It employs about 100 criminologists
around the country and is responsible for providing
assistance to investigators during the investigation
process in the form of methodology and the use of
forensics equipment. In addition, the Criminology
Department conducts trainings for junior and
provincial-level prosecutors. Annamyradov mentioned
his recent participation at the American Academy of
Forensic Scientists conference in Denver, sponsored by
INL at the invitation of ICITAP, in February. He said
that he reported on the proceedings afterwards to the
Prosecutor General, Chary Hojamyradov, and had also
briefed his colleagues in a subsequent general staff
meeting. He said that he drafted a memo to Prosecutor
General Hojamyradov on the need to establish a DNA lab
in Turkmenistan. Annamyradov said "a number of
Central Asian countries already have DNA labs.
Turkmenistan needs to have one as well."
6. (SBU) Discussing what they see as the most
important areas of possible cooperation, the
prosecutors outlined the need for training in
comparative criminology, interrogation techniques and
ASHGABAT 00000701 002 OF 002
on the more efficient use of forensics equipment.
They were very interested in learning how prosecutors
use forensic science in the U.S. Annamyradov also
shared his experience from a CSI training course he
took in Budapest in 2007 at the invitation of the FBI.
He noted that CSI training would be especially useful
in Turkmenistan, particularly for the newer
specialists working in their office. "We like the
system in the U.S., where crime scene investigations
are conducted by a group of specialists, but here,
unfortunately everything is on the shoulders of an
investigator." (NOTE: These remarks appeared to
surprise his colleagues, who immediately interrupted
him. END NOTE.)
7. (SBU) Upon learning that cooperation with ICITAP
could extend beyond the area of forensics, Kulhanov
proposed that cooperation be created in the areas of
extradition, investigations and evidence-gathering
related to money laundering, terrorist financing and
trafficking in persons. He mentioned the recent
passage in Turkmenistan of an anti-money laundering
and terrorist finance law (reftel). Kulhanov said, "We
don't have an urgent need of assistance in these
areas, but we would like to know how to conduct
investigations of these crimes in order to better
implement the law."
8. (SBU) COMMENT: ICITAP's first official meeting
with the Prosecutor's Office was conducted in a room
which, oddly for a government facility, had no
portrait of President Berdymuhamedov on the wall.
What was even more unusual was Taganov's invitation to
the visitors to have dinner at his home, which is
rare in view of the Turkmen Government's strict
contact policy vis-a-vis foreigners. END COMMENT.
MILES