Identifier | Subject | Date | Office | Classification | Tags |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
01ASHGABAT1049 |
BERDIEV SACKED; MEREDOV NEW FOREIGN MINISTER [...] (C) PRESIDENT NIYAZOV OPENED THE SEVENTH SESSION OF THE MEJLIS (PARLIAMENT) JULY 7 WITH A SPEECH IN WHICH HE HARSHLY CRITICIZED AND THEN DISMISSED FOREIGN MINISTER BATYR BERDIEV. NIYAZOV ACCUSED BERDIEV OF EXCESSIVE DRINKING, AND SAID THAT AS A RESULT OF BERDIEV'S PERSONAL FAILINGS HE HAD BEE [...] |
2001-07-09 12:57:00 | Embassy Ashgabat | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV TX |
06ASHGABAT1000 |
Avian Influenza: Turkmenistan Preparedness Update [...] (U) On September 14, the UNDP sponsored a donors' meeting to review and discuss a project proposal on Turkmenistan's preparedness for avian/pandemic influenza. The meeting identified roles of donors, their potential input and project implementation mechanisms. Representatives of the World Ba [...] |
2006-09-25 08:35:00 | Embassy Ashgabat | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | EAGR PGOV KFLU TX |
06ASHGABAT1002 |
MYRADOVA FAMILY DISPERSES, WILL CONSIDER NEXT [...] (C) Emboffs met with a frightened and cautious Sona Myradova, the younger daughter of recently deceased journalist Ogulsapar Myradova, at the Myradova apartment September 25. Myradova confirmed that Myradova's three children have dispersed, and that they are not in communication via teleph [...] |
2006-09-25 13:13:00 | Embassy Ashgabat | CONFIDENTIAL | PHUM PGOV PREL TX |
06ASHGABAT1003 |
PEACE CORPS IN TURKMENISTAN - EVERY MOVE YOU MAKE, [...] (C) Among other observations, both Deputy Chairman Gurbanguly Berdimukhammedov and Foreign Minister Rashit Meredov complained to visiting Peace Corps Director Jay Katzen during September 20-21 meetings that Peace Corps Volunteers (PCVs) failed to gain "approvals" for their secondary activitie [...] |
2006-09-26 11:51:00 | Embassy Ashgabat | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL TX |
06ASHGABAT1011 |
TURKMENISTAN'S OIL AND GAS CONFERENCE "THE WORST [...] (SBU) Ashgabat's 11th annual oil and gas conference yielded few surprises for delegates who, generally, were disappointed with the conference. With a proclaimed emphasis on international cooperation opportunities, presentations attempted to lure foreign firms to Turkmenistan's Caspian Sea wa [...] |
2006-09-28 10:00:00 | Embassy Ashgabat | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | EPET ECON PREL TX |
06ASHGABAT1012 |
ASHGABAT'S NEWEST SCHOOL: A HIGH-TECH EXTRAVAGANZA FOR [...] (SBU) Ashgabat's newest school, named in honor of President Saparmurat Niyazov's grandfather, is a lavish facility for 800 students that includes all the modern amenities and a large computer lab full of Dell computers, but with no internet connection. Nearby stands a luxurious kindergarten f [...] |
2006-09-28 11:24:00 | Embassy Ashgabat | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PGOV KPAO ECON SCUL TX |
06ASHGABAT1015 |
U.S., UK, FRANCE AND OSCE UNITE BEHIND FREEDOM OF [...] (C) The U.S., United Kingdom, French and OSCE missions in Ashgabat have agreed to send Turkmenistan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) individual diplomatic notes protesting a freedom of movement case in which the complainants, acting under the advice of the OSCE, have recently exhausted all [...] |
2006-09-29 13:00:00 | Embassy Ashgabat | CONFIDENTIAL | PHUM PREL PGOV TX |
06ASHGABAT1022 |
Turkmenistan Publishes 2006-2010 Counternarcotics Plan [...] (SBU) Turkmenistan's new national counternarcotics plan is a matrix of 48 measures with assigned implementers (government ministries and agencies) and program durations. It is short on detail, but will prove helpful for initiating new INL programs and other U.S. government-sponsored counternar [...] |
2006-10-03 05:04:00 | Embassy Ashgabat | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | SNAR PREL PINR PGOV PBTS TX |
06ASHGABAT1042 |
RECOMMENDING AGAINST U.S. INTERVENTION ON MYRADOVA [...] (C) In response to ref A request, embassy recommends the USG not intervene in the Begmedov/Hadzhiev case currently under consideration in Bulgarian courts. End Summary. Likely Guilty, Inaccurate and not Conducive to U.S. Interests --------------------------------------------- -------------- [...] |
2006-10-04 13:06:00 | Embassy Ashgabat | CONFIDENTIAL | PHUM PREL BU TX |
06ASHGABAT1044 |
TURKMENISTAN'S SEYDI REFINERY SEEKS A GREATER ROLE [...] (SBU) The Soviet-era Seydi refinery, located in eastern Turkmenistan and previously reliant on Siberian crude stocks, currently operates at one-sixth of capacity. Drawing from fields in eastern and southern Turkmenistan, the refinery relies on rail transport to receive crude oil for processi [...] |
2006-10-05 04:21:00 | Embassy Ashgabat | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | EPET ECON PREL TX |
06ASHGABAT105 |
THE TURKMEN ARCHIPELAGO: A FORMER PRISONER [...] (C) On December 30, 2005 and January 4, 2006, Charge and Conoff met with Reuben Agabekyan, a former prominent ethnic Armenian businessman who was released in December 2005 after having served several years in prison on dubious charges, (and) who was seeking Post's assistance in helping him im [...] |
2006-01-23 11:48:00 | Embassy Ashgabat | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PHUM PREF SMIG TX |
06ASHGABAT1052 |
SCENESETTER FOR DASD MACDOUGALL'S OCTOBER 17-18 [...] (C) Embassy Ashgabat welcomes your visit but fears the Government of Turkmenistan may now have developed cold feet regarding signing a Mary Divert Agreement. Although the agreement originally was proposed by President Niyazov to State's Deputy Assistant Secretary Lynn Pascoe in 2004 (ref a), [...] |
2006-10-05 12:47:00 | Embassy Ashgabat | CONFIDENTIAL | EPET IR MARR PGOV PHUM PREL RS TX US |
06ASHGABAT1054 |
ARE TURKMENISTAN'S AMU DARYA RIGHT BANK OIL AND [...] (C) The Yashyldepe Oil and Gas Development Organization (YOGDO) took operational control of Turkmenistan's portion of the Yashyldepe oil and natural gas field from Uzbekistan in 2005. YOGDO officials ascribe the flaring of oil and gas by Uzbekistan across the border as spiteful retribution f [...] |
2006-10-05 13:52:00 | Embassy Ashgabat | CONFIDENTIAL | EPET ECON PREL TX |
06ASHGABAT1055 |
COTTON, LIES AND COPIERS IN DASHOGUZ [...] (C) President Niyazov's complete control over the minds and means of Turkmenistan is in full view in Dashoguz Welayat (province). The man widely rumored to be Niyazov's heir apparent, the charming and utterly devoid of democratic sensibilities Aganiyaz Akiyev, firmly enforces the president's [...] |
2006-10-05 14:17:00 | Embassy Ashgabat | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV EAGR CVIS PINR SENV TX |
06ASHGABAT1056 |
TURKMENISTAN REJECTS DRAFT U.S. CONGRESSIONAL [...] No summary [...] |
2006-10-05 14:19:00 | Embassy Ashgabat | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PHUM PGOV TX |
06ASHGABAT1066 |
Demarches Delivered to Turkmenistan on North Korean Nuclear [...] No summary [...] |
2006-10-11 08:50:00 | Embassy Ashgabat | UNCLASSIFIED | PREL KN PARM TX |
06ASHGABAT107 |
TURKMENISTAN'S MI-8 DOWN IN AFGHANISTAN [...] (C) The GOTX fumbled for three days -- January 21-23 -- before it could come up with a formal request for Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF) Coalition Forces' assistance in a search for a GOTX relief helicopter -- probably crashed with seven crewmembers in the mountains in Afghanistan -- which [...] |
2006-01-23 13:33:00 | Embassy Ashgabat | CONFIDENTIAL | MASS MOPS PREL AF PK TX |
06ASHGABAT1070 |
Turkmenistan Condemns North Korea [...] (U) Subsequent to reftel A report on interaction with Government of Turkmenistan authorities on the North Korean nuclear situation, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs notified the Embassy October 11 of its release of a "statement in the mass media on the issue contained in the mentioned [diplomat [...] |
2006-10-12 03:23:00 | Embassy Ashgabat | UNCLASSIFIED | PREL KN PARM TX |
06ASHGABAT1071 |
LITTLE CHANGE IN COMPANY AND GRANT REGISTRATION PROCEDURES [...] A decree announced September 9 abolished the independent office charged with approving and registering foreign investment, grants and company listings, and transferred its functions to the Ministry of Economy and Finance. To date the shift has had little discernable impact on USAID or Public D [...] |
2006-10-12 06:59:00 | Embassy Ashgabat | UNCLASSIFIED | BEXP BTIO ETRD EINV KIDE TX |
06ASHGABAT1072 |
TURKMENISTAN: INTL RELIGIOUS FREEDOM REPORT POSTED [...] No summary [...] |
2006-10-12 08:54:00 | Embassy Ashgabat | UNCLASSIFIED | PHUM KPAO ODIP PREL ELAB KDEM KSPR TX |
06ASHGABAT108 |
TURKISH ENERGY MINISTER'S MEETING WITH NIYAZOV ON [...] (C)Turkish Ambassador Hakki Akil provided Ambassador a readout of Turkish Energy Minister Mehmet Hilmi Guler 1/19 meeting with President Niyazov. Guler told Niyazov that Turkey was ready to pursue seriously a Trans-Caspian Pipeline (TCP), and that he himself was prepared to come to Ashgabat [...] |
2006-01-24 11:22:00 | Embassy Ashgabat | CONFIDENTIAL | ECON ENRG EPET GG KZ PGOV PREL RS TX UP US |
06ASHGABAT1080 |
TURKMENISTAN REMAINS NON-COMMITTAL ON UNSC VOTE [...] No summary [...] |
2006-10-13 14:03:00 | Embassy Ashgabat | CONFIDENTIAL | UNSC PREL GT VE TX |
06ASHGABAT1081 |
UNSC ELECTION: TURKMENISTAN WILL SUPPORT GUATEMALA [...] No summary [...] |
2006-10-14 09:21:00 | Embassy Ashgabat | CONFIDENTIAL | UNSC GT VE PREL TX |
06ASHGABAT1088 |
SEPTEMBER TURKMENISTAN MEDIA COVERAGE OMITS MYRADOVA, [...] (U) Local media coverage of mission events in September featured the embassy's ceremony announcing the 2006-2007 Ambassador's Fund for Cultural Preservation grant winners. While generally positive and colorful, the coverage failed to mention the U.S. Government's substantial financial investm [...] |
2006-10-16 12:21:00 | Embassy Ashgabat | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | KMDR KPAO OIIP PREL PGOV AF TX |
06ASHGABAT1093 |
PRESIDENT NIYAZOV BACKS AWAY FROM FORMAL DIVERT [...] (C) During a two-hour meeting October 18 with Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense (DASD) James MacDougall and NSC Director David Merkel, Turkmenistan's President Niyazov said that he was not prepared to sign a formal divert agreement allowing U.S. planes to make emergency landings at Mary I [...] |
2006-10-20 03:22:00 | Embassy Ashgabat | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV MARR TX |
06ASHGABAT1094 |
FORCED GAIETY AND DOG-EARED ENGLISH BOOKS IN MARY WELAYAT [...] (U) Emboff and P/E Assistant traveled to Mary Welayat (province) September 21-22 as part of mission trips to Turkmenistan's welayats to learn about education and cotton. The short, host government-structured trip consisted of visits to School #1, School #15 and to Mary's Agricultural Joint-St [...] |
2006-10-20 11:42:00 | Embassy Ashgabat | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PGOV ETRD TX TNGD KPAO ECON |
06ASHGABAT1095 |
A PRIMER ON THE WRECKING POWER OF THE RUHNAMA [...] (U) Modern Turkmenistan has come to be defined by President Saparmurat Niyazov's first major book, the Ruhnama or "Book of the Soul," published in 2001. The first of two volumes, Ruhnama Volume I combines philosophical ruminations and moral dictates within a pseudo-historical narrative. Whil [...] |
2006-10-20 11:42:00 | Embassy Ashgabat | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PGOV PREL PHUM KPAO SCUL SOCI TU TX |
06ASHGABAT1097 |
Turkmenistan's President Niyazov Amnesties 10,000 Prisoners [...] (U) President Niyazov announced on October 16 that he would amnesty 10,056 prisoners, including 8 people convicted of crimes related to the alleged November 2002 presidential assassination attempt. A lengthy list, published only in Turkmen, was released on October 18. Niyazov said that the e [...] |
2006-10-20 13:44:00 | Embassy Ashgabat | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PGOV PHUM PINR TX |
06ASHGABAT1098 |
MYRADOVA SISTERS SHOW OFFICIAL "AUTOPSY REPORT" - [...] (C) According to Ogulsapar Myradova's daughters, the government claims their mother's death was caused by asphyxiation. In response to a phone call by Turkmenistan Helsinki Foundation founder Annadurdy Hajyev to the U.K. Embassy's Deputy Head of Mission earlier in October, emboff and repre [...] |
2006-10-20 13:58:00 | Embassy Ashgabat | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PHUM PREL TX |
06ASHGABAT1104 |
NIYAZOV HOPES TO FIX THE COTTON FAILURE BY ADMINISTATIVE [...] (SBU) Presiding over an October 6 Cabinet of Ministers meeting attended by provincial governors, agricultural officials and defense and law enforcement ministers, President Niyazov criticized this year's poor cotton harvest and set the stage for potential firings of the welayat hakims (provinci [...] |
2006-10-23 10:28:00 | Embassy Ashgabat | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | EAGR ECON ETRD PGOV TX |
06ASHGABAT1135 |
MYRADOVA DAUGHTER THREATENED BY MINISTRY OF [...] (C) Maral Myradova, the oldest daughter of deceased journalist Ogulsapar Myradova, was called into a meeting with the Ministry of National Security (MNB) on November 1. During the meeting, she was told that, if the family cut all contacts with the international community and with their un [...] |
2006-11-01 14:06:00 | Embassy Ashgabat | CONFIDENTIAL | PHUM PGOV PREL TX |
06ASHGABAT1136 |
UNREGISTERED JEHOVAH'S WITNESSES IN TURKMENISTAN [...] (SBU) Jehovah's Witnesses remains one of the larger unregistered minority religious congregations in Turkmenistan. This is largely by the church's choice: Jehovah's Witnesses is making a meeting with President Niyazov for overseas Jehovah's Witness leaders a prerequisite for submitting its a [...] |
2006-11-01 14:17:00 | Embassy Ashgabat | CONFIDENTIAL | PHUM KIRF PREL PGOV TX |
06ASHGABAT1142 |
NIYAZOV'S GRIM FAIRY TALE - TURKMENISTAN AFTER 15 [...] (C) Amidst the fake joy and practiced pageantry that constituted Turkmenistan's celebration of its 15th year of independence, there was palpable fear and resignation throughout Ashgabat. Teachers took children out of school for two months preceding the events to rehearse for the stadium even [...] |
2006-11-03 13:26:00 | Embassy Ashgabat | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV PINR TX EPET |
06ASHGABAT1150 |
Turkmenistan's Ambitious 2007-2030 Oil and Gas Development [...] (SBU) For the first time, the Government of Turkmenistan has approved an independent oil and gas development plan that is not part of an overall economic development plan. The new plan, which President Niyazov called for in July after several months of severe criticism by the West of Turkmenis [...] |
2006-11-07 11:03:00 | Embassy Ashgabat | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PGOV PHUM ECON PINR EPET TX |
06ASHGABAT1154 |
TWO SIDES TO THE STORY - EDUCATIONAL CURRICULA IN BALKAN [...] (SBU) PAO Andrew Paul and P/E Assistant Murad Ovez-Mamedov visited Education Department officials and schools in Turkmenbashy and Balkanabat cities in Balkan Welayat September 18 and 19. Discussions with officials and teachers reflected a strict "party-line" on school curricula and English lan [...] |
2006-11-07 13:07:00 | Embassy Ashgabat | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PGOV ETRD TX KPAO ECON |
06ASHGABAT1156 |
Demarche Delivered to Turkmenistan on Amending the Cuba [...] No summary [...] |
2006-11-08 08:41:00 | Embassy Ashgabat | UNCLASSIFIED | PREL PREF KLIG KSUM UNGA CU TX |
06ASHGABAT1166 |
Demarche Delivered to Turkmenistan on UNSCR Obligations on [...] No summary [...] |
2006-11-08 11:42:00 | Embassy Ashgabat | UNCLASSIFIED | PREL PARM TX |
06ASHGABAT1167 |
GERMAN FOREIGN MINISTER STEINMEIER MEETS NIYAZOV [...] (C) German Foreign Minister Steinmeier's November 2 visit to Turkmenistan provided him a telescoped confirmation of the challenges to developing democracy in Turkmenistan, according to an outbrief provided by German Ambassador to Turkmenistan Hans Mondorf. Not only were Steinmeier and his dele [...] |
2006-11-08 13:06:00 | Embassy Ashgabat | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL PINR EPET PHUM GE TX |
06ASHGABAT1177 |
Demarche Delivered to Turkmenistan on Country Resolutions [...] No summary [...] |
2006-11-13 03:05:00 | Embassy Ashgabat | UNCLASSIFIED | PREL PREF KLIG KSUM UNGA TX |
06ASHGABAT1184 |
TURKMENISTAN WILL SUPPORT THE U.S. CANDIDATE TO THE [...] No summary [...] |
2006-11-14 07:15:00 | Embassy Ashgabat | UNCLASSIFIED | ODIP ILC UNGA |
06ASHGABAT1185 |
Demarche Delivered to Turkmenistan on Belarus' Third [...] No summary [...] |
2006-11-15 12:27:00 | Embassy Ashgabat | UNCLASSIFIED | PHUM PREL TX |
06ASHGABAT1192 |
TURKMENISTAN: A COMPETENT BUREAUCRAT REMAINS [...] (C) Newly appointed hakim (governor) of the oil-rich province Balkan Welayat, Orazmyrat Niyazlyev, impressed Charge with his competence, experience and confidence two weeks into his tenure. Although he has a background in the oil and gas industry, his foci for the future of Balkan is an exte [...] |
2006-11-17 07:13:00 | Embassy Ashgabat | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PINR PREL TX |
06ASHGABAT1194 |
A HORRIBLE HALLOWEEN AT THE TURKMENABAT AMERICAN CORNER [...] (U) Post received its second protest dipnote on November 13, part of a series of complaints from the host government about a children's Halloween party that the American Corner attempted to host in the city of Turkmenabat on October 30. While successful Halloween events took place at other Am [...] |
2006-11-17 11:01:00 | Embassy Ashgabat | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PGOV PREL PHUM KPAO SCUL SOCI TU TX |
06ASHGABAT1195 |
OCTOBER TURKMENISTAN MEDIA COVERAGE POSITIVE AND ACCURATE [...] (U) State media coverage of mission events in October featured President George Bush's congratulatory messages on occasions of Oraza Bayram and Turkmenistan's Independence Day. However, BBC Monitoring Central Asia newswire mistranslated key parts of President Bush's message back into English. [...] |
2006-11-21 04:17:00 | Embassy Ashgabat | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | KMDR KPAO OIIP PREL PGOV TX |
06ASHGABAT1210 |
STAGE ONE OF TURKMENISTAN'S NEW ETRAP ELECTIONS [...] (U) The initial stages of Turkmenistan's first ever etrap and city halk maslahaty (peoples council) elections suggest a process that, while perhaps more a theatrical exercise than a substantive political process, is progressive in tone and provides a snapshot of grassroots level political expe [...] |
2006-11-24 03:37:00 | Embassy Ashgabat | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PGOV ETRD TX TNGD KPAO ECON |
06ASHGABAT1220 |
TURKMENISTAN'S UNIVERSITY ADMISSIONS AN EXERCISE IN [...] (U) Since 1991 the number of students studying at higher educational institutions of Turkmenistan has decreased dramatically. In line with a 2006 presidential decree, only 3,175 students were accepted to Turkmenistan's universities for the session beginning September 2006, in comparison with a [...] |
2006-11-29 13:06:00 | Embassy Ashgabat | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PGOV PREL PHUM KPAO SCUL SOCI TU TX |
06ASHGABAT1222 |
Niyazov Makes Massive Purges over Agriculture Fiasco; [...] (SBU) Turkmenistan's President Niyazov on November 27, conducted a massive purge of high-ranking officials, rivaling, if not surpassing, the oil and gas purge of December 2005 (ref a). Responding to allegations by Minister of Agriculture Esenmyrat Orazgeldiyev during an October 25 meeting (ref [...] |
2006-11-30 13:04:00 | Embassy Ashgabat | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | EAGR ECON ETRD PGOV PHUM TX |
06ASHGABAT1225 |
DEMARCHE ON HUMAN RIGHTS IN TURKMENISTAN [...] No summary [...] |
2006-12-01 13:24:00 | Embassy Ashgabat | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PHUM PREL TX US |
06ASHGABAT1228 |
TURKMENISTAN GROUNDS CZECH MILITARY PLANE OVER [...] (SBU) Turkmenistan on December 2 grounded at the Ashgabat airport a transiting Czech military plane transporting high-ranking Czech military and civilian officials from Kabul because some on board were carrying weapons. The issue was resolved 14 hours later through diplomatic channels, but th [...] |
2006-12-04 13:16:00 | Embassy Ashgabat | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | MARR MCAP PREL OSCE TX EZ |
06ASHGABAT1244 |
DISTRICT ELECTIONS IN TURKMENISTAN -- GOVERNMENT CLAIMS [...] (SBU) District-level elections for members of local people's councils proceeded with much fanfare but low voter turnout on December 3. Official reports claimed turnout reached 96.95%, embassy officers found voter turnout, at least in Ahal Province and in the Magtymguly District of Balkan Prov [...] |
2006-12-06 12:08:00 | Embassy Ashgabat | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PGOV PHUM TX |
06ASHGABAT1245 |
(S) ASHGABAT DELIVERS FLIGHT BY NORTH KOREAN [...] No summary [...] |
2006-12-06 12:58:00 | Embassy Ashgabat | SECRET | IR KN KNNP MNUC PARM PREL TX |
06ASHGABAT1250 |
TURKMENISTAN MEDIA IGNORES ALL MAJOR POST NEWS IN NOVEMBER [...] (U) Turkmenistan's state media coverage of post events in November included uncharacteristic omission of three significant news items: the November 10 opening of the Altyn Asyr border crossing checkpoint, a change in U.S. non-immigrant visa application policy and the November 21 Peace Corps d [...] |
2006-12-08 08:48:00 | Embassy Ashgabat | UNCLASSIFIED | KMDR KPAO OIIP PREL PGOV AF TX |
06ASHGABAT1254 |
Turkmenistan's Sporting Tragedy - Glory to the State, Money [...] (SBU) Political machinations, corruption and greed are literally and figuratively bankrupting Turkmenistan's sports. Since independence, the Soviet athleticism legacy has been eroding and hit the proverbial new low when Turkmenistan's soccer team withdrew from the 2006 Asian Games, one week p [...] |
2006-12-08 12:46:00 | Embassy Ashgabat | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PGOV ECON PINR TX |
06ASHGABAT1260 |
DPRK DID NOT REQUEST LANDING/OVERFLIGHT FROM [...] No summary [...] |
2006-12-11 13:32:00 | Embassy Ashgabat | SECRET | IR KN KNNP MNUC PARM PREL TX |
06ASHGABAT1283 |
EU SPECIAL ENVOY MOREL MEETS NIYAZOV -- TRIES TO [...] (C) EU Special Envoy (and former French Ambassador to Turkmenistan) Pierre Morel met with President Niyazov and Foreign Minister Meredov December 18 and gave Charge a readout on December 19. Highlights of the meeting include: -- Observance of a more bloated and less animated Niyazov than t [...] |
2006-12-19 11:54:00 | Embassy Ashgabat | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL EPET PARM EUN TX |
06ASHGABAT1285 |
GOVERNMENT OF TURKMENISTAN'S FLEX OBSTRUCTION MORE [...] (U) This year Future Leaders Exchange (FLEX) recruitment has encountered an unprecedented level of interference and disinformation from the Ministry of Education (MOE), despite official approval of the program and host government rhetoric that the problems will be resolved. As in past years, [...] |
2006-12-19 12:55:00 | Embassy Ashgabat | UNCLASSIFIED | KPAO PREL TX US |
06ASHGABAT1288 |
ADDITIONAL TESTING FOR FLEX: A BREAKTHROUGH? [...] (U) In response to Assistant Secretary Richard Boucher's letter to President Niyazov regarding problems with FLEX recruitment and testing, Serdar Bashimov, head of the American Department in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA), requested a meeting December 20 with A/DCM and PAO. Mr. Bashimo [...] |
2006-12-20 12:57:00 | Embassy Ashgabat | UNCLASSIFIED | KPAO PREL TX US |
06ASHGABAT1289 |
TURKMENISTAN'S PRESIDENT SAPARMYRAT NIYAZOV DIES [...] (U) This is an action message. Request para 14. Summary ------- 2. (C) Turkmenistan's President, Saparmyrat Niyazov,died at approximately 0100 local time on December 21, as has been confirmed by the official state media. The funeral will be held December 24, and Turkmenistan will obs [...] |
2006-12-21 09:30:00 | Embassy Ashgabat | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL CASC ASEC TX |
06ASHGABAT1292 |
NIYAZOV DEATH SITREP 001: 12/21/2006 [...] (C) Post has learned that Afghanistani President Karzai, Ukrainian President Yushchenko, Kazakhstani President Nazarbajev, Uzbekistani President Kerimov and Tajikistani President Rahmonov are planning to attend the funeral. In addition Armenian Prime Minister Andranik Margaryan, Georgian Pri [...] |
2006-12-21 14:55:00 | Embassy Ashgabat | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV ASEC CASC TX |
06ASHGABAT1293 |
MYRADOVA SISTERS WANT OPPOSITION TO BACK OFF [...] (C) Maral and Sona Myradova, the daughters of deceased journalist Ogulsapar Myradova, told pol off during an unplanned meeting at the embassy December 21 that they are increasingly pressured by their uncle, Helsinki Foundation founder Annadurdy Hajyev who lives in exile in Sofia, Bulgaria, to [...] |
2006-12-21 14:57:00 | Embassy Ashgabat | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PHUM PREL TX |
06ASHGABAT1295 |
NIYAZOV DEATH SITREP 002: 12/22/2006 [...] (C) During a December 22 meeting of the Emergency Action Committee, post reviewed drawdown tripwires and agreed that there was no need to consider drawdown at this time. The political situation remains stable, with governmental offices continuing to function. Funeral events will begin 9:00 [...] |
2006-12-22 10:55:00 | Embassy Ashgabat | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV ASEC CASC TX |
06ASHGABAT1301 |
NIYAZOV DEATH SITREP 003: 12/22/06 [...] (SBU) Embassy welcomes Washington's discussion of next steps for Turkmenistan and offers the following input: -- The focus should be on the historic opportunity for a "new relationship," and respect for the outcome of the transition to a new president. Having A/S Boucher head the USG delega [...] |
2006-12-22 13:33:00 | Embassy Ashgabat | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PREL PGOV ASEC CASC TX |
06ASHGABAT1303 |
DEATH OF NIYAZOV SITREP 004: 12/26/2006 [...] (C) Interim President Berdimuhammedov, for all intents and purposes, was elected president at the December 26 session of the People's Council. The actual election is February 11, but his competition of five low-level unknown bureaucrats is a joke, and Berdimuhammedov had to "fight back" the [...] |
2006-12-26 15:04:00 | Embassy Ashgabat | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV TX US |
06ASHGABAT1311 |
A/S BOUCHER DELIVERS MESSAGE OF A NEW BEGINNING IN [...] (U) Assistant Secretary Richard Boucher's December 24 visit to Turkmenistan generated a high level of international news coverage, which was mostly accurate except for some reports claiming that Boucher had an official meeting with Interim President Gurbanguly Berdimukhammedov. Turkmenistan'S [...] |
2006-12-27 11:11:00 | Embassy Ashgabat | UNCLASSIFIED | KMDR KPAO OIIP PREL PGOV AF TX |
06ASHGABAT1312 |
A/S BOUCHER'S MEETING WITH TAJIKISTAN'S PRESIDENT [...] (C) Taking the opportunity to meet prior to the wreath laying for Niyazov's funeral, visiting A/S Boucher and Charge met with President of Tajikistan, Imomali Rahmonov, and discussed Rahmonov's views on Turkmenistan's future, U.S. relations with Uzbekistan, energy cooperation, and the situatio [...] |
2006-12-27 13:13:00 | Embassy Ashgabat | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV TX TI UZ US |
06ASHGABAT1313 |
DEATH OF NIYAZOV SITREP 005: 12/27/2006 [...] (C) Turkmenistan remains calm. Peace Corps volunteers are returning to their assigned cities, and government institutions are continuing to function, albeit in some chaos. Charge met today with the head of the Americas section at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to discuss next steps, includ [...] |
2006-12-27 14:26:00 | Embassy Ashgabat | SECRET | PGOV PREL ASEC CASC TX |
06ASHGABAT1320 |
Turkmenistan: Zatoka Requests International Community Not [...] (SBU) International human rights groups monitoring Turkmenistan reported on December 19 about the detention of ecologist and civil society activist Andrey Zatoka in Dashoguz, northern Turkmenistan, on December 17. Post has learned that Zatoka's detention allegedly was related to smuggling rept [...] |
2006-12-29 10:51:00 | Embassy Ashgabat | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PHUM TX |
06ASHGABAT1322 |
NEW GOVERNMENT OF TURKMENISTAN REBUKES RUSSIA FOR [...] (U) Turkmenistan's Minister of Foreign Affairs on December 28 publicly denounced the Russian media for assertions that the recently announced February 11 election was a farce and that state services have broken down because of a power vacuum following Niyazov's death. Local media continues to [...] |
2006-12-29 13:23:00 | Embassy Ashgabat | UNCLASSIFIED | KMDR KPAO OIIP PREL PGOV AF TX |
06ASHGABAT1323 |
TURKMENISTAN SURVIVES A WEEK WITHOUT NIYAZOV [...] (C) Turkmenistan's first week of independence without Niyazov was eerily calm. After saying farewell to their first president with pomp and respect, the remaining powers in Turkmenistan's government rallied around Interim President Gurbanguly Berdimuhammedov, even providing a well-intentione [...] |
2006-12-29 14:18:00 | Embassy Ashgabat | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PINR PREL RS TX US |
06ASHGABAT134 |
EMBASSY ASHGABAT HOLDS AVIAN FLU TOWN HALL [...] On January 25, 2006 the Embassy organized a town hall meeting for resident American citizens in Turkmenistan to discuss concerns regarding avian flu. Approximately 40 Americans (including Embassy and Peace Corps staff) attended the event. 2. Ambassador informed the audience that although [...] |
2006-01-26 06:53:00 | Embassy Ashgabat | UNCLASSIFIED | ASEC EAGR ETRD CMGT KFLU TX |
06ASHGABAT138 |
NIYAZOV ESTABLISHES NEW RESHUFFLE RECORD [...] (SBU) President Niyazov announced 23 new appointments and 18 dismissals in the course of three meetings on January 25. Former presidential favorite Aganiyaz Akyev was relieved as Chief of the Presidential Apparatus and appointed the new hakim (governor) of Dashoguz Welayat (province). Chie [...] |
2006-01-27 11:56:00 | Embassy Ashgabat | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PGOV PHUM ECON PINR EPET TX |
06ASHGABAT139 |
UNITED WE STAND (SORT OF): ASHGABAT'S WESTERN [...] (SBU) On January 27, Consular officers from the U.S., German, British and French embassies met at the German Embassy in Asghabat to discuss shared consular trends and anti-fraud prevention measures pertinent to each embassy. Like the U.S. Embassy, EU embassies reported an increase in demand an [...] |
2006-01-27 12:04:00 | Embassy Ashgabat | CONFIDENTIAL | CVIS FR GM KFRD PGOV TX UK |
06ASHGABAT140 |
TURKISH AMBASSADOR POSITS GAZPROM PLANS TO [...] (C) During a lunch he hosted for Georgian Ambassador Petriashvili, Ukrainian Ambassador Mayko, and U.S. Ambassador, Turkish Ambassador Hakki Akil argued passionately (with the help of visual aids) that Gazprom is intent on establishing a monopoly of gas supply to Europe. Akil argued that Gaz [...] |
2006-01-27 12:17:00 | Embassy Ashgabat | CONFIDENTIAL | ECON ENRG EPET GG KZ PGOV PREL RS TX UP US |
06ASHGABAT141 |
WEEKLY FOLLOW-UP ON AVIAN INFLUENZA [...] PER REFTEL E, POST PROVIDES A WEEKLY FOLLOW-UP ON AVIAN INFLUENZA. INVESTIGATION INTO MYSTERIOUS BIRD DEATHS ----------------------------------------- 2. (SBU) ON JANUARY 20, A SOURCE AT THE MOH TOLD USAID'S HEALTH PROJECT SPECIALIST THAT CHIEF OF SANITARY AND EPIDEMIOLOGICAL SERVICE L [...] |
2006-01-27 13:36:00 | Embassy Ashgabat | UNCLASSIFIED | EAGR ETRD PGOV KFLU TX |
06ASHGABAT151 |
NIYAZOV WANTS TO "SOLVE GAS ISSUES PEACEFULLY" [...] (C) SUMMARY. Ambassador was called in by Niyazov Monday morning for a briefing on his Moscow meeting with Putin last week. Unexpectedly, it transpired that the Turkish ambassador had been called in for the same briefing. Niyazov said he had resisted Putin,s pressure to take sides against Uk [...] |
2006-01-30 13:09:00 | Embassy Ashgabat | CONFIDENTIAL | ECON ENRG EPET GG KZ PGOV PREL RS TX UP US |
06ASHGABAT161 |
OIL EXPATS: GOTX OIL POLICY DYSFUNCTIONAL, BUT [...] (SBU) A half-dozen of Ashgabat,s long-time oil-patch and other expat observers gave us their views on Turkmenistan,s oil/government scene over lunch January 27. The emphatic consensus was that GOTX channels for getting oil business done have become more dysfunctional than ever, with nil pros [...] |
2006-02-02 11:00:00 | Embassy Ashgabat | CONFIDENTIAL | ECON EFIN ENRG EPET PGOV TX |
06ASHGABAT162 |
Lights Out in Energy-Rich Balkan Welayat [...] (SBU) During a January 30-February 1 visit to Balkan Welayat DCM witnessed some of the bureaucratic inefficiencies that make the Government of Turkmenistan a problematic business partner. Turkmenbashy, formerly Krasnovodsk, a hydrocarbon rich Houston of Central Asia, has been without water [...] |
2006-02-02 11:37:00 | Embassy Ashgabat | UNCLASSIFIED | ENRG ECON EPET PGOV PHUM PREL AJ TX |
06ASHGABAT171 |
NIYAZOV FORMALIZES DOWNGRADING OF THEORETICAL [...] (SBU) Upon his return from a rare trip to Moscow, Turkmen President Saparmurat Niyazov convened meetings in which he reshuffled the heads of major Turkmen educational institutions, appointed a new Minister of Education with little relevant experience, and issued pronouncements that threaten t [...] |
2006-02-03 10:22:00 | Embassy Ashgabat | UNCLASSIFIED | SCUL PGOV SOCI PHUM EAGR ELAB KPAO TX |
06ASHGABAT177 |
EU SPECIAL ENVOY KUBIS GIVES READOUT OF NIYAZOV [...] (SBU) EU Emissary to Central Asia Jan Kubis told the ambassador on 2/7 that he had raised energy issues with Niyazov at their meeting the previous day and tried to drive home the point that, despite the current lack of a coordinated EU energy policy, energy developments in Turkmenistan are of [...] |
2006-02-07 12:58:00 | Embassy Ashgabat | CONFIDENTIAL | ECON ENRG EPET GG KZ PGOV PREL RS TX UP US |
06ASHGABAT178 |
TURKMENISTAN: CTAG MEETING MORE STYLE THAN [...] (SBU) Representatives of six of the G-8 countries met at the Russian Embassy on February 7 to discuss counter-terrorism assistance with the GOTX during the first local CTAG meeting of the Russian G-8 presidency. Although invited and encouraged by the Russian Embassy to attend, the GOTX fai [...] |
2006-02-07 13:29:00 | Embassy Ashgabat | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PINR PREL PTER RS TX |
06ASHGABAT207 |
TURKMENISTAN: 2006 SPECIAL 301 REVIEW [...] (U) The 2006 Special 301 review process was announced to the Government of Turkmenistan via diplomatic note on February 1. Post recommends keeping Turkmenistan on the 2006 Special 301 Watch List and suggests including the following paragraph on Turkmenistan in the 2006 Special 301 report: [...] |
2006-02-16 13:16:00 | Embassy Ashgabat | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | KIPR BTIO ETRD ECON SNAR TX |
06ASHGABAT209 |
MESSAGE TO NIYAZOV ON TURKMEN GAS [...] ( SBU) Unfortunately, the reftel talking points arrived after Miller and his delegation did. It seemed unlikely we would be able to approach President Niyazov, who was fully engaged in opening ceremonies/speeches connected with the upcoming holiday. After the speech he delivered at the new [...] |
2006-02-17 07:47:00 | Embassy Ashgabat | CONFIDENTIAL | ENRG EPET PREL RS TX UP |
06ASHGABAT210 |
TURKMENISTAN MEDIA REACTION ON GOTX POSITION ON [...] (U) On February 9, 2006, one week later than most Islamic countries, the GOTX expressed its opinion regarding the cartoons of the Prophet Muhammad. Per reftel, the MFA issued a press release on the only government sponsored website, turkmenistan.ru, as well as in major print dailies "Turkmen [...] |
2006-02-17 11:45:00 | Embassy Ashgabat | UNCLASSIFIED | KMDR KPAO OIIP PREL PGOV AF TX |
06ASHGABAT213 |
GOTX PUBLISHES AI ARTICLE [...] (U) THE GOTX INCREASED EFFORTS TO DEVELOP A NATIONAL AI PLAN DURING A FEBRUARY 14-16 WHO-SPONSORED WORKSHOP. THE GOTX ALSO TOOK THE UNPRECEDENTED STEP OF PUBLISHING A FRONT-PAGE ARTICLE AND AIRING A RADIO NEWS STORY ON AI. THE ARTICLE FOCUSED ON THE GOTX'S SELF-PROCLAIMED PROACTIVE MEASURES [...] |
2006-02-21 11:36:00 | Embassy Ashgabat | UNCLASSIFIED | EAGR ETRD PGOV KFLU TX |
06ASHGABAT215 |
NIYAZOV,S 2/17 GAZPROM, UKRAINIAN VISITORS: [...] (C) GazProm CEO Miller,s February 17 visit to Ashgabat came and went without known result; FM Meredov told Ambassador that Niyazov deferred any new energy-sector decisions for at least two months. Far less reassuringly, Ukraine energy officials, talks the same day with GOTX counterparts and [...] |
2006-02-21 12:59:00 | Embassy Ashgabat | CONFIDENTIAL | ENRG EPET PREL RS TX UP |
06ASHGABAT219 |
EMBASSY ASHGABAT'S COUNTERNARCOTICS PRIORITIES [...] Per ref A, as the Department of Defense (DOD) takes on a more substantial role in providing counternarcotics (CN) assistance to Central Asia, Embassy Ashgabat is providing a prioritized list of prospective DOD-funded CN projects in Turkmenistan. 2. Border Crossing Checkpoint Upgrades: $ [...] |
2006-02-22 09:08:00 | Embassy Ashgabat | UNCLASSIFIED | MASS SNAR TX |
06ASHGABAT228 |
SCENESETTER FOR ASSISTANT SECRETARY BOUCHER FROM [...] (C) Turkmenistan is a hydrocarbon rich, strategically located dictatorship ruled by "President for Life" Saparmurat Niyazov. The South and Central Asia Bureau has inherited the eighth worst dictator in the world, according to "Parade" magazine; the third most corrupt country in the world, ac [...] |
2006-02-23 12:49:00 | Embassy Ashgabat | SECRET | ECON ENRG EPET MARR PGOV PREL TX |
06ASHGABAT231 |
PHARMACEUTICALS IN TURKMENISTAN: PUBLIC, [...] A pharmaceuticals availability crisis in the mid- 1990's caused the GOTX to let private business into the national medicine distribution system. Largely as a result of the ensuing private-sector activity, supplies soon reached near-saturation levels. Subsequently, the GOTX began to secure a [...] |
2006-02-24 11:08:00 | Embassy Ashgabat | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | ECON ETRD PREL TX |
06ASHGABAT234 |
WHO RECOMMENDS VIROLOGICAL REFERENCE LAB AND [...] PER REFTEL C, POST PROVIDES A WEEKLY FOLLOW-UP ON AVIAN INFLUENZA. WHO RECOMMENDATION ------------------ 2. (SBU) FOLLOWING THE FEBRUARY 14-16 SEMINAR ON AI (REF A), WHO REPRESENTATIVES VISITED THE MINISTRY OF HEALTH AND MEDICAL INDUSTRY'S (MOHMI) ASHGABAT SANITARY AND EPIDEMIOLOGICAL [...] |
2006-02-24 11:41:00 | Embassy Ashgabat | UNCLASSIFIED | EAGR ETRD PGOV KFLU TX |
06ASHGABAT253 |
TURKMENISTAN REQUESTS TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE FOR [...] No summary [...] |
2006-03-03 13:25:00 | Embassy Ashgabat | UNCLASSIFIED | EAGR ETRD PGOV KFLU TX |
06ASHGABAT257 |
EMBASSY ASHGABAT SUBMISSION FOR 2006 [...] (U) The following is Embassy Ashgabat's responses to the 2005-2006 Trafficking in Persons Report for Turkmenistan. The report follows the guidelines outlined in reftel. 2. (SBU) U.S. Embassy Ashgabat's point of contact for anti- trafficking in persons programs is: Ian Turner, Consular Off [...] |
2006-03-06 11:47:00 | Embassy Ashgabat | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | ASEC ELAB KCRM KWMN PHUM PREF SMIG TX |
06ASHGABAT263 |
STARWOOD HOTEL MANAGEMENT PULLING OUT OF [...] Summary: Starwood General Manager Holger Wessel informed Ambassador today that Starwood, which manages the Sheraton Grand Turkmen and Four Points Ak Atlyn Hotels, will be pulling out of Turkmenistan by the end of the month. According to Wessel, the move has been a long time in coming. The S [...] |
2006-03-08 11:45:00 | Embassy Ashgabat | UNCLASSIFIED | AMGT ECON EINV PGOV PREL TX |
06ASHGABAT267 |
GOTX Agencies Ordered to Self-Finance School [...] (U) By October 2007 there will be 20 new schools and 20 new kindergartens in Ashgabat, according to presidential decree. Government agencies that have been building residential buildings with "increased comfort and improved design" apartments for their staff are now ordered to build and sel [...] |
2006-03-09 12:33:00 | Embassy Ashgabat | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | ECON ETRD PREL TNGD TX |
06ASHGABAT270 |
NIYAZOV ORDERS WEEKLY UPDATES ON AI [...] (U) PER REFTEL C, POST PROVIDES A WEEKLY FOLLOW-UP ON AVIAN INFLUENZA. MINISTER REPORTS TO PRESIDENT ----------------------------- 2. (U) AT THE MARCH 3 CABINET MEETING, DEPUTY CHAIRMAN OF THE CABINET OF MINISTERS AND MINISTER OF HEALTH AND MEDICAL INDUSTRY (MOHMI) GURBANGULY BERDIMUHA [...] |
2006-03-10 13:05:00 | Embassy Ashgabat | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | EAGR ETRD PGOV KFLU TX |
06ASHGABAT272 |
RFE/RL REPORTERS' DETENTION IN TURKMENISTAN [...] (SBU) Two RFE/RL Turkmen Service stringers were detained in Mary City on March 7. Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) Americas Desk Chief Serdar Bashimov responded relatively quickly to the embassy's March 10 dipnote request for details on the arrests, calling the DCM to a Monday morning meet [...] |
2006-03-13 12:49:00 | Embassy Ashgabat | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PGOV PHUM PINR TX |
06ASHGABAT273 |
1,033 KG. OF NARCOTICS SEIZED ON TURKMENISTAN- [...] The national newspapers of Turkmenistan "Neytralnyi [Neutral] Turkmenistan" and "Turkmenistan" reported on March 13 that Turkmenistani border guards seized 830 kilograms of opium and 203 kilograms of hashish at the Sarakhs border crossing checkpoint on the Turkmenistan- Iranian border. The [...] |
2006-03-13 12:49:00 | Embassy Ashgabat | UNCLASSIFIED | SNAR PREL PINR PGOV PBTS TX |
06ASHGABAT284 |
RFE/RL REPORTER IN BALKAN PROVINCE SAFE [...] (SBU) Balkan Welayat RFE/RL stringer Shamyrat Akoyliyev visited the embassy on March 15. He stopped by in response to PolAsst's March 10 call to his family, following up on reports that RFE/RL correspondents were being detained (reftel). Akoyliyev told PolOff that he was safe and had not b [...] |
2006-03-16 03:43:00 | Embassy Ashgabat | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PGOV PHUM PINR TX |
06ASHGABAT295 |
GOTX HEARS NO EVIL/SEES NO EVIL ON TRAFFICKING [...] (C) During her February 21-22 visit to Ashgabat, G/TIP Officer Megan Hall met with representatives of the Human Rights Committee of the Mejilis, Ministry of Internal Affairs (MVD) and the State Service for the Registration of Foreigners (SSRF) to learn about the GOTX's perspective on TIP. No [...] |
2006-03-17 09:14:00 | Embassy Ashgabat | CONFIDENTIAL | ELAB KCRM PGOV PHUM PREF PREL KWMN SMIG TX |
06ASHGABAT308 |
"BULLDOZER" HAKIM USES TEACHERS TO BEAUTIFY [...] (SBU) Appointed on July 8, 2005, Ashgabat Hakim (mayor) Orazmyrat Esenov has been conducting a series of city beautification projects, including the elimination of residential garages and private vegetable gardens. From March 4 until the Nowruz National Spring Holiday, March 20-22, teachers [...] |
2006-03-22 11:46:00 | Embassy Ashgabat | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PGOV PHUM ECON PINR EPET TX |
06ASHGABAT309 |
WHAT'S IN A NAME? NEW GOTX COTTON COMMISSION [...] (SBU) President Niyazov recently created five commissions under each of the provincial governors' offices to administer cotton sales on the international market. While GOTX officials view the creation of the commission as a positive step, farmers remain pessimistic. GOTX officials say that [...] |
2006-03-22 12:56:00 | Embassy Ashgabat | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | EAGR ECON ETRD PGOV EIND TX |
06ASHGABAT313 |
DIP CORPS JOINS HANDS, RIDES A LOVE TRAIN TO THE [...] (C) On March 17, Conoff, along with most of Ashgabat's diplomatic corps, traveled by train to the town of Ichoguz, halfway between Ashgabat and Dashoguz to participate in the inauguration ceremony of the new $2 billion Ashgabat-Garagum-Dashoguz rail line. While the event itself was nothing s [...] |
2006-03-23 09:20:00 | Embassy Ashgabat | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL TX |
06ASHGABAT315 |
IP ENFORCEMENT TRAINING IN TURKMENISTAN FY 2006 [...] Turkmenistan is on the 2006 Special 301 Watch List. Education on basic IPR concepts and law enforcement training is requisite to the permanent removal of Turkmenistan from this List. Embassy Ashgabat enthusiastically submits the following project proposal per ref A in order to develop the G [...] |
2006-03-23 10:00:00 | Embassy Ashgabat | UNCLASSIFIED | KIPR BTIO ETRD ECON SNAR TX |
06ASHGABAT321 |
TURKMENISTAN BANS POULTRY SALES IN PROVINCES [...] PER REFTEL C, POST PROVIDES A WEEKLY FOLLOW-UP ON AVIAN INFLUENZA. 2. POL/ECON OFFICER WAS FORCED TO TAKE A RUSSIAN AND TURKMEN LANGUAGE FLYER WARNING ABOUT THE RISKS OF AI DURING HER TURKMENISTAN AIRLINES FLIGHT TO ISTANBUL ON MARCH 14. THERE WAS NO INFORMATION DISSEMINATED ON THE RE [...] |
2006-03-28 05:34:00 | Embassy Ashgabat | UNCLASSIFIED | EAGR ETRD PGOV KFLU TX |
06ASHGABAT326 |
TURKMENISTAN LIKELY TO GAME VOTE ON GUATEMALA VS [...] (C) Turkmenistan's vote on the GRULAC seat for the UNSC is likely to depend more on GAZPROM negotiations and U.S. sponsorship of a UNGA Turkmenistan resolution than it will on Latin American politics. With the United States pushing so hard for Guatemala, GOTX likely will use its vote to puni [...] |
2006-03-29 13:16:00 | Embassy Ashgabat | CONFIDENTIAL | GT PREL TX UNGA VE UNSC |
06ASHGABAT349 |
TURKMENISTAN: U.S. CANDIDATE FOR THE ITU RADIO [...] Embassy Ashgabat delivered the reftel text supporting the candidacy of Julie Napier Zoller for the ITU Radio Regulations Board by diplomatic note 320/06 to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on March 31. Post does not anticipate information on who will lead the Government of Turkmenistan's del [...] |
2006-04-04 10:34:00 | Embassy Ashgabat | UNCLASSIFIED | AORC ECPS |
06ASHGABAT357 |
NIYAZOV'S TRIP TO CHINA: TURKMENISTAN SIGNS DEAL [...] (C) During Niyazov's visit to China, Turkmenistan and China agreed to build a natural gas pipeline by 2009 between the two countries, and for Turkmenistan to sell 30 billion cubic meters of gas to China annually once it is completed. The agreement includes joint exploration and development of [...] |
2006-04-05 13:30:00 | Embassy Ashgabat | CONFIDENTIAL | ENRG PREL CH TX |
06ASHGABAT359 |
OSCE CiO STANDS FIRM ON HUMAN RIGHTS AGENDA [...] (SBU) Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe Chairman-in-Office, Belgian Minister of Foreign Affairs Karel De Gucht, visited Turkmenistan on March 29. Ashgabat OSCE Center Human Dimensions Officer Benjamin Moreau told Pol/Econ Off on March 31 that De Gucht emphasized to both Pre [...] |
2006-04-06 12:31:00 | Embassy Ashgabat | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PGOV PHUM PREL PINR TX |
06ASHGABAT361 |
SENIOR VETERINARY OFFICIALS BRIEFED DCM ON AI [...] (U) PER REFTEL C, POST PROVIDES A WEEKLY FOLLOW-UP ON AVIAN INFLUENZA. ON APRIL 5, THE DCM MET WITH SENIOR VETERINARY SERVICE OFFICIALS TO DISCUSS THE GOTX'S EFFORTS IN FIGHTING AI. CHIEF VETERINARY OFFICER OF TURKMENISTAN AND DIRECTOR OF THE STATE VETERINARY DEPARTMENT MURAD GOCHMURADOV, [...] |
2006-04-07 04:45:00 | Embassy Ashgabat | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | EAGR ETRD PGOV KFLU TX |
06ASHGABAT365 |
Turkmenistan's Voodoo Economics: Cash-to-Card [...] (SBU) On March 23, President Niyazov signed a decree directing monetary agencies to develop a national non- cash payment system. The GOTX published a tender on April 6 for the requisite software and hardware to establish the system of credit/debit cards for use at 10,000 point of sale (POS) [...] |
2006-04-10 12:00:00 | Embassy Ashgabat | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PGOV ECON EFIN TX |
06ASHGABAT366 |
NIYAZOV CENTRALIZES CONTROL OVER OIL AND GAS [...] (SBU) In mid-December 2005, President Niyazov announced a reorganization of Turkmenistan's oil and gas sector, stripping operational freedom from state petroleum enterprises. The restructuring centralizes the president's control over the Oil and Gas Industry and Mineral Resources Ministry ( [...] |
2006-04-10 12:01:00 | Embassy Ashgabat | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | EPET ECON EFIN ETRD PGOV PREL TX |
06ASHGABAT368 |
NIYAZOV RELEASES PSYCHIATRIC "PATIENT" [...] (SBU) FOREIGN MINISTER RASHIT MEREDOV TOLD THE AMBASSADOR AT 1715 ON APRIL 10, THAT HE HAD SHOWN OUR CONGRESSIONAL LETTER REQUESTING THE RELEASE OF GURBANDURDY DURDYKULIYEV FROM A MENTAL HOSPITAL TO PRESIDENT NIYAZOV, AND THAT NIYAZOV HAD AGREED TO FREE HIM. DURDYKULIYEV WAS TAKEN INTO CUST [...] |
2006-04-10 13:26:00 | Embassy Ashgabat | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PGOV PHUM PINR TX |
06ASHGABAT369 |
MARY, BALKANABAT RFE/RL REPORTERS ALIVE AND DEFIANT [...] (SBU) PDOff visited Mary Radio Free Europe/Liberty (RFE/RL) stringers Ovezmuhammet Hommadov and Jumadurdy Ovezov April 6. Both are in good condition but continue to deal with cut-off telephones and harassment by local authorities. Balkanabat stringer Shamurat Akolyev visited the embassy on Ap [...] |
2006-04-11 03:18:00 | Embassy Ashgabat | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PHUM PREL PINR TX |
06ASHGABAT382 |
DURDYKULIYEV AT HOME AND "IN A GOOD MOOD" [...] (SBU) GURBANDURDY DURDYKULIYEV ARRIVED HOME VIA MINISTRY OF HEALTH ESCORTS AND TRANSPORTATION AROUND 0300 ON APRIL 12. DURDYKULIYEV'S WIFE ANNAGUL ANNAYEVA CONFIRMED THAT "HE IS FINE AND IN A GOOD MOOD," AND WELCOMES A POTENTIAL POL OFF VISIT AT HIS HOME EARLY NEXT WEEK. 2. (SBU) HAVI [...] |
2006-04-12 12:27:00 | Embassy Ashgabat | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PGOV PHUM PINR TX |
06ASHGABAT385 |
WHO EXPERTS ASSIST IN TURKMENISTAN'S [...] (U) PER REFTEL B, POST PROVIDES A WEEKLY FOLLOW-UP ON AVIAN INFLUENZA. THE MINISTRY OF HEALTH AND MEDICAL INDUSTRY (MOHMI) AND THE WHO CO-SPONSORED A SEMINAR ON LABORATORY DIAGNOSIS AND THE PREVENTION OF AVIAN FLU APRIL 4-7. THE SEMINAR GATHERED OVER 100 PARTICIPANTS, INCLUDING EMPLOYEES O [...] |
2006-04-14 09:14:00 | Embassy Ashgabat | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | EAGR ETRD PGOV KFLU TX |
06ASHGABAT386 |
WRITER ESENOV DENIED PERMISSION TO EXIT [...] (SBU) PEN Club award winner, writer Rahym Esenov, was told by the State Service for the Registration of Foreign Citizens on April 14 that he was on the list of citizens prohibited from traveling abroad. Subsequently, Minister of Foreign Affairs Rashit Meredov confirmed to Organization for C [...] |
2006-04-14 13:16:00 | Embassy Ashgabat | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PGOV PHUM PINR TX |
06ASHGABAT387 |
BLOW YOUR HOUSE DOWN: CONTINUED DESTRUCTION OF [...] (SBU) While Ashgabat's main streets continue to resemble a large construction site in pursuit of President Niyazov's campaign to "transform" the city, several of Ashgabat's neighborhoods tell a different story. There, residents continue to receive little notice before being forced out of thei [...] |
2006-04-17 04:52:00 | Embassy Ashgabat | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PGOV PHUM TX |
06ASHGABAT389 |
IN FOREIGN CONSTRUCTION TURKMENBASHY TRUSTS [...] (SBU) Foreign companies are primarily responsible for transforming Ashgabat into Niyazov's white city. The GOTX and construction companies claim that contracts are awarded on the basis of open tenders. In reality, Niyazov makes the decisions and many of the most important projects are awarded [...] |
2006-04-17 13:00:00 | Embassy Ashgabat | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | ECON ETRD PREL TNGD TX |
06ASHGABAT394 |
TURKMENISTAN'S FORMER PROSECUTOR GENERAL [...] (SBU) Former Prosecutor General Gurbanbibi Atajanova was arrested on April 11, according to the Gundogar opposition website and several embassy contacts. While unconfirmed, all reports, including from a GOTX security officer, say that Atajanova was detained at home the day after President Niy [...] |
2006-04-18 06:38:00 | Embassy Ashgabat | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PGOV PHUM PINR TX |
06ASHGABAT410 |
DURDYKULIYEV - GRATEFUL AND EMBOLDENED [...] (SBU) FORMER PSYCHIATRIC PATIENT GURBANDURDY DURDYKULIYEV MET WITH POL OFF IN HIS BALKANABAT CITY HOME ON APRIL 17 AFTER SPENDING THREE HOURS IN THE LOCAL POLICE STATION AND HAKIMLIK. DURDYKULIEV WAS ADMONISHED BY LOCAL POLICE, MUNICIPAL AUTHORITIES, AND LOCAL ELDERS NOT TO CONTINUE HIS CAM [...] |
2006-04-19 12:47:00 | Embassy Ashgabat | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PGOV PHUM PINR TX |
06ASHGABAT412 |
GOTX ALLOWS WRITER ESENOV TO DEPART TURKMENISTAN [...] (SBU) Summary: Despite FM Meredov's confirmation to OSCE Ashgabat Ambassador Ibrahim Djikic on April 14 that PEN Club award winner, writer Rahim Esenov, would not be permitted to travel due to two convictions (reftel), Esenov and his daughter Maya departed the morning of April 17 for New Yor [...] |
2006-04-20 03:02:00 | Embassy Ashgabat | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PHUM PINR PGOV TX |
06ASHGABAT427 |
CONSTRUCTION MINISTER ON ASHGABAT RECONSTRUCTION [...] (SBU) Minister of Construction Batyr Gayipov told poloff on April 21 that the GOTX is carrying out a well-planned reconstruction of Ashgabat using modern technology. he confirmed that foreign companies are responsible for most of the current construction (Ref A). However,, Gayipov said that [...] |
2006-04-24 10:59:00 | Embassy Ashgabat | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | ECON PREL TNGD TX |
06ASHGABAT43 |
DAS BRYZA MEETING WITH FM MEREDOV [...] (C) On January 13, following a meeting with President Niyazov (septel) Foreign Minister Rashit Meredov hosted a working lunch for visiting DAS Matthew Bryza and Ambassador Jacobson. During the lunch, Bryza pressed for concrete progress on religious freedom and academic exchanges for Turkmeni [...] |
2006-01-13 13:39:00 | Embassy Ashgabat | CONFIDENTIAL | ECON ENRG EPET KIRF PHUM PREL SCUL TX |
06ASHGABAT432 |
NIYAZOV IN THE OIL AND GAS WEEDS [...] (SBU) Shortcomings and proposed solutions in the oil and gas industry were raised by President Niyazov during an April 20 oil and gas industry meeting in Turkmenbashy city. Niyazov reviewed the oil and gas industry's performance and production targets for the year, and reprimanded experts for [...] |
2006-04-25 06:16:00 | Embassy Ashgabat | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | EPET ECON EFIN ETRD PREL TX PGOV |
06ASHGABAT439 |
GOTX DRAFTING STUDENTS STUDYING ABROAD INTO ARMY [...] (C) The GOTX has ordered male Turkmenistani citizens of Kazakh ethnicity studying in Kazakhstan to return home for military service, according to information from a Kazakh Diaspora contact. The contact provided Post with a copy of a letter sent by the Turkmen Embassy in Astana to South Kazakh [...] |
2006-04-26 08:38:00 | Embassy Ashgabat | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV PHUM KZ RS UP TX |
06ASHGABAT447 |
TURKMENISTAN POSTS TRANSLATED HRR 2005 [...] No summary [...] |
2006-04-27 11:46:00 | Embassy Ashgabat | UNCLASSIFIED | PHUM KPAO ODIP PREL ELAB KDEM KSPR TX |
06ASHGABAT450 |
Turkmenistan Agrees to Energize Afghanistan [...] (U) The Afghan power delegation headed by Afghanistan Power and Water Resources Minister, the former Governor of Herat, Muhammad Ismail signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with President Niyazov for delivery of an additional 330 MW of electricity per year on April 24 in Ashgabat. The [...] |
2006-04-28 12:00:00 | Embassy Ashgabat | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | EPET ECON EFIN ENRG ETRD PGOV PREL TX |
06ASHGABAT458 |
EMBASSY ASHGABAT MARKS HOLOCAUST REMEMBRANCE DAY [...] (U) On April 25, approximately 60 people, including students, representatives of minority religious groups, NGO leaders, and teachers, gathered at post's newly inaugurated PD center to attend a viewing of Schindler's List to mark Holocaust Remembrance Day (Yom Hashoah). The movie was followe [...] |
2006-05-01 09:42:00 | Embassy Ashgabat | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | KIRF PGOV PHUM TX |
06ASHGABAT477 |
TURKMENISTAN POSTS TRANSLATED SHRD 2005-2006 [...] No summary [...] |
2006-05-03 09:15:00 | Embassy Ashgabat | UNCLASSIFIED | PQM KPAO ODIP PREL ELAB KDEM KSPR TX |
06ASHGABAT478 |
AVIAN FLU: TURKMENISTAN SIGNS KABUL DECLARATION [...] (U) AT AN APRIL 17-20 REGIONAL CONFERENCE IN KABUL DEDICATED TO CONTAGIOUS DISEASES AND ORGANIZED BY USAID AND WHO, TURKMENISTAN'S DEPUTY MINISTER OF HEALTH AND MEDICAL INDUSTRY (MOHMI) BASHIM SOPIYEV SIGNED A REGIONAL DECLARATION TO FIGHT AGAINST CHOLERA, HIV/AIDS, MALARIA, POLIO, TUBERCULOS [...] |
2006-05-03 12:59:00 | Embassy Ashgabat | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | EAGR ETRD PGOV KFLU TX |
06ASHGABAT517 |
GOTX RAIDS UNREGISTERED CHRISTIAN MEETING [...] (SBU) POLOFF WAS ABLE TO CONFIRM REPORTS ABOUT GOVERNMENT AUTHORITIES BREAKING UP A NON-REGISTERED CHRISTIAN GROUP MEETING AT A PRIVATE RESIDENCE IN ASHGABAT ON MAY 3 DURING A MAY 16 MEETING WITH U.S. CITIZEN AND DIRECTOR OF THE LOCAL EXPORT/IMPORT COMPANY ENGEDI PAUL KIM. ACCORDING TO KIM, [...] |
2006-05-16 13:19:00 | Embassy Ashgabat | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PGOV PHUM PINR TX |
06ASHGABAT528 |
AVIAN FLU: WHO SHARES ASSESSMENT RESULTS; WORLD [...] (SBU) SUMMARY. A WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION (WHO) AVIAN INFLUENZA PREPAREDNESS ASSESSMENT TEAM VISITED ASHGABAT APRIL 2-14 TO CONDUCT TWO SEMINARS AND ASSESS AI PREPAREDNESS AT GOTX FACILITIES. THE ASSESSMENT TEAM'S UNPUBLISHED FINDINGS, RELAYED TO EMBASSY STAFF BY WHO'S LIAISON OFFICER IN A [...] |
2006-05-17 10:10:00 | Embassy Ashgabat | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | EAGR ETRD PGOV KFLU TX |
06ASHGABAT532 |
UKRAINE'S INTERBUDMONTAZH OPERATIONS IN [...] (SBU) GENERAL DIRECTOR OF UKRAINIAN COMPANY INTERBUDMONTAZH VADIM SULIM TOLD POL/ECON OFF ON MAY 11 THAT THE COMPANY HAD NO PART IN THE TURKMENISTAN-UKRAINE BARTER FOR GAS AGREEMENTS AND WAS NOT INVOLVED IN THE OIL AND GAS SECTOR, DESPITE MULTIPLE PRESS REPORTS TO THE CONTRARY. INTERBUDMONTAZH [...] |
2006-05-19 03:40:00 | Embassy Ashgabat | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | ETRD EPET UP TX |
06ASHGABAT545 |
TURKMENISTANI LABOR MIGRATION TO TURKEY [...] (SBU) DRIVEN BY LOCAL UNEMPLOYMENT AND POVERTY, THOUSANDS OF TURKMENISTAN'S CITIZENS TRAVEL TO TURKEY TO WORK ILLEGALLY AS UNSKILLED LABORERS. ANECDOTAL EVIDENCE COLLECTED FROM LABOR MIGRANTS SUGGESTS THAT, HAVING ARRIVED IN TURKEY, MOST MIGRANTS OVERSTAY THEIR TOURIST VISAS TO EARN INCOMES [...] |
2006-05-22 13:33:00 | Embassy Ashgabat | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PGOV PHUM PINR TU TX |
06ASHGABAT549 |
ICE SKATING IN THE DESERT AND OTHER CELEBRATIONS TO [...] (SBU) GOTX marked the May 18 holiday of Resurrection, Unity and Magtumguly Poetry with the expected pomp and wastefulness of a grand musical concert and the opening of Turkmenistan's first ice skating rink. At the concert, a Japanese delegation presented President Niyazov with a Japanese tra [...] |
2006-05-23 13:25:00 | Embassy Ashgabat | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PGOV PHUM SOCI EPET JA FR TX |
06ASHGABAT550 |
Islam in America Speaker Ahmed Younis [...] (SBU) Turkmenistan was the first destination in the three-country Central Asian speaking tour of Ahmed Younis, National Director of the Muslim Public Affairs Council, a tour which included Kyrgyztan and Tajikistan. Embassy Ashgabat welcomed Younis, its first Islam in America speaker, and organ [...] |
2006-05-24 03:33:00 | Embassy Ashgabat | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PHUM PINR PGOV TX KY |
06ASHGABAT561 |
Ukrainian Ambassador to Ashgabat Viktor Mayko to [...] (SBU) Ukrainian Ambassador to Ashgabat Viktor Mayko will travel to Kabul in mid-June to present his credentials to President Karzai. Ukraine previously had been represented by its ambassador in Tashkent. Mayko will be a valuable interlocutor on energy issues and also on the trials and tribu [...] |
2006-05-25 13:39:00 | Embassy Ashgabat | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PREL EPET PINR AF UP TX |
06ASHGABAT567 |
TURKMENISTAN'S GOOD AND BAD COPS MEET STATE'S [...] (C) On May 19, EUR/ACE Coordinator Tom Adams, USAID Regional Coordinator Christopher Crowley, EUR/ACE Central Asian Desk Officer John McKane (who were in Ashgabat to participate in post's recent assistance review - ICAR), and Charg Brush met with Foreign Minister Rashit Meredov and Deputy Pri [...] |
2006-05-26 13:57:00 | Embassy Ashgabat | CONFIDENTIAL | EAID ECON PGOV PREL TX |
06ASHGABAT580 |
ARMENIAN CONSUL CLAIMS "IRAN PREPARING FOR WAR" [...] (C) Ashgabat-based Armenian consular officer Artek Kalachayan somberly told Emboffs attending the May 26 Georgian national day celebration about his recent two-week trip to Iran, during which he traveled from the Iranian-Turkmenistani border (Ashgabat is 30km north of the border) to the Armen [...] |
2006-05-31 18:10:00 | Embassy Ashgabat | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PINR PREL PTER IR TX |
06ASHGABAT581 |
TURKMENISTAN'S FOREIGN MINISTER AGREES TO CONSIDER [...] (C) Charge met with Turkmenistan's Foreign Minister Rashit Meredov to thank him for Turkmenistan's public statement in support of the U.S. initiative on Iran and to urge him to issue an additional public statement requesting Iran to do the right thing and also to follow up with Iran through d [...] |
2006-06-02 13:46:00 | Embassy Ashgabat | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL AORC IAEA KNNP UNSC IR TX |
06ASHGABAT582 |
TURKMENISTAN'S FOREIGN MINISTER AGREES TO CONSIDER [...] (C) Charge met with Turkmenistan's Foreign Minister Rashit Meredov to thank him for Turkmenistan's public statement in support of the U.S. initiative on Iran and to urge him to issue an additional public statement requesting Iran to do the right thing and also to follow up with Iran through d [...] |
2006-06-02 13:46:00 | Embassy Ashgabat | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL AORC IAEA KNNP UNSC IR TX |
06ASHGABAT608 |
TURKMENISTAN BURNS 1.7 TONS OF NARCOTICS [...] (SBU) On May 28, for the third time in a year, Turkmenistan invited personnel from diplomatic missions to observe the destruction of seized narcotics. For the first time, ambassadors and local and foreign media were also invited to attend the destruction. While claiming that it is not a tran [...] |
2006-06-09 12:02:00 | Embassy Ashgabat | UNCLASSIFIED | SNAR PREL PINR PGOV PBTS TX |
06ASHGABAT620 |
AVIAN FLU: TURKMENISTAN'S BAN ON IMPORTED LIVE [...] (SBU) THE MINISTRY OF HEALTH (MOH) IMPOSED AN IMPORT BAN ON LIVE BIRDS AND EGGS ON JANUARY 22. THE BAN DAMAGED LOCAL POULTRY BUSINESSES, WHICH PREVIOUSLY IMPORTED EGGS AND CHICKENS FROM IRAN AND TURKEY. A STATE VETERINARY SERVICE OFFICIAL TOLD POL/ECON ASST THAT THE GOTX PLANS TO LIFT THE B [...] |
2006-06-12 11:47:00 | Embassy Ashgabat | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | EAGR ETRD PGOV KFLU TX |
06ASHGABAT621 |
TURKMEN POLITICAL COMMISSAR ON THE RAPTURE OF [...] (C) On June 8 Emboffs interviewed Hojanazar Annanazarov, a "Higher Societal Specialist" in the Ministry of Education, whose sole job is to propagandize the Ruhnama, President Niyazov's so-called "spiritual guide." In a private meeting after his unsuccessful non-immigrant visa interview, Anna [...] |
2006-06-12 11:49:00 | Embassy Ashgabat | CONFIDENTIAL | KIRF PGOV PHUM PINR PREL TX |
06ASHGABAT622 |
JACKSON-VANIK: NECESSARY STEPS TO CONTINUE WAIVER [...] (C) Foreign Minister Rashit Meredov learned during a June 2 meeting with Charge that the GOTX is, once again, in the spotlight for Jackson-Vanik Amendment trade sanctions for violating freedom of movement rights. Americas Desk Chief Serdar Bashimov scolded the Charge for raising this issue [...] |
2006-06-12 12:55:00 | Embassy Ashgabat | CONFIDENTIAL | PHUM PGOV TX |
06ASHGABAT623 |
COMMITTEE ON THE RIGHTS OF CHILDREN TO ISSUE STERN [...] (C) Twelve years after ratifying the Convention on the Rights of the Child, Turkmenistan's compliance record is "a failure," according to a UNICEF official briefing select members of the Ashgabat diplomat corps prior to publication of the official report of the Committee on the Rights of Child [...] |
2006-06-12 13:00:00 | Embassy Ashgabat | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PHUM TX |
06ASHGABAT638 |
TASHKENT-BASED ISRAELI UPDATES EMBASSY ON [...] (SBU) On June 6, Conoff met with Anatoli Livshitz, the Tashkent-based Israeli Consular and Immigration officer who came to Ashgabat to conduct immigrant visa interviews for Turkmenistani Jews to immigrate to Israel. Livshitz told Conoff that despite Turkmenistan's resource wealth and strateg [...] |
2006-06-15 03:23:00 | Embassy Ashgabat | CONFIDENTIAL | KIRF PGOV PHUM PREL IS UZ TX |
06ASHGABAT639 |
TASHKENT-BASED ISRAELI CONSUL UPDATES EMBASSY ON [...] (SBU) On June 6, Conoff met with Anatoli Livshitz, the Tashkent-based Israeli Consular and Immigration officer who came to Ashgabat to conduct immigrant visa interviews for Turkmenistani Jews to immigrate to Israel. Livshitz told Conoff that despite Turkmenistan's resource wealth and strateg [...] |
2006-06-15 03:23:00 | Embassy Ashgabat | CONFIDENTIAL | KIRF PHUM PREL IS TX UZ |
06ASHGABAT644 |
TURKMENISTAN,S RELATIONS WITH ARMENIA: COLD AND [...] (C) During two conversations with the Armenian Consul in Turkmenistan Artak Kalachyan on June 12 and 13, PolOff discussed the &cold8 state of relations between Armenia and Turkmenistan, the plight of ethnic Armenians in Turkmenistan and Kalachyan,s predictions for a possible post-Niyazovian f [...] |
2006-06-15 11:06:00 | Embassy Ashgabat | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL SMIG TX AM PHUM |
06ASHGABAT651 |
Turkmenistan: Demarche On Human Rights [...] (SBU) PER REFTEL, POST DELIVERED ON JUNE 19 VIA DIPLOMATIC NOTE TALKING POINTS URGING THE GOVERNMENT OF TURKMENISTAN TO EXERCISE RESTRAINT IN REGARD TO ANTICIPATED ORGANIZATION OF THE ISLAMIC CONFERENCE'S (OIC) HIGHLY POLITICIZED RESOLUTIONS ON ISRAEL. TURKMENISTAN RARELY RESPONDS TO DIPLOMAT [...] |
2006-06-20 12:52:00 | Embassy Ashgabat | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PREL PHUM TX |
06ASHGABAT652 |
TURKMENISTAN IMPLICATES FRENCH EMBASSY, OSCE [...] (C) On June 19, Foreign Minister Rashit Meredov told Ambassador that French Charge Henri Tomasini was implicated in a scheme to foment political unrest in Turkmenistan. Meredov unveiled a complicated story involving a Turkmenistani dissident, foreign journalists, spy gear, &color8 revolutio [...] |
2006-06-20 12:56:00 | Embassy Ashgabat | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL PINR TX FR UK |
06ASHGABAT659 |
INDIA'S ENGAGEMENT IN TURKMENISTAN: CHALLENGES AND [...] (C) SUMMARY: During two conversations with the new Indian Deputy Chief of Mission in Turkmenistan, Binaya Srikanta Pradahan on June 15 and June 21, PolOff discussed the declining state of economic relations between India and Turkmenistan, various educational, cultural and other programs -- in [...] |
2006-06-23 03:23:00 | Embassy Ashgabat | CONFIDENTIAL | KDEM PREL ETRD TX IN |
06ASHGABAT673 |
GAZPROM'S SURPRISE VISIT TO TURKMENISTAN YIELDS NO [...] (SBU) On June 19 President Niyazov invited Gazprom Chairman Alexey Miller to Turkmenistan to discuss additional gas supplies for 2006 and gas deliveries for 2007 and 2008. Although no deal was struck, the Turkmenistani side offered increased volume to Gazprom, but did not accept the offer to [...] |
2006-06-26 12:26:00 | Embassy Ashgabat | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | EPET ECON EFIN ENRG PGOV PREL TX RS UP |
06ASHGABAT679 |
NIYAZOV'S WILLING EXECUTIONERS JUSTIFY WIDESPREAD [...] (C) On June 20, DCM, Conoff, and CAO met with Ashyrmurad Garayev and Gurbangeldi Akgayev, two representatives of the Ashgabat city government who are involved in the Ashgabat "White City" beautification program that has destroyed thousands of private homes, rendering thousands more homeless. [...] |
2006-06-27 08:47:00 | Embassy Ashgabat | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PHUM TX |
06ASHGABAT682 |
AVIAN FLU: TURKMENISTAN SEEMINGLY ACTIVE ON AI [...] (U) DEPUTY HEALTH MINISTER ANNAMURAD ORAZOV, DEPUTY HEAD OF STATE VETERINARY SERVICE HUDAIBERDY MUHAMMEDOV AND DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF THE INSTITUTE OF DESERTS UNDER THE MINISTRY OF NATURE PROTECTION REPRESENTED THE GOVERNMENT OF TURKMENISTAN AT THE JUNE 12-13 INTERNATIONAL AVIAN INFLUENZA CONFERE [...] |
2006-06-28 11:49:00 | Embassy Ashgabat | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | EAGR ETRD PGOV KFLU TX |
06ASHGABAT684 |
ACTION REQUEST: ASHGABAT REQUESTS DOD [...] This is an action request, please see paragraph 4. 2. Turkmenistan was zeroed out for country-specific U.S. Department of Defense supplemental FY 06 counternarcotics funding, and post requests funding from the Drug Interdiction and Counter-Drug Activities Defense for Central Asia and Af [...] |
2006-06-29 10:59:00 | Embassy Ashgabat | UNCLASSIFIED | SNAR TX |
06ASHGABAT698 |
TURKMENISTAN MOSTLY MUTE ON SPY SCANDAL [...] (C) Since the televised June 20 Cabinet of Ministers meeting detailing an alleged spy ring (reftel), the Government of Turkmenistan has not proceeded with either diplomatic or public denunciations of French Charge Henri Tomasini or OSCE Human Dimensions officer Benjamin Moreau. Local RFE/RL [...] |
2006-07-03 12:57:00 | Embassy Ashgabat | CONFIDENTIAL | OSCE PGOV PHUM PREL TX |
06ASHGABAT699 |
DEAL OR NO DEAL? NIYAZOV PLAYS HARDBALL ON [...] (C) On June 29 GazProm Chairman Alexei Miller returned to Turkmenistan to discuss gas prices with President Niyzaov )- his second visit in less than two weeks. The following day, a Ukrainian delegation headed by Minister Plachkov met with Oil and Gas Minister Atayev for a similar negotiation. [...] |
2006-07-03 13:17:00 | Embassy Ashgabat | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL ENRG TX UP RS BO ZK |
06ASHGABAT702 |
AMBASSADOR,S FAREWELL CALL WITH NIYAZOV [...] (C) During an hour long farewell call with Ambassador, an apparently healthy and engaged Niyazov: -described plans for upcoming elections at all levels, starting with village councils July 23 and leading up to presidential elections in 2009; -noted that he would maintain his chairmanship o [...] |
2006-07-05 11:56:00 | Embassy Ashgabat | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL TX PHUM ENRG PINS KDEM ZK |
06ASHGABAT704 |
TURKMENISTAN AND PAKISTAN: PROBLEMS ABOUND [...] (C) SUMMARY: PolOff met with Pakistani Deputy Chief of Mission in Turkmenistan, Dr. Ali Ahmad Arian on June 30 and talked about the bilateral relationship between Turkmenistan and Pakistan, including their declining trade relations, Trans-Afghan Pipeline feasibility, educational exchanges, an [...] |
2006-07-05 12:54:00 | Embassy Ashgabat | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL ENRG PK TX KPAO ETRD EPET ZK PGOV |
06ASHGABAT715 |
TURKMENISTAN DENIES TRAVEL RESTRICTION BLACK LIST [...] (U) The embassy received a diplomatic note from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on July 3 at 6:15 p.m. in response to the embassy,s demarche cable diplomatic note (ref A) of June 28, on the situation regarding the list of citizens prohibited from traveling abroad. 2. (U) Begin unofficia [...] |
2006-07-07 05:11:00 | Embassy Ashgabat | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PHUM PREL TX |
06ASHGABAT716 |
A Street Wisdom Primer on Corruption in [...] (SBU) Rampant corruption in Turkmenistan pervades all levels of society. Its root causes include high unemployment, a general lack of civic pride, an unresponsive and incompetent bureaucracy and long-standing societal acceptance of bribery as a way to get better service or advance personally [...] |
2006-07-07 05:50:00 | Embassy Ashgabat | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | EPET ECON EFIN ENRG TX PGOV INV SOCI ZK |
06ASHGABAT721 |
Afghan-Turkmen Relations: Mutually Beneficial [...] (SBU) During a July 6 meeting with PolOff, Afghanistan Depuy Chief of Mission Rooz M. Noor discussed bilateral trade, transport routes, political relations, future joint projects and the general state of Turkmenistan-Afghanistan bilateral relations. END SUMMARY Afghan Trade with Turkmenist [...] |
2006-07-07 11:56:00 | Embassy Ashgabat | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PREL ENRG TX AF ETRD PGOV SOCI ZK |
06ASHGABAT741 |
AVIAN INFLUENZA: TURKMENISTAN NEUTRAL ON [...] (U) ON JULY 3 THE EMBASSY RECEIVED A DIPLOMATIC NOTE FROM THE MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS (MFA) IN RESPONSE TO THE EMBASSY'S REQUEST FOR INFORMATION REGARDING THE GOVERNMENT OF TURKMENISTAN'S CURRENT RESTRICTIONS ON POULTRY IMPORTS. THE FOREIGN MINISTRY REPORTED THAT THE STATE EPIDEMIOLOGICA [...] |
2006-07-13 06:23:00 | Embassy Ashgabat | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | EAGR ETRD PGOV KFLU TX |
06ASHGABAT764 |
NIYAZOV APPOINTS NEW DEPUTY CHAIRMAN FOR OIL AND [...] (SBU) President Niyazov, accompanied by two deputy chairmen of the Cabinet of Ministers and the Minister of Foreign Affairs, held an expanded Cabinet of Ministers meeting on July 10. The president encouraged brevity with the numerous briefings he heard during the edited televised meeting th [...] |
2006-07-18 12:36:00 | Embassy Ashgabat | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PGOV PHUM ECON PINR EPET TX |
06ASHGABAT767 |
TURKMENISTAN DENIES OVERFLIGHT FOR SUSPECT IRANIAN [...] No summary [...] |
2006-07-19 11:02:00 | Embassy Ashgabat | SECRET//NOFORN | PARM ETTC PREL IR CH KN KG TX UZ |
06ASHGABAT787 |
CHARGE DELIVERS P5+1 INCENTIVE PACKAGE DEMARCHE TO [...] No summary [...] |
2006-07-24 08:24:00 | Embassy Ashgabat | CONFIDENTIAL | KNNP PARM PREL IR EU AORC TX |
06ASHGABAT804 |
THE JULY 24-25 STATE VISIT OF IRANIAN PRESIDENT [...] (C) Iranian President Ahmadinejad was clearly in control, with President Niyazov playing only a secondary role, during the Iranian President,s July 24-25 state visit to Turkmenistan. Notwithstanding the local state media's assertions that the visit centered on developing economic links -- th [...] |
2006-07-27 12:30:00 | Embassy Ashgabat | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL ECON ENGR ETRD PARM IR TX UNSC |
06ASHGABAT819 |
ICRC REPRESENTATIVES VISIT ASHGABAT TO DISCUSS [...] (C) During a July 31 meeting, the new Head and Deputy Head of the International Committee of the Red Cross's (ICRC's) Regional Delegation of Central Asia told the Charge that their organization is changing its strategy on seeking access to prisoners. Instead of holding fast to the ICRC's pre [...] |
2006-08-02 11:54:00 | Embassy Ashgabat | CONFIDENTIAL | AF EAIR IO MARR PHUM PREL TX |
06ASHGABAT821 |
SCENE SETTER FOR PDAS MANN'S AUGUST 13-15 VISIT TO [...] (U) PDAS Mann, welcome back to Ashgabat, we look forward to your return. Your visit will provide us with an opportunity to meet President Niyazov to discuss oil and gas issues and review progress on the key priorities of our bilateral relationship: -- Promotion of democratic reform and h [...] |
2006-08-02 13:22:00 | Embassy Ashgabat | CONFIDENTIAL | ENRG OVIP PGOV PHUM PREL TX |
06ASHGABAT828 |
FOREIGN MINISTER MEREDOV SAYS TURKMENISTAN HAS [...] (S) Charge delivered ref A appreciation to Turkmenistan's Foreign Minister Rashit Meredov on August 3. Meredov took meticulous notes and said he would convey text verbatim to President Niyazov. Meredov added that "for your information only," the Government of Turkmenistan had denied overfligh [...] |
2006-08-03 11:53:00 | Embassy Ashgabat | SECRET | IR KN PARM PGOV PREL TX |
06ASHGABAT840 |
MYRADOVA ARREST UPDATE [...] (C) Ogulspapar Myradova, Annagurban Amanklychev (alt. Amangylyjov) and Sapardurdy Hajiyev, who are connected to the Turkmenistan Helsinki Foundation, remain in detention. Post has regular contact with Myradova's previously detained daughters Sona and Mara, and continues to monitor the case a [...] |
2006-08-08 12:56:00 | Embassy Ashgabat | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PHUM PREL TX |
06ASHGABAT851 |
A Quiet Violence: Niyazov Destroys More Neighborhoods [...] (SBU) A large neighborhood across the street from the CHG's residence has fallen victim to President Niyazov's dream of a transformed Ashgabat, this time in a particularly brutal fashion. During the weekend of July 29-30, residents were given just 24 - 72 hour eviction notices before demolition [...] |
2006-08-09 13:01:00 | Embassy Ashgabat | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | ECON PREL TNGD PGOV TX |
06ASHGABAT856 |
PETRONAS POSSIBLY LOOKING TO EXPAND ACTIVITIES IN [...] (C) Judging by insights provided by the U.S. firm Transocean, the Malaysian Oil Giant Petronas is both consolidating and looking to expand its activities in Turkmenistan. Transocean has drilled four commercially viable wells for Petronas in offshore Block 1 in the Caspian Sea. After the dis [...] |
2006-08-10 13:43:00 | Embassy Ashgabat | CONFIDENTIAL | ECON ENRG EPET MY TX |
06ASHGABAT862 |
LT GENERAL EIKENBERRY VISIT TO TURKMENISTAN [...] (C) Commander, CFC-A met with Minister of Defense, Chief of the State Border Service and Chief of State Civil Aviation Service. The Minister of Defense and Chief of the State Border Service provided a short summary of Turkmenistan support for Afghanistan and questioned why, after five years, [...] |
2006-08-11 09:13:00 | Embassy Ashgabat | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL TX |
06ASHGABAT864 |
PRESIDENT NIYAZOV HINTS THAT APPROVAL ON MARY [...] (C) During a August 14 with visiting SCA/PDAS Mann, Turkmenistan's President Niyazov strongly hinted that his government soon would approve the divert agreement for Mary Airfield. Following PDAS Mann's thanks to Turkmenistan for its assistance with Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan, [...] |
2006-08-14 11:20:00 | Embassy Ashgabat | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV ENRG TX ZK |
06ASHGABAT875 |
61ST UNGA: TURKMENISTAN'S ATTENDANCE/SUPPORT FOR UNSC [...] (U) Embassy officially requested GOTX plans for UNGA attendance on July 17. Post has not received any response from the GOTX, but anticipates, based on prior precedence, that Foreign Minister Rashit Meredov will attend the UNGA high-level events. Post will communicate any additional informat [...] |
2006-08-16 09:24:00 | Embassy Ashgabat | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PREL OTRA OVIP KSEP UNGA TX |
06ASHGABAT880 |
DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE STUDY TOUR ARRANGEMENTS FOR [...] In response to reftel request to extend an invitation to the Government of Turkmenistan to nominate 10 law enforcement officials to a study tour of the United States this October, the embassy forwarded an official notification to the government on August 15. Embassy requested a list of nominee [...] |
2006-08-18 08:06:00 | Embassy Ashgabat | UNCLASSIFIED | ASEC KCRM SNAR OTRA TX |
06ASHGABAT883 |
TURKMENISTAN MEDIA COVERAGE JULY 2006 [...] (U) Turkmenistan state media provided relatively positive coverage of and adequate support for mission events in July. Turkmenistan state television was active and positive in its coverage of ambassador Tracey Ann Jacobson's statement on U.S. Independence Day, her farewell meeting with Preside [...] |
2006-08-18 10:22:00 | Embassy Ashgabat | UNCLASSIFIED | KMDR KPAO OIIP PREL PGOV AF TX |
06ASHGABAT884 |
VINTAGE -- BUT SUBDUED -- NIYAZOV ON TRANS-CASPIAN [...] (C) During an August 14 two-hour meeting with SCA Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary (PDAS) Steven Mann, Turkmenistan's President Niyazov expressed interest in multiple gas pipelines but failed to endorse the practical steps involved. Niyazov supported a new trans)Caspian line, but stated [...] |
2006-08-18 10:51:00 | Embassy Ashgabat | CONFIDENTIAL | AJ ENRG EPET ETRD IR KZ PGOV PREL RS TX |
06ASHGABAT899 |
SUBJECT: IT TAKES A TOUGH MAN'S SON TO MAKE A [...] (C) Turkmenistan continues to get curiouser and curiouser. The embattled but profitable German-Turkmenistan Joint Venture "Shohrat" chicken farm apparently is being slowly but surely expropriated, possibly to end up as a model enterprise for presidential son Murat Niyazov. The Turkmen partn [...] |
2006-08-24 03:21:00 | Embassy Ashgabat | CONFIDENTIAL | EAGR EINV KCOR PREL PGOV PHUM TX GM |
06ASHGABAT901 |
TURKMENISTAN REPORTS 2006 NARCOTICS SEIZURE STATISTICS [...] (U) Government of Turkmenistan narcotics seizure statistics report 1,551 kilograms of narcotics seized during the first six months of 2006. Associated government information mainly focuses on Turkmenistan being a transit, and not a destination, country. End Summary. NARCOTICS STATISTICS [...] |
2006-08-24 08:09:00 | Embassy Ashgabat | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | SNAR PREL PINR PGOV PBTS TX |
06ASHGABAT904 |
TURKMENISTAN MEDIA COVERAGE OF DEPUTY ASSISTANT SECRETARY [...] (U) Turkmenistan's state media coverage of the August 13-15 visit to Turkmenistan of Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of State Steven R. Mann included misinformation about the content of his meeting with President Niyazov and downplayed Mann's emphasis on the need for transparency and comp [...] |
2006-08-24 12:45:00 | Embassy Ashgabat | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | KMDR KPAO OIIP PREL PGOV AF TX |
06ASHGABAT905 |
EXPANSION PLANS FOR TURKMENISTAN'S NATURAL GAS [...] (C) Petronas subcontractor Bertling Logistics confirmed reftel plans for Petronas to lay two natural gas pipelines from Block 1 to supply a new onshore gas facility in Gyanly, north of the Caspian Sea city of Turkmenbashy. U.K.'s Burren Energy has approached Turkmenistan officials regarding t [...] |
2006-08-25 09:39:00 | Embassy Ashgabat | CONFIDENTIAL | EPET ECON PREL TX |
06ASHGABAT906 |
KAZAKHSTANI FOREIGN MINISTER TO VISIT TURKMENISTAN [...] (C) Kazakhstani Ambassador to Turkmenistan Murat Atanov told Charge on August 21 that Foreign Minister Tokayev is scheduled to visit Ashgabat August 31. According to Atanov, Tokayev's mission will be to "thaw the ice" of Kazakhstan's relations with Turkmenistan. Atanov subsequently told Char [...] |
2006-08-25 12:31:00 | Embassy Ashgabat | CONFIDENTIAL | KZ MNUC PHUM PREL TX ETRA |
06ASHGABAT910 |
OSCE ON THE MYRADOVA CASE [...] (C) OSCE's Human Dimension Officer Benjamin Moreau on August 24 passed embassy a transcript of meetings he has had with family members of the three Turkmenistan Helsinki Foundation activists charged in July of weapons possession (scanned copies have been emailed to the SCA/CEN, per ref a). [...] |
2006-08-25 13:01:00 | Embassy Ashgabat | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PHUM PREL TX |
06ASHGABAT911 |
MYRADOVA TRIAL CONCLUDES WITH SIX-YEAR SENTENCE [...] (C) Ogulspapar Myradova on August 25 was found guilty of weapons possession and sentenced to six-year's imprisonment; Annakurban Amanklichev and Sapardury Hajiyev (also spelled Khajyev), who were arrested and tried with her, were both given seven year sentences, according to Myradova's daughte [...] |
2006-08-25 13:14:00 | Embassy Ashgabat | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PHUM PREL TX |
06ASHGABAT912 |
YKLYMOVA WHILES AWAY HER YOUTH AS A HOSTAGE OF [...] (SBU) In response to an e-mail from Saparmurat Yklymov, convicted in absentia in 2002 of conspiring to assassinate President Niyazov, suggesting that his daughter, political prisoner Maral Yklymova, is being physically abused by host country law enforcement, PDOff paid a house visit to Yklymov [...] |
2006-08-25 13:46:00 | Embassy Ashgabat | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PHUM PREL TX |
06ASHGABAT922 |
FOREIGN FIRMS PUMP UP THE VOLUME IN TURKMENISTAN'S [...] (SBU) Crude oil production figures among foreign oil firms operating off of Turkmenistan's Caspian Sea coast and onshore in hydrocarbon-rich Balkan province exceed 85,000 barrels a day. The large Petronas support base in Turkmenbashy outfits a fleet of 14 support ships, massive amounts of dr [...] |
2006-08-30 12:11:00 | Embassy Ashgabat | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | EPET ECON PREL TX |
06ASHGABAT929 |
KAZAKHSTANI FM TOKAYEV IN ASHGABAT: GOOD NEWS FOR [...] (C) An August 30-31 visit by Kazakhstani Foreign Minister Tokayev to Ashgabat ended with an exchange of instruments on a five year-old agreement on delimitation and demarcation of the 400 KM land border between Turkmenistan and Kazakhstan. The two also agreed to improve transportation links b [...] |
2006-09-01 14:26:00 | Embassy Ashgabat | CONFIDENTIAL | CH EPET KNNP KZ OSCE PREL TX |
06ASHGABAT930 |
KAZAKHSTANIS IN ASHGABAT SEND MIXED SIGNALS ON [...] (C) Representatives of the Kazakhstani Embassy in Ashgabat gave mixed signals on Turkmenistan's readiness to sign a Central Asian Nuclear Weapons Free Zone (CANWFZ) agreement in Kazakhstan on September 8 (reftels). Kazakhstani DCM Askar Tazhibayev told Charge on August 31 that Foreign Ministe [...] |
2006-09-01 14:44:00 | Embassy Ashgabat | CONFIDENTIAL | MARR KNNP PARM PREL UN KZ TX |
06ASHGABAT932 |
GAZPROM SIGNS $100/TCM DEAL FOR TURKMENISTAN'S NATURAL GAS [...] (SBU) Local Turkmen media reported that visiting Gazprom chairman Alexei Miller initialed an agreement September 5 with President Niyazov to purchase natural gas for $100 per thousand cubic meters (tcm). According to the terms of the contract, Turkmenistan will supply 162 billion cubic meters [...] |
2006-09-05 12:46:00 | Embassy Ashgabat | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | EPET ECON ETRD PREL TX |
06ASHGABAT940 |
TURKMENISTAN TO SUPPORT U.S. SEAT ON U.N. HUMAN RIGHTS [...] No summary [...] |
2006-09-06 12:13:00 | Embassy Ashgabat | UNCLASSIFIED | UNGA PHUM TX |
06ASHGABAT942 |
TURKMENISTAN REFUSES TO MEET WITH P-3 AMBASSADORS [...] (SBU) After five days of unsuccessful efforts by P-3 ambassadors to meet with Turkmenistan's Minister of Foreign Affairs, Rashit Meredov, it is clear that the Government of Turkmenistan does not intend to engage with the P-3 on the Central Asia Nuclear Weapon-Free Zone (CANWFZ) treaty. The U [...] |
2006-09-06 12:36:00 | Embassy Ashgabat | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | KNNP MARR PARM PREL TX UN |
06ASHGABAT946 |
TURKMENISTAN AND MESSAGES ON DETAINEE TREATMENT [...] (SBU) There has been no public comment by or private debate with Government of Turkmenistan officials regarding the treatment of detainees since the start of the Global War on Terror in 2001. As government officials have avoided virtually all contact with embassy over the past month, post ne [...] |
2006-09-07 12:26:00 | Embassy Ashgabat | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PHUM PREL TX |
06ASHGABAT947 |
THINKING ABOUT NOT EXTENDING THE JACKSON-VANIK [...] (C) Since the last Jackson-Vanik Waiver review, the Government of Turkmenistan has made no progress on freedom of movement and even has refused to engage with the embassy on the subject. Based on the above, post recommends the Department begin considering not extending the waiver. Charge i [...] |
2006-09-07 13:30:00 | Embassy Ashgabat | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PHUM PREL TX |
06ASHGABAT948 |
TURKMENISTAN INTENDS TO SIGN CENTRAL ASIA NUCLEAR [...] (SBU) On the sidelines of Tajikistan's September 7 National Day reception, Turkmenistan Foreign Minister Rashit Meredov informed Charge that Turkmenistan intends to sign the Central Asia Nuclear Weapons-Free Zone treaty. Meredov provided neither further explanation nor a rationale for refusi [...] |
2006-09-08 12:52:00 | Embassy Ashgabat | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | KNNP MARR PARM PREL TX UN |
06ASHGABAT949 |
TURKMENISTAN'S MINISTER OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS ASKS [...] (C) After almost a month's wait, Turkmenistan's Minister of Foreign Affairs, Rashit Meredov, met with Charge and told her there was no such thing as a "black list" of citizens not allowed to travel out of the country. Instead, he said, there were a number of people "temporarily prevented" fro [...] |
2006-09-08 14:41:00 | Embassy Ashgabat | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PHUM PREL TX |
06ASHGABAT950 |
TURKMENISTAN'S MINISTER OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS ASKS [...] (C) After almost a month's wait, Turkmenistan's Minister of Foreign Affairs, Rashit Meredov, met with Charge and told her there was no such thing as a "black list" of citizens not allowed to travel out of the country. Instead, he said, there were a number of people "temporarily prevented" fro [...] |
2006-09-11 02:59:00 | Embassy Ashgabat | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PHUM PREL TX |
06ASHGABAT953 |
Turkmenistan Imports Eggs Before Chickens [...] (SBU) The largest private poultry producer in Turkmenistan, Altyn Hilal, resumed direct market sales of chicken at local markets on September 5, after an involuntary five-month hiatus. The government's covert January 22 ban on imported poultry products had forced Altyn Hilal company owner Ahme [...] |
2006-09-12 06:03:00 | Embassy Ashgabat | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | EAGR ETRD PGOV KFLU TX |
06ASHGABAT954 |
Demarche Delivered to Turkmenistan on Iranian Nuclear [...] No summary [...] |
2006-09-12 09:13:00 | Embassy Ashgabat | UNCLASSIFIED | PREL KNNP TX |
06ASHGABAT955 |
TURKMENISTAN -- SUBMISSION FOR ANNUAL BORDER [...] No summary [...] |
2006-09-12 11:16:00 | Embassy Ashgabat | UNCLASSIFIED | PREL OSCE TX |
06ASHGABAT957 |
CALCULATING THE IMPACT OF THE GAZPROM-TURKMENISTAN [...] (C) Embassy estimates Turkmenistan will earn $3.6 billion in 2006 natural gas revenues, and based on the new agreement with Gazprom, will receive $5.9 billion in 2007 natural gas revenues. Turkmenistan will likely attempt to increase gas prices for Iran from the current rate of $65/tcm to a r [...] |
2006-09-12 12:53:00 | Embassy Ashgabat | CONFIDENTIAL | EPET ECON PREL TX |
06ASHGABAT959 |
EXPANDING WATER SUPPLIES AND DEVELOPMENT IN [...] (SBU) The construction and redevelopment boom afflicting Ashgabat has not infected Turkmenbashy and Balkanabat, the two main cities in western Balkan welayat (province). However, tourism development is expected in Turkmenbashy, Turkmenistan's main port city, where a new water desalinization p [...] |
2006-09-13 02:59:00 | Embassy Ashgabat | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | ECON TX |
06ASHGABAT963 |
MYRADOVA DIES IN PRISON, CIRCUMSTANCES UNKNOWN [...] (C) Sona and Mara Myradova notified embassy September 14 that their mother, Ogulspapar Myradova, was reportedly dead. After hearing rumors and under continued surveillance, the daughters were asked by Turkmenistani authorities to identify their mother's body at the city morgue after it had be [...] |
2006-09-14 14:34:00 | Embassy Ashgabat | CONFIDENTIAL | PHUM PGOV PREL TX |
06ASHGABAT978 |
Demarche Delivered to Turkmenistan on Sudan's Darfur [...] No summary [...] |
2006-09-15 10:52:00 | Embassy Ashgabat | UNCLASSIFIED | PREL PREF KLIG KSUM TX |
06ASHGABAT983 |
RUMORS DISPELLED IN MYRADOVA CASE, BUT SISTERS [...] (C) Embassy personnel visited the Myradova residence late in the evening September 14 and did not observe any excessive security presence, any indication that the police had entered the Myradova residence nor any other reported difficulties, in contradiction to information received reftelcon A [...] |
2006-09-15 14:30:00 | Embassy Ashgabat | CONFIDENTIAL | PHUM PGOV PREL TX |
06ASHGABAT984 |
U.S. Company Loses Heart over Dispute that Attracts Turkmen [...] (SBU) Amcom, a US company with a long-standing contract dispute with "Turkmendokun" State Company over carbon black (a pigment commonly used in automobile tires) supplies, advised embassy not to advocate on its behalf. As Turkmenistan President Niyazov reportedly was made aware of Amcom's con [...] |
2006-09-18 09:25:00 | Embassy Ashgabat | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | BEXP BTIO ETRD EINV KIDE TX |
06ASHGABAT985 |
GLOBAL INTERNET FREEDOM INFORMATION FROM TURKMENISTAN [...] Project Name: Central Asian Program on AIDS Control in Vulnerable Populations Recipient: Republican AIDS Center and the National Coordinating Committee. Project Description: To develop and test approaches and models for increasing coverage of vulnerable HIV/AIDS populations. IT Comp [...] |
2006-09-18 12:36:00 | Embassy Ashgabat | UNCLASSIFIED | ECPS EINT EIAD PHUM TX |
06ASHGABAT987 |
GOVERNMENT OF TURKMENISTAN REFUSES TO MAKE PUBLIC [...] (C) On September 16 Turkmenistan's Minister of Foreign Affairs, Rashit Meredov, emphatically told OSCE Ambassador Djikic that Turkmenistan did not intend to make public the results of the Myradova autopsy. Taking a legalistic approach, Meredov told Djikic that Myradova's case had been handle [...] |
2006-09-18 13:59:00 | Embassy Ashgabat | CONFIDENTIAL | PHUM PGOV PREL OSCE TX |
06ASHGABAT995 |
Diminishing Chicken and Egg Stocks Put Pressure on [...] (SBU) In the wake of the legal case against the largest egg-producing farm in Turkmenistan and lingering prohibitions on imports due to avian influenza concerns, supplies of chicken and eggs have dramatically diminished in local markets. The subsequent increase in chicken and egg prices is put [...] |
2006-09-22 12:30:00 | Embassy Ashgabat | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | EAGR ETRD PGOV KFLU TX |
06ASHGABAT997 |
TURKMENISTAN'S OIL CHIEF UPBEAT ON OIL AND GAS [...] (SBU) Citing Turkmenistan's estimated reserves of 45 billion metric tons of oil equivalent, Garyagdy Tashliyev, chairman of Turkmenistan's state oil concern, advised emboffs September 13 that Turkmenistan would avoid the refining, sale and storage "mistakes" that previously afflicted the secto [...] |
2006-09-22 13:04:00 | Embassy Ashgabat | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | EPET ECON PREL TX |
06ASHGABAT998 |
MYRADOVA CASE: HUMAN RIGHTS AND OPPOSITION PRESS [...] (C) A week after the death in prison of Turkmenistan journalist Ogulsapar Myradova, the authorities have not issued an autopsy, and one is not expected for at least another week. Embassy officers have not talked with any members of Myradova's family since September 15, and there are no signs [...] |
2006-09-22 13:17:00 | Embassy Ashgabat | CONFIDENTIAL | PHUM PGOV PREL OSCE TX |
07ASHGABAT1001 |
TURKMENISTAN: NATIONAL CIVIL AVIATION SERVICE [...] (U) Sensitive but unclassified. Not for public Internet. 2. (SBU) SUMMARY: During a recent introductory meeting with U.S. Trade and Development Agency (USTDA) Regional Director Dan Stein, officials of Turkmenistan's National Civil Aviation Service expressed interest in possible developme [...] |
2007-09-21 12:46:00 | Embassy Ashgabat | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | EAID EAIR PGOV PREL TX |
07ASHGABAT1003 |
TURKMENISTAN: MEETING WITH INSTITUTE OF DEMOCRACY [...] (U) Sensitive byt unclassified. Not for public Internet. 2. (SBU) SUMMARY: Institute for Democracy and Human Rights Deirector Shirin Ahmedova told poloff September 21 that the new Human Rights Commission has plans to cooperate closely with the UN and EU. The Commission also wants to devel [...] |
2007-09-21 13:17:00 | Embassy Ashgabat | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PGOV PHUM PREL SCUL TX |
07ASHGABAT1008 |
SUBJECT: TURKMENISTAN: WHO IS PRESIDENT [...] (C) SUMMARY: Little in the way of personal detail is known about the real President Berdimuhamedov, but examining rumors, official biographies and the comments of those who have worked with him provide some insight into his personality. Descended from Turkmen intelligentsia, Berdimuhamedov [...] |
2007-09-24 07:53:00 | Embassy Ashgabat | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL EAID ECON KDEM TX |
07ASHGABAT1009 |
TURKMENISTAN: PUBLIC DIPLOMACY SUPPLIES READING MATERIAL [...] (U) Sensitive but unclassified. Not for public Internet. 2. (SBU) If you want to know about the United States, there probably is no better source than the Embassy's Public Diplomacy Section. Apparently, the people in charge of the preparations for President Berdimuhamedov's trip to UNGA rea [...] |
2007-09-24 09:11:00 | Embassy Ashgabat | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PGOV PREL KDEM KPAO TX |
07ASHGABAT1014 |
TURKMENISTAN: A TURKISH BUSINESSMAN WORRIES [...] (C) SUMMARY: Turkish Businessman and Turkmenistan insider Ahmet Chalik (protect throughout) describes President Berdimuhamedov as weak because he is beholden to outside interests, principally Russian. He says Turkey's Prime Minister Erdogan and President Gul are eager to promote a trilatera [...] |
2007-09-24 11:35:00 | Embassy Ashgabat | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL PINR ECON EPET KDEM TU AJ KZ RS TX |
07ASHGABAT1015 |
TURKMENISTAN: WORLD BANK CAUTIOUSLY LOOKING AT [...] (U) Sensitive but unclassified. Not for public Internet. 2. (SBU) The World Bank's Bishkek-based Country Manager for Turkmenistan, Roger Robinson, told the Charge September 24 that he was in Ashgabat to look for ways the World Bank can re-engage with the Government of Turkmenistan. In re [...] |
2007-09-24 11:37:00 | Embassy Ashgabat | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PREL EAID EFIN IBRD TX |
07ASHGABAT1018 |
TURKMENISTAN: STATE AND INTERNATIONAL MEDIA HIGHLIGHT [...] (U) SUMMARY. The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) delegation's August 20-25, 2007 visit to Turkmenistan, headed by Michael Cromartie, received positive state and international media. However, state media avoided any frank discussion of religious freedom issues with [...] |
2007-09-25 07:37:00 | Embassy Ashgabat | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PGOV PREL EAID ECON KPAO OIIP TX |
07ASHGABAT1030 |
TURKMENISTAN: BERDIMUHAMEDOV PROMISES RELEASE OF [...] (C) During a September 24 debrief of UK Minister of Energy Malcolm Wick's 19-20 visit that focused primarily on oil and gas issues (septel), UK Ambassador Peter Butcher reported Wicks raised political development and human rights in meetings with President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov and Deputy [...] |
2007-09-25 10:36:00 | Embassy Ashgabat | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PHUM PREL KDEM TX |
07ASHGABAT1033 |
TURKMENISTAN: PRESIDENT SHOWS SOME LEG ON [...] (C) SUMMARY: During a September 20 meeting with UK Minister of Energy Malcolm Wicks, President Berdimuhamedov for the first time expressed Turkmenistan's support for a Nabucco pipeline, and even promised to guarantee Turkmen gas reserves for the Nabucco project. This formulation, which woul [...] |
2007-09-25 12:37:00 | Embassy Ashgabat | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL EPET PBTS UK AJ TX |
07ASHGABAT1035 |
TURKMENISTAN: CONDITIONS IN OWADAN PRISON [...] (C) A longtime Embassy contact, whose brother was imprisoned for the 2002 attack on the presidential motorcade, spoke recently with one of the 11 individuals granted clemency in August. (NOTE: The contact did not specify which one. END NOTE.) This person told our contact that rumors she ha [...] |
2007-09-26 12:58:00 | Embassy Ashgabat | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PHUM KJUS TX |
07ASHGABAT1036 |
TURKMENISTAN: RUSSIAN BAZAAR BURNS, BUT NO TAPE [...] (U) Sensitive but unclassified. Not for public Internet. 2. (SBU) SUMMARY: An early morning fire on September 24 destroyed temporary kiosks as well as badly damaging two permanent retail areas of Ashgabat's Russian Bazaar in the center of downtown. Although there is no information rega [...] |
2007-09-26 13:34:00 | Embassy Ashgabat | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PGOV PHUM ECON TX |
07ASHGABAT1037 |
TURKMENISTAN MINISTRY OF EDUCATION GRANTS FLEX RECRUITMENT [...] (U) Sensitive but unclassified. Not for public Internet. 2. (U) The Ministry of Education (MOE) has approved the Future Leaders Exchange Program (FLEX) recruitment for 2007/2008, which will begin September 30. The surprise early approval is a break from the past and signals a possible chan [...] |
2007-09-27 03:25:00 | Embassy Ashgabat | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PGOV SCUL KPAO TX |
07ASHGABAT1039 |
CATERPILLAR EXEC NOTES CHALLENGES, BUT "IN [...] (U) Sensitive but unclassified. Not for public Internet. 2. (SBU) SUMMARY: During a September 26 meeting, Vladimir Naumov, General Manager of Zeppelin Caterpillar Turkmenistan JV said while President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov continues his predecessor's hands-on habits in terms of making [...] |
2007-09-27 09:40:00 | Embassy Ashgabat | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PGOV PREL ETRD JA TX |
07ASHGABAT1040 |
TURKMENISTAN: EVANGELICAL CHRISTIAN GROUP IN [...] (U) Sensitive but unclassified. Not for public Internet. 2. (SBU) Post confirmed today that the evangelical Christian Source of Life Church in Turkmenabat was successfully registered on the 24th of September, after two years of process. The preacher, Jabar Aliyev, received news of it fro [...] |
2007-09-27 10:47:00 | Embassy Ashgabat | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PGOV PHUM PREL KIRF TX |
07ASHGABAT1041 |
TURKMENISTAN: REGIONAL UNODC MEETING PARTICIPANTS AGREE ON [...] (U) Sensitive but unclassified. Not for public Internet. 2. (SBU) SUMMARY: During a September 17-19 regional counternarcotics meeting sponsored by the United Nations Office on Drug Control (UNODC) in Turkmenbashy, Turkmenistan, representatives of Paris Pact countries and international or [...] |
2007-09-27 11:28:00 | Embassy Ashgabat | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PGOV PREL SNAR SOCI TX |
07ASHGABAT1042 |
TURKMENISTAN: ASHGABAT INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL [...] The Ashgabat International School (a Quality Schools International supported by the Department), Turkmenistan's only English-language expatriate school, suddenly and unexpectedly received a request from state-controlled Turkmen television to come and interview teachers and students at the sch [...] |
2007-09-27 12:37:00 | Embassy Ashgabat | UNCLASSIFIED | PGOV PREL ASCH SCUL TX |
07ASHGABAT1043 |
DEA/ICITAP VISITS ASHGABAT AND FINDS IDEAS FOR NEW [...] (U) Sensitive but unclassified. Not for public Internet. 2. (SBU) SUMMARY: During a September 10-14 training visit to Turkmenistan, a joint Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and Department of Justice (DOJ) International Criminal Investigative Training Assistance Program (ICITAP) dele [...] |
2007-09-27 12:50:00 | Embassy Ashgabat | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PBTS PREL SNAR TX |
07ASHGABAT1047 |
TURKMENISTAN'S TEXTILE MINISTER SHARES HER -- AND [...] (SBU) SUMMARY: DCM met with Turkmenistan's Minister of Textiles Jemal Geoklenova on September 26 for an introductory meeting on the textile industry in Turkmenistan. Appreciative of the experience brought by and lessons learned from international investors, Geoklenova explained that Presiden [...] |
2007-09-28 12:17:00 | Embassy Ashgabat | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL PINR EIND ETRD TX |
07ASHGABAT1048 |
TUKRMNEISTAN: AHAL PROVINCE OFFICIALS SHOW REMARKABLE NEW [...] (U) Sensitive but unclassified. Not for public Internet. 2. (SBU) SUMMARY: In a distinctive change over previous visits to Ahal in post's provincial reporting program, PAO was warmly welcomed and treated to a new level of hospitality and openness, particularly by a high-ranking alumnus of t [...] |
2007-09-28 12:49:00 | Embassy Ashgabat | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PGOV PREL PHUM ECON SOCI KPAO TX |
07ASHGABAT1050 |
TURKMENISTAN FOREIGN MINISTER: GIVE US MORE TIME [...] (S) Charge met with Foreign Minister Rashit Meredov September 28 for a read-out of President Berdimuhamedov's September 23-27 visit to New York (septel). At the end of the meeting, Charge asked Meredov to dismiss his notetaker, as is normal practice for this issue, and raised the U.S. strong [...] |
2007-10-01 05:58:00 | Embassy Ashgabat | SECRET | PGOV PREL ASEC TX |
07ASHGABAT1053 |
TURKMENISTAN PRESIDENT PLEASED WITH NEW YORK TRIP; [...] (C) SUMMARY: According to Foreign Minister Meredov, President Berdimuhamedov left New York with a strongly positive reaction to his bilateral, business, and UN meetings. Meredov said the president asked him to thank the United States for its high level of professionalism in organization and [...] |
2007-10-01 07:20:00 | Embassy Ashgabat | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL PHUM ECON EPET SCUL KPAO KIRF TX |
07ASHGABAT1054 |
TURKMENISTAN: NAVCENT COMMANDER OFFERS [...] (SBU) SUMMARY. During a September 29 meeting, the U.S. Navy Commander of the Combined Maritime Forces (NAVCENT), Vice Admiral Kevin Cosgriff, offered Minister of Oil and Gas Baymyrat Hojamuhamedov assistance with improving Turkmenistan's capacity to deal with a variety of security threats to [...] |
2007-10-01 07:37:00 | Embassy Ashgabat | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PREL PGOV PINR EPET MARR TX |
07ASHGABAT1055 |
VISAS VIPER REPORT, SEPTEMBER 2007 [...] (SBU) Post's Visas Viper committee met on September 25, 2007. The acting Consular Section chief, along with the DCM and representatives from RSO, Pol/Econ, Pol/Mil, PAO, Management, DAO, CLO, Peace Corps and USAID were in attendance. ConOff, as Visas Viper coordinator, reviewed the Visas Viper [...] |
2007-10-01 09:06:00 | Embassy Ashgabat | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | KVPR CVIS CMGT PINR PTER ASEC TX |
07ASHGABAT1056 |
TURKMENISTAN: RISING MARKET BASKET COSTS BEGINNING TO BE [...] (SBU) SUMMARY: As President Berdimuhamedov's latest foreign policy moves continue to receive heavy media play, citizens are beginning to complain about rising food prices. A recent market basket price comparison shows prices have increased an average of 20% since last year. While the reason [...] |
2007-10-01 09:06:00 | Embassy Ashgabat | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PGOV ECON SOCI TX |
07ASHGABAT1057 |
VISAS VIPER REPORT, SEPTEMBER 2007 [...] (U) Sensitive but unclassified. Not for public Internet. 2. (SBU) Post's Visas Viper committee met on September 25, 2007. The acting Consular Section chief, along with the DCM and representatives from RSO, Pol/Econ, Pol/Mil, PAO, Management, DAO, CLO, Peace Corps and USAID were in attendan [...] |
2007-10-01 09:07:00 | Embassy Ashgabat | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | KVPR CVIS CMGT PINR PTER ASEC TX |
07ASHGABAT1059 |
ASHGABAT RESPONSE TO CALL FOR INFORMATION-HOST [...] (U) Sensitive but unclassified. Not for public Internet. 2. (SBU) Please find below post's responses to the information requested reftel. Watchlisting - The government of Turkmenistan maintains a law enforcement-based watch list against which the names of incoming Turkmen citizen passenger [...] |
2007-10-01 11:33:00 | Embassy Ashgabat | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PGOV PREL PTER PINR KVPR KHLS CVIS ASEC TX |
07ASHGABAT1064 |
POLIMEKS EXECUTIVE WANTS COLLABORATION WITH U.S. [...] (U) Sensitive but unclassified. Not for public Internet. 2. (SBU) SUMMARY: On September 27, a senior Turkish construction company official outlined the difficulties of living and doing business in Turkmenistan, such as police harassment and lack of Internet access, and how it makes find [...] |
2007-10-02 11:11:00 | Embassy Ashgabat | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PGOV ECON EIND SOCI TU TX |
07ASHGABAT1066 |
TURKMENISTAN: STATE AGENCY FOR HYDROCARBON [...] (C) SUMMARY: Just back from a week-long orientation trip to the United States hosted by the U.S. Trade Development Agency (USTDA), the Executive Director of Turkmenistan's State Agency for Management and Use of Hydrocarbon Resources, Bayrammurat Muradov, told Charge October 2 that the trip ha [...] |
2007-10-03 10:49:00 | Embassy Ashgabat | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL EPET AJ TX |
07ASHGABAT1067 |
TURKMENISTAN: CHEVRON PLANS TO OPEN OFFICE, HOPES [...] (C) SUMMARY: According to two Chevron security officers, the oil company plans to open an office in Ashgabat in November or December, with an expatriate staff of four or five persons. Chevron is yet to name a country director. The company has proposals to work two sectors of Serdar off-shore [...] |
2007-10-03 11:40:00 | Embassy Ashgabat | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL EPET EINV ASEC TX |
07ASHGABAT1068 |
TURKMENISTAN'S MARY PROVINCE: FARMERS PRO PRIVATE [...] (SBU) SUMMARY: Farmers in Mary expressed their disgruntlement with the government cotton-growing and state-controlled purchasing system, and argued that farming private land would make farmers more prosperous, during a recent post visit to the province. Turkish factories appear to be provid [...] |
2007-10-03 12:10:00 | Embassy Ashgabat | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL ECON EAGR SOCISZX KPAO TX |
07ASHGABAT1070 |
TURKMENISTAN ACCEPTS ENERGY DEPARTMENT'S PROPOSAL [...] The Government of Turkmenistan has finally informed the United States by diplomatic note that the Cabinet of Ministers has approved the Department of Energy's (DOE's) 12-month plan proposed during the May 30-June 2 Energy Delegation for promoting bilateral cooperation in the hydrocarbon secto [...] |
2007-10-03 13:43:00 | Embassy Ashgabat | UNCLASSIFIED | PREL EPET TX |
07ASHGABAT1072 |
TUKRMENISTAN: ASHGABAT INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL FEATURED ON [...] (U) Sensitive but unclassified. Not for public Internet. 2. (SBU) SUMMARY: State Television channel "TV4" October 3 ran a positive feature on Ashgabat International School that highlighted the school's American curriculum and international staff and students. In his interview, the school [...] |
2007-10-04 13:04:00 | Embassy Ashgabat | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PGOV PREL ASCH KPAO TX |
07ASHGABAT1073 |
TURKMENISTAN: NARYSHKIN VISIT PROBABLY FOCUSED ON [...] (U) Sensitive but unclassified. Not for public Internet. 2. (U) According to press reports, during an October 3 meeting in Ashgabat, Sergei Naryshkin, Russian Deputy Prime Minister and Co-Chairman of the Turkmenistan-Russia Intergovernmental Economic Cooperation Commission, told Turkmeni [...] |
2007-10-04 13:05:00 | Embassy Ashgabat | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PGOV PREL ECON EPET RS TX |
07ASHGABAT1074 |
TURKMENISTAN: BURREN ENERGY MANAGER DISCUSSES THE [...] (U) Sensitive but unclassified. Not for public Internet. 2. (SBU) SUMMARY: Over dinner, the Amcit operations manager for Burren Energy talked about many of the challenges that his company -- and most foreign firms doing business in Turkmenistan -- are facing, including problems with the [...] |
2007-10-05 04:55:00 | Embassy Ashgabat | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PGOV PREL EPET TX |
07ASHGABAT1075 |
"NIGHT OF OMNIPOTENCE" AMNESTY LIST INCLUDES SOME [...] (U) Sensitive but unclassified. Not for public Internet. 2. (U) On October 1, the state-run newspaper, "Neutral Turkmenistan," published the list of prisoners to be pardoned on October 9, in honor of the Night of Omnipotence. Some 8,837 names appeared, along with brief details about whe [...] |
2007-10-05 05:19:00 | Embassy Ashgabat | UNCLASSIFIED | PGOV PHUM TX |
07ASHGABAT1076 |
PETRONAS IN TURKMENISTAN: FULL OF GAS [...] (U) Sensitive but unclassified. Not for public Internet. 2. (SBU) SUMMARY: Petronas, which unexpectedly hit substantial (an estimated 20 billion cubic meters at maximum production) reserves of ethane- and propane-rich natural gas in the Caspian Sea, is looking at gas export options. The [...] |
2007-10-05 06:46:00 | Embassy Ashgabat | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PGOV PREL EPET RS AJ TX |
07ASHGABAT1078 |
TURKMENISTAN: OSCE SEES IMPROVEMENT IN HUMAN [...] (U) Sensitive but unclassified. Not for public Internet. 2. (SBU) SUMMARY: OSCE sees an improvement in human rights, in the attitude of the government toward human rights, and in the ability of the OSCE Ashgabat Center to do business, since Berdimuhamedov came to power in early 2007. For [...] |
2007-10-05 11:19:00 | Embassy Ashgabat | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PGOV PREL PHUM SOCI TX |
07ASHGABAT1079 |
TURKMENISTAN: GERMAN EXPERTS PRESS LEGAL REFORM [...] (U) Sensitive but unclassified. Not for public Internet. 2. (SBU) SUMMARY: A German academic delegation from the German Association for Technical Cooperation visited Ashgabat the week of October 1 to hold a roundtable with a number of Turkmenistan's ministries and government agencies dir [...] |
2007-10-05 11:42:00 | Embassy Ashgabat | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PGOV PREL PHUM EAID KDEM TX |
07ASHGABAT1081 |
TURKMENISTAN: HIGH-PROFILE AND IRF-CONCERN NAMES [...] (U) Sensitive but unclassified. Not for public Internet. 2. (U) Post has learned that several additional names of interest were on the list of those to be amnestied on October 9. A source at the Turkish embassy confirmed that it was notified that six Turkish citizens were on the list [...] |
2007-10-05 12:34:00 | Embassy Ashgabat | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PGOV PHUM KIRF TX |
07ASHGABAT1082 |
DEMARCHE ON DRAFT RESOLUTION CONDEMNING RAPE AS AN [...] No summary [...] |
2007-10-05 12:44:00 | Embassy Ashgabat | UNCLASSIFIED | PREL PHUM UN TX |
07ASHGABAT1083 |
TURKMENISTAN: STATE MEDIA UNSURE OF ITSELF WHILE THE [...] (SBU) SUMMARY. State media gave minor coverage to the U.S. CENTCOM visit, headed by the Commander of the U.S. Naval Forces Central Command, Vice Admiral Kevin J. Cosgriff, September 27-28. However, it had been believed that the visit would not be covered at all, according to working level sta [...] |
2007-10-09 03:42:00 | Embassy Ashgabat | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PGOV PREL EAID ECON KPAO OIIP TX |
07ASHGABAT1084 |
DEMARCHE ON DRAFT RESOLUTION CONDEMNING RAPE AS AN [...] No summary [...] |
2007-10-09 06:52:00 | Embassy Ashgabat | UNCLASSIFIED | PREL PHUM UN TX |
07ASHGABAT1085 |
YOUR VISIT TO TURKMENISTAN [...] (C) Erica: We look forward to your visit and want to ensure it will contribute to building our new bilateral relationship with Turkmenistan. In the nine months since the death of former President Niyazov, the new government has taken deliberate steps to move the country back toward the main [...] |
2007-10-09 07:29:00 | Embassy Ashgabat | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL PHUM KDEM TX |
07ASHGABAT1088 |
TURKMENISTAN: BERDIMUHAMEDOV REPLACES INTERIOR, [...] (SBU) SUMMARY: President Berdimuhamedov replaced two power ministry heads during an October 8 meeting at the Ministry of Internal Affairs. The Interior Minister, who is taking the blame for the fire in the Russian bazaar as well as other crimes, will likely be arrested for abuse of office, [...] |
2007-10-09 12:40:00 | Embassy Ashgabat | CONFIDENTIAL//NOFORN | PGOV PINR TX |
07ASHGABAT1089 |
TURKMENISTAN'S BALKAN PROVINCE: ALUMNI KEEPING THE FLAME [...] (U) Sensitive but unclassified. Not for public Internet. 2. (SBU) SUMMARY. Meetings with FLEX alumni during a recent trip to Balkan province demonstrated the considerable thirst for greater exposure to the world beyond Turkmenistan's borders. Emboff also met a blind pastor of a still-un [...] |
2007-10-09 13:49:00 | Embassy Ashgabat | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PGOV PREL PHUM SOCI SCUL KPAO TX |
07ASHGABAT1090 |
TURKMENISTAN: TEHRAN CASPIAN SEA SUMMIT DEMARCH [...] (C) Charge delivered reftel demarche to Deputy Prime Minister/Foreign Minister Rashit Meredov on October 10 and left an informal Russian translation of the talking points. Meredov listened closely to the demarche and then read the points again carefully. He initially replied that the United [...] |
2007-10-10 09:35:00 | Embassy Ashgabat | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL ENRG ETTC IR TX |
07ASHGABAT1093 |
TURKMENISTAN: FM MEREDOV ASKS DRL TO POSTPONE [...] (C) During the course of other business on October 10, Deputy Prime Minister/Foreign Minister Rashit Meredov asked Charge if the DRL DAS Barks-Ruggles delegation couldn't please postpone its visit to Ashgabat planned for October 25. 2. (C) Looking pained, Meredov said, "I realize we did [...] |
2007-10-10 10:11:00 | Embassy Ashgabat | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL PHUM KDEM TX |
07ASHGABAT1094 |
TURKMENISTAN: ANOTHER RELIGIOUS GROUP TO BE [...] Sensitive but unclassified. Not for public Internet. 2. (SBU) Timur Muradov, the pastor of the "Word of Life" Church, a small unregistered evangelical Christian group based in Turkmenbashy, called the Embassy October 10 to report that the Council on Religious Affairs Deputy Chairman, Nur [...] |
2007-10-10 10:18:00 | Embassy Ashgabat | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PGOV PREL PHUM KIRF TX |
07ASHGABAT1096 |
TURKMENISTAN: ONE AMERICAN'S TALE OF STARTING AN [...] (U) Sensitive but unclassified. Not for public Internet. 2. (SBU) SUMMARY: Over lunch October 9, an American businessman (cautiously) told of his experiences in opening an Ashgabat office of his information technology company, including a bump in the road involving a poorly chosen local [...] |
2007-10-10 12:19:00 | Embassy Ashgabat | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PGOV PREL ECON EINV TX |
07ASHGABAT1097 |
TURKMENISTAN: CATHOLIC CHURCH PLANS PUSH FOR [...] (C) SUMMARY: A Vatican representative will come to Ashgabat on December 11 or 12 to formally request that the Turkmenistan government register the Roman Catholic Church. The requirement that the head of a religious organization be a Turkmenistan citizen still remains a major impediment to reg [...] |
2007-10-10 12:29:00 | Embassy Ashgabat | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL PHUM KIRF SOCI TX |
07ASHGABAT1098 |
UNITED NATIONS REVIEWS RECENT GOVERNMENT REQUESTS FOR [...] (U) Sensitive but unclassified. Not for public Internet. 2. (SBU) SUMMARY: In an October 8 donor meeting organized by the United Nations Development Program (UNDP), Turkmenistan Resident Representative Richard Young provided an update on recent United Nations' activity, and outlined the [...] |
2007-10-11 04:15:00 | Embassy Ashgabat | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PGOV PREL PHUM EAID KDEM UN TX |
07ASHGABAT1102 |
TURKMENISTAN: SCENESETTER FOR THE VISIT OF [...] (U) Sensitive but unclassified. Not for public Internet. 2. (SBU) Embassy Ashgabat warmly welcomes you to Turkmenistan. You are coming to Turkmenistan in the early months of an expanding dialogue between Turkmenistan and the international community in general, and the OSCE and the Unite [...] |
2007-10-11 11:08:00 | Embassy Ashgabat | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PREL PGOV PHUM ECON KDEM TX |
07ASHGABAT1103 |
TURKMENISTAN: CORRECTION TO LIST OF THOSE [...] (U) Sensitive but unclassified. Not for public Internet. 2. (SBU) Post has learned from OSCE human dimension officer Benjamin Moreau that Turkmenistan's former Ambassador to the OSCE Batyr Berdiev was not/not listed among the almost 9,000 names of those amnestied on Tuesday (reftel). [...] |
2007-10-11 11:09:00 | Embassy Ashgabat | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PGOV PREL PHUM TX |
07ASHGABAT1104 |
TURKMENISTAN: CONSIDERING NEW HYDROCARBON OPTIONS [...] (C) SUMMARY: During a September 22-29 orientation visit to Washington and Houston sponsored by the U.S. Trade and Development Agency (USTDA), a high-level delegation of Turkmenistan hydrocarbon officials stressed they will be making substantial changes to Turkmenistan's hydrocarbon structure [...] |
2007-10-12 08:00:00 | Embassy Ashgabat | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV EPET EINV TX |
07ASHGABAT1106 |
EU SOLANA'S TURKMENISTAN VISIT: INTENSIFYING [...] (C) SUMMARY: French Ambassador Christian Lechervy briefed the non-EU diplomatic corps October 12 (the EU ambassadors' briefing was October 11) on the October 9 Ashgabat visit by European Union High Representative for Common Foreign and Security Policy Javier Solana. The United States, Ukrai [...] |
2007-10-15 05:12:00 | Embassy Ashgabat | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL PHUM EINV EPET SNAR EU IR AF RS TX |
07ASHGABAT1108 |
TURKMENISTAN: MORE OPEN STATE MEDIA REFLECT GOVERNMMENT'S [...] (U) Sensitive but unclassified. Not for public Internet. 2. (SBU) SUMMARY: Post has observed steps towards a more open and informative state news media in Turkmenistan. Since the death of former President Niyazov, state media have slowly become more open to coverage of U.S. Government vis [...] |
2007-10-15 10:30:00 | Embassy Ashgabat | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PGOV PREL KPAO TX |
07ASHGABAT1115 |
TURKMENISTAN: LEBAP PROVINCE: CORNERSTONE OF [...] (U) Sensitive but unclassified. Not for public Internet. 2. (SBU) SUMMARY: During a recent visit to Lebap province, officials from the provincial governor's office concerned with the cotton harvest provided provincial harvest statistics and answered some questions about growing cotton in [...] |
2007-10-15 12:27:00 | Embassy Ashgabat | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PGOV PREL ECON EAGR SOCI KPAO TX |
07ASHGABAT1117 |
TURKMENISTAN COTTON HARVEST - AN EXPERIMENT IN CAPITALISM [...] (U) Sensitive but unclassified. Not for public Internet. 2. (SBU) Summary: During a recent visit to one of Turkmenistan's top producing cotton regions, EmbOff learned that the country is likely to be facing dramatically low cotton yields this year. Surprisingly, the government is turning [...] |
2007-10-16 06:09:00 | Embassy Ashgabat | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PGOV PHUM EAGR SOCI TX |
07ASHGABAT1118 |
TURKMENISTAN AND U.S. PRESIDENTS' UNGA PHOTO-OP: [...] (U) On September 29, Turkmenistan's two largest state dailies, "Neutral Turkmenistan" (Russian, circ. 39,851) and "Turkmenistan" (Turkmen, circ. 29,091) highlighted President Berdimuhamedov's photo-op handshake with President Bush during UNGA in New York with a front-page, above-the-fold, thr [...] |
2007-10-16 06:43:00 | Embassy Ashgabat | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL PROP KPAO TX |
07ASHGABAT1119 |
TURKMENISTAN: LIFE FOR JEHOVAH'S WITNESSES NOT [...] (C) SUMMARY: Post met with the leader of the Jehovah's Witnesses in Turkmenistan and with one member who is currently serving a suspended sentence after refusing compulsory military service. The conversation with these individuals underscored the fact that little has yet changed in how the [...] |
2007-10-16 11:57:00 | Embassy Ashgabat | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL PHUM KIRF SOCI TX |
07ASHGABAT1124 |
TURKMENISTAN: NEW CURRENCY POSSIBLE HARBINGER OF [...] (C) SUMMARY: The Government of Turkmenistan has announced the introduction of new currency in 2009. The new notes will be go from one manat to 500 manats, vice the 5,000 and 10,000 manats, which are the notes most common in circulation now. Unlike the current bills, which all carry the lik [...] |
2007-10-17 12:42:00 | Embassy Ashgabat | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV ECON EFIN TX |
07ASHGABAT1126 |
TURKMENISTAN: TURKISH BUSINESS LEADER "STRESSED [...] (C) SUMMARY: A Turkish businessman has recounted to us insider accounts of corruption and incompetence in Turkmenistan. We note his lament might be colored by his company's progressive loss of influence and contracts under the new government. His anecdotes suggest President Berdimuhamedov [...] |
2007-10-18 08:55:00 | Embassy Ashgabat | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV ECON EINV KCOR TU TX |
07ASHGABAT1127 |
TURKMENISTAN: BOEING REPORTS NEW ORDERS FOR [...] (SBU) SUMMARY: Turkmenistan Airlines' long-anticipated aircraft order is becoming reality. In addition to three airplanes -- two for the airline, and one for the president -- they are contracting for additional maintenance training and tools. The government anticipates a financial savings [...] |
2007-10-18 09:07:00 | Embassy Ashgabat | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PINR EAIR ENRG ETRD TX |
07ASHGABAT1128 |
TURKMENISTAN: COTTON INDUSTRY STILL TROUBLED [...] (SBU) Sensitive but unclassified. Not for public Internet. 2. (SBU) SUMMARY: Visits to the regions revealed that although President Berdimuhamedov can continue to rely on the cotton industry to bring in revenue, the sector needs reform and modernization. One positive change this year is [...] |
2007-10-18 14:13:00 | Embassy Ashgabat | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PGOV PHUM EAGR ECON EIND TX |
07ASHGABAT1129 |
LONGTIME TURKMENISTAN EXPERT REPORTS POSITIVE [...] (U) Sensitive but unclassified. Not for public Internet. 2. (SBU) SUMMARY: EU-Tacis Turkmenistan Advisor Michael Wilson told econoff October 17 the Central Bank is cautiously considering a unified exchange rate, but the government fears the effect of shock therapy on the population. Wil [...] |
2007-10-19 05:59:00 | Embassy Ashgabat | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PGOV PREL ECON EFIN TX |
07ASHGABAT1130 |
TURKEMNISTAN ASKS FOR U.S. ASSISTANCE ON HUMAN [...] (U) Sensitive but unclassified. Not for public Internet. 2. (SBU) SUMMARY: Institute for Democracy and Human Rights Chairman Shirin Ahmedova told USAID Regional Democracy and Governance Office Director Kim Delaney October 18 that the Institute is on the hook to President Berdimuhamedov to [...] |
2007-10-19 06:13:00 | Embassy Ashgabat | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PGOV PHUM PREL EAID KDEM TX |
07ASHGABAT1133 |
POULTRY AMENDMENT DOUBTFUL TO ALLEVIATE SHORTAGE [...] (U) Sensitive but unclassified. Not for public Internet. 2. (U) On October 1, President Berdimuhamedov signed an amendment to agricultural legislation that makes poultry producers exempt from tax on profits for the next three years, starting from the date of registration of the investment [...] |
2007-10-19 11:38:00 | Embassy Ashgabat | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PGOV |