TURKMEN POLICE, CUSTOMS OFFICERS VISIT LONDON

UNCLAS ASHGABAT 000157

SENSITIVE

SIPDIS

STATE FOR SCA/CEN; INL/AAE BUHLER

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: ETRD SNAR AORC PGOV XG XT TX

SUBJECT: TURKMEN POLICE, CUSTOMS OFFICERS VISIT LONDON


1. (U) Sensitive but unclassified. Not for public Internet.


2. (SBU) SUMMARY: An INL-funded familiarization trip for Turkmen
Customs and Police officers to the UK took place from January 26-30,
yielding positive results. While in London, the participants met
with MP Viscount Waverly of the House of Lords, Sue Inwood of the
Metropolitan Police Drug Directorate, as well as liaison officers
from Revenue and Customs Department. The participants were
introduced to British police and customs strategies and ongoing
activities. It also gave them an opportunity to learn about
possible means of cooperation between the two countries' law
enforcement agencies. None of the Turkmen delegates had had prior
exposure to the issues raised by the officials from Scotland Yard or
the British Customs and Revenue Department, whose officials made
factual presentations. The non-governmental organization
'Drugscope' described its assistance to local police and various
crime-fighting authorities. END SUMMARY.


3. (SBU) On December 27, the two Turkmen delegates, both graduates
of Post's INL-funded English Language Training (ELT) program, began
a four-day study tour to the UK. In their first meeting, they met
with MP Lord Waverly, who expressed a keen interest in promoting
exchanges between Turkmen and British Law Enforcement agencies.
Lord Waverly also encouraged the guests to suggest other possible
means of cooperation and partnership between the two countries. The
Turkmen officials opined that 'shadow training' by British
colleagues from both Police and Customs would be useful Turkmen
policemen and Customs inspectors.


4. (SBU) Also on December 27, the participants met with Sue
Inwood, Detective Chief Inspector with the Metropolitan Police (MPS)
Drug Directorate, who presented the UK's Drug Enforcement strategy
for 2010. The Turkmen police officer, who explained that his
department non-drug related issues, underscored that Turkmen
government has delegated all illegal drug matters to State
Counter-Narcotics Service (SCNS). Both participants stressed that
the experiences relayed by the Drugs Directorate Chief was useful to
them, particularly in the way that the work was organized and in the
crime investigation methods.


5. (SBU) On December 28, Chief Executive Martin Barnes of the NGO
'Drugscope' briefed Turkmen visitors on his organization's joint
activities with UK law enforcement agencies, their role in analyzing
the scope, types and social impact of drug abuse. The Turkmen
officials were impressed with the government's collaboration with
NGOs, and noting the enhanced assistance and results in dealing with
drug addicts and its effects.


6. (SBU) On December 29, British Customs and Revenue Liaison
officers briefed the Turkmen on the ongoing structural changes and
the merger between the Revenue and Customs departments and spoke
about the work of the UK Border Agency. They have also brought some
statistics from Revenue and Customs work.


7. (SBU) COMMENT: The content of the UK briefings emphasized the
work of UK counter-narcotics entities. It was therefore unfortunate
that the participant selected from the Turkmen counter-narcotics
agency (SCNS) was not allowed to travel (apparently due to her
status as an unmarried female). Beyond the substantive value of the
trip to the Turkmen officials, both were highly impressed with
London's history and architecture, and commented repeatedly on the
politeness of everyone they encountered. END COMMENT.

CURRAN