VZCZCXRO6892
PP RUEHAG RUEHAST RUEHBI RUEHCI RUEHDF RUEHIK RUEHLH RUEHLN RUEHLZ
RUEHPW RUEHROV RUEHVK RUEHYG
DE RUEHAH #0347/01 0771158
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 171158Z MAR 08
FM AMEMBASSY ASHGABAT
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 0442
INFO RUCNCLS/ALL SOUTH AND CENTRAL ASIA COLLECTIVE
RUCNCIS/CIS COLLECTIVE
RUCNMEM/EU MEMBER STATES COLLECTIVE
RUEHAK/AMEMBASSY ANKARA 3512
RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING 1330
RUEHKO/AMEMBASSY TOKYO 1197
RUEHIT/AMCONSUL ISTANBUL 1766
RUEABND/DEA HQS WASHINGTON DC
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC
RHMFIUU/CDR USCENTCOM MACDILL AFB FL
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC
RHEFDIA/DIA WASHDC
RUEKJCS/JOINT STAFF WASHDC
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHINGTON DC
RUEHVEN/USMISSION USOSCE 2321

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 ASHGABAT 000347 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR SCA/CEN, EUR/ACE, INL 
DUSHANBE FOR DEA 
MOSCOW FOR DEA 
ISLAMABAD FOR DEA 
ANKARA FOR DEA 
AID/W FOR EE/AA (BOB WALLIN) 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV PREL PINR EAID SNAR TX
SUBJECT:  TURKMENISTAN'S NEW STATE COUNTERNARCOTICS SERVICE 
HAS MANY NEEDS, VALUES U.S. ASSISTANCE 
 
REF: ASHGABAT 0204 
 
¶1.  (U) Sensitive but unclassified.  Not for public Internet. 
 
¶2.  (SBU) SUMMARY:  While wearing his colonel uniform -- and 
a new patch from the newly-formed State Counternarcotics 
Service, which he heads -- Murad Islamov said in a meeting 
with Embassy representatives on March 11 that the United 
States is Turkmenistan's most important partner in 
counternarcotics.  This is no minor point, since President 
Berdimuhamedov has publicly stated many times over the past 
year that fighting drugs is one of his highest priorities. 
For a long time, Islamov has been an acknowledged can-do man, 
but his new role as head of the State Counternarcotics 
Service -- while retaining the previous job of Head of the 
State Counternarcotics Coordinating Committee -- strengthens 
his position in the government.  Islamov made his preference 
clear for assistance in the form of equipment and physical 
structures, over training and study tours.  The U.S. Drug 
Enforcement Agency (DEA) has a limited window of opportunity 
to get in on the ground floor, but it will not be open 
forever.  Post encourages a DEA delegation to visit as soon 
as possible, to assess the potential of assisting with the 
organization of this new, national counter-drug agency in 
Turkmenistan.  END SUMMARY. 
 
BACKGROUND ON THE NEW STATE COUNTERNARCOTICS SERVICE 
 
¶3.  (SBU) Head of the State Counternarcotics Service Murad 
Islamov said on March 11 that since January 18, the Service 
has been responsible for interdicting narcotics trafficking 
from neighboring countries and domestically, drug seizures, 
drug investigations, and drug demand reduction programs in 
Turkmenistan, which he coordinates from his headquarters in 
the former Geology Institute next to the Ministry of Internal 
Affairs.  The Service is a law enforcement agency staffed by 
ranked and uniformed military personnel.  Its work will be 
focused at Turkmenistan's border crossing checkpoints, but 
also will have offices at the regional and local levels.  The 
Service has its own lab and will have its own training 
facility.  In addition, it coordinates international 
cooperation and assistance. 
 
HOW THE SERVICE WILL WORK WITH OTHER AGENCIES 
 
¶4.  (SBU) Islamov retains his position as Head of the State 
Counternarcotics Coordinating Committee, a "drug czar" role 
in which he coordinates counternarcotics activities among all 
government agencies.  Islamov said that government entities 
such as the State Border Service and State Customs Service 
that have been involved in counternarcotics efforts will 
continue to work in this sphere because "crime is crime," but 
the State Counternarcotics Service will specialize in 
fighting narcotics on all fronts, including working 
side-by-side with other law enforcement agencies.  For 
example, while a Customs agent may search a vehicle for 
various forms of contraband, an officer of the State 
Counternarcotics Service will focus on interdicting drugs. 
He added that his officers will interdict narcotics 
trafficked via the Caspian Sea from Turkmenbashy City, not on 
vessels. 
 
APPRECIATES U.S. ASSISTANCE... 
 
¶5.  (SBU) Islamov acknowledged that the U.S. is the country's 
largest partner in the fight against narcotics and gave 
thanks in particular for the "concrete assistance" given, 
saying that it "really helps" in counternarcotics efforts and 
 
ASHGABAT 00000347  002 OF 003 
 
 
in strengthening border control. 
 
...AND ISN'T AFRAID TO ASK FOR MORE 
 
¶6.  (SBU) Islamov said he still was in the process of hiring 
personnel, and his prioirty for assitance was instructional 
material -- including training course syllabi, law 
enforcement instruction manuals, reference books, and 
methodologies -- used in training drug enforcement officers. 
He was interested to learn how the DEA trained its personnel 
and what communications, observation, and other special 
equipment DEA uses in interdicting a criminal group.  His 
second priority was acquiring new equipment through either 
assistance or his own budget.  He said that he could buy some 
new equipment with his own budget, but requeted U.S. advice 
on which were the best counternarcotics tools currently 
available on the market.  He sought info on U.S. companies 
that produce counternarcotics equipment and also on DEA'S 
organizational structure.  He was especially interested in 
empowering his agents on the border with powerful computers 
and software used by counternarcotics professionals 
worldwide.  He also would like assistance in training and use 
of search dogs.  He was pleased that the truck scanners being 
installed at the border crossing station currently under 
construction in Farap are stationary, adding that the State 
Customs Service would have control of the scanners if they 
could be used for searching for material other than drugs. 
 
INTERESTED IN THE COMMUNICATIONS SYSTEM 
 
¶7.  (SBU) Islamov said that his organization wants to 
participate in the CENTCOM-funded counternarcotics 
communications project already underway in Turkmenistan.  He 
said that he preferred a more expanded radio system, 
including two-way communication (telephone) capability, as 
opposed to one-way radio communication.  He added that 
telephony is the priority need, but he would also like to be 
able to send photographs and documents electronically via 
this system.  The Embassy's project manager is currently in 
the process of quantifying the scope of what would be 
necessary to connect all law enforcement agencies in this 
counternarcotics information-sharing system.  Islamov said 
that he would be interested in expanding the system by 
introducing various features in phases, on a yearly basis. 
 
FEEDBACK ON TRAINING PROGRAMS 
 
¶8.  (SBU) Islamov expressed personal interest in all forms of 
training courses for himself and his staff.  He requested 
that post ask his opinion before planning training programs 
to ensure that it will be beneficial to the participants, and 
to make sure the right participants are selected.  He prefers 
to review hard copies of U.S. Government proposals in advance 
-- if funding has not been located or approved, post should 
clearly state in a diplomatic note that this is a 
"preliminary proposal" -- and the note should also clearly 
state which agencies are intended to participate in the 
training or receive the equipment.  In Islamov's opinion, it 
is a waste of time to send low-level officers on study tours, 
because they are not the ones who can apply their 
experiences.  Higher level professionals and trainers can 
spread the knowledge throughout the ranks and can implement 
their new knowledge in practice.  He also thinks that it is a 
waste of time to spend time in training programs 
demonstrating equipment that is taken away when the course is 
over.  He is not very interested in conferences. 
 
¶9.  (SBU) COMMENT:  Islamov is in charge of building an 
 
ASHGABAT 00000347  003 OF 003 
 
 
entire counternarcotics agency from the ground floor up. 
This is a unique time during which new ties can be formed or 
expanded with the international counternarcotics community. 
Turkmenistan needs real experts who can help coordinate this 
organization's evolution.  If the Drug Enforcement Agency 
were to send a team as soon as possible for meetings with 
Colonel Muradov and other law enforcement agency leaders, the 
U.S. Government potentially has an opportunity to capitalize 
on the strong relationship that has been built with Colonel 
Islamov and others over a period of many years, and to work 
hand-in-hand to organize the State Counternarcotics Service. 
Post can make no promises about how close Islamov will let 
U.S. or foreign partners into his organization.  Based on the 
current relationship and ongoing counternarcotics assistance, 
the United States has the best chance through DEA to put them 
on a productive, more transparent coordinated course.  No 
U.S. Department or agency has been able to reach this level 
of cooperation with a Turkmen government counterpart 
organization before.  However, this window of opportunity may 
not be open in six months, so post requests DEA come not only 
more often, but indeed as soon as possible.  END COMMENT. 
HOAGLAND