(U) KUDOS FOR BIOGRAPHIC REPORTING: APRIL -

C O N F I D E N T I A L STATE 073180

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/14/2034
TAGS: PINR TX
SUBJECT: (U) KUDOS FOR BIOGRAPHIC REPORTING: APRIL -
JUNE 2009

REF: A. ASHGABAT 000490

B. ASHGABAT 000495

C. ASHGABAT 000526

D. ASHGABAT 000655

E. ASHGABAT 000673

F. ASHGABAT 000678

G. ASHGABAT 000694

H. ASHGABAT 000761

I. ASHGABAT 000767

J. ASHGABAT 000773

Classified By: MICHAEL P. OWENS, ACTING DIR, INR/OPS. REASON: 1.4(C).


1. (C) INR/B DEPENDS ON POST,S REPORTING IN PULLING
TOGETHER BIOGRAPHIC REPORTS ON TURKMEN OFFICIALS FOR USE BY
US POLICYMAKERS. INR/B WISHES TO THANK POST FOR ITS
CONTINUING COMMITMENT TO BIOGRAPHIC REPORTING. REFS A-J ARE
RECENT EXAMPLES OF POST,S EXCELLENT REPORTING ON TURKMEN
OFFICIALS.


A. (C) REF A (&TURKMENISTAN: DAYS OF (PRESIDENTIAL)
FOLDERS AND ROSES8) NICELY ILLUSTRATED THE TURKMEN
LEADERSHIP,S FIXATION WITH FORM OVER SUBSTANCE ) A LEGACY
FROM THE NIYAZOV ERA.


B. (C) REF B (&TURKMEN PRESIDENT IS MIGHTILY ANNOYED WITH
GAZPROM; DOES NOT AGREE TO INCREASED OVER FLIGHTS BUT LEAVES
AN OPENING FOR FURTHER DISCUSSION8) PROVIDED OUTSTANDING
LANGUAGE ON THE ATMOSPHERICS OF THE MEETING ) &FREE
WHEELING, FREE OF CANT8 AND A &MORE FRANK EXCHANGE OF VIEWS
THAN USUAL.8


C. (C) REF C (&DAS KROL,S MEETING WITH TURKMENISTAN,S
MINISTER OF ENERGY: FULFILLING THE PRESIDENT,S MANDATE8)
OFFERED A GOOD READOUT ON ENERGY MINISTER YARMUHAMMET
ORAZGULIYEV ) &STRIKINGLY ON TOP OF ALL THE ISSUES AND
SEEMED SURPRISINGLY FORTHCOMING8 AND &RELAXED, IN CONTROL
AND COMPLETELY ENGAGED RATHER THAN SIMPLY RECITING
GOVERNMENTAL TALKING POINTS.8


D. (SBU ) SIMILAR TO REF A, REF D (&TURKMENISTAN TO
PRODUCE METAL CONSTRUCTION MATERIALS8) HIGHLIGHTS PROBLEMS
WITH THE TURKMEN LEADERSHIP,S DECISIONMAKING ) A PREFERENCE
FOR USELESS SHOW PROJECTS OVER WHAT THE COUNTRY REALLY NEEDS.


E. (C) REF E (&TURKMENISTAN: BERDIMUHAMEDOV ALLEGEDLY
FURIOUS OVER DELAYED DELIVERY OF NEW BENTLEY8) AND REF J
(&TURKMENISTAN: NUMBER 1 IS HAPPY, ABOUT THE DELIVERY OF
HIS NEW BENTLEY8) NOT ONLY INCLUDED INFORMATION ABOUT
BERDIMUHAMEDOV,S LAVISH LIFESTYLE, BUT ALSO INFORMATION ON
THE OFFICIALS WHO CATER TO THE PRESIDENT AND HOW THE TURKMEN
VIEW THE LEADER OF THEIR COUNTRY.


F. (SBU) IN ADDITION TO PROVIDING BACKGROUND ON THE REASONS
BEHIND THE REMOVAL OF INTERNAL AFFAIRS MINISTER ORAZGELDI
AMANMYRADOV, REF F (&TURKMENISTAN: PHYSICIANS, ARREST FOR
SELLING DRUGS PRECIPITATES MINISTER,S DISMISSAL8) INCLUDED
USEFUL INFORMATION ON THE NEW INTERNAL AFFAIRS MINISTER
ISGENDER MULIKOV.


G. (C) LIKE REF B, REF G (&TURKMENISTAN: PRESIDENT STATES
HIS INTENT TO EXPAND COOPERATION WITH UNITED STATES8)
INCLUDED SIMILARLY HELPFUL LANGUAGE ON THE ATMOSPHERICS OF
THE MEETING ) &BERDIMUHAMEDOV WAS IN FINE FORM, EXPANSIVE
AND STILL IN THE FORTHCOMING MODE WE HAVE NOTICED EVER SINCE
THE GAS EXPLOSION WITH RUSSIA.8


H. (SBU) INR/B APPRECIATED THE BIOGRAPHIC BACKGROUND
INFORMATION ON CHAIRMAN OF THE MEJLIS EDUCATION, SCIENCE, AND
CULTURE COMMITTEE VLADIMIR GUBANOV IN REF H (&TURKMENISTAN:
MEJLIS COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION, SCIENCE, AND CULTURE GRAPPLES
WITH HUGE REFORM MANDATE8). REF H ALSO INCLUDED A GOOD
DESCRIPTION ON HOW GUBANOV CAME ACROSS DURING THE MEETING AND
HOW HE BEHAVED IN PREVIOUS INTERACTIONS WITH POST.


I. (SBU) REF I (&TURKMENISTAN RE-ESTABLISHES ITS ACADEMY
OF SCIENCES8) PROVIDED A HELPFUL READOUT ON THE NEWLY
APPOINTED ACTING PRESIDENT OF THE ACADEMY OF SCIENCES
GURBNAMURAT MEZILOV.


2. (SBU) MANY THANKS AGAIN. INR/B WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO
SATISFY THE REQUESTS OF US POLICYMAKERS WITHOUT POST,S
REPORTING.
CLINTON