VZCZCXRO9633
RR RUEHAG RUEHAST RUEHBI RUEHCI RUEHDF RUEHIK RUEHLH RUEHLN RUEHLZ
RUEHPW RUEHROV RUEHVK RUEHYG
DE RUEHAH #0529/01 1191135
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 281135Z APR 08
FM AMEMBASSY ASHGABAT
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 0686
INFO RUCNCLS/ALL SOUTH AND CENTRAL ASIA COLLECTIVE
RUCNCIS/CIS COLLECTIVE
RUCNMEM/EU MEMBER STATES COLLECTIVE
RUEHAK/AMEMBASSY ANKARA 3693
RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING 1511
RUEHKO/AMEMBASSY TOKYO 1378
RUEHIT/AMCONSUL ISTANBUL 1947
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC
RUCPDOC/DEPT OF COMMERCE WASHDC
RHMFIUU/CDR USCENTCOM MACDILL AFB FL
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC
RHEFDIA/DIA WASHDC
RUEKJCS/JOINT STAFF WASHDC
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC
RUEHVEN/USMISSION USOSCE 2460

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ASHGABAT 000529 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR SCA/CEN, INL/AAE, EEB 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL ETRD SNAR IR TX
SUBJECT: AFTER THREATS TO CANCEL, TURKMENISTAN HOSTS REGIONAL TRADE 
CONFERENCE -- BUT DOES NOT PARTICIPATE 
 
REF:  ASHGABAT 401 
 
¶1.  (U) Sensitive but unclassified.  Not for public Internet. 
 
¶2.  (SBU) SUMMARY:  Turkmenistan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) 
neglected to follow up appropriately during the process of 
organizing the EU-UNDP Border Management and Drug Actions Programs 
in Central Asia (BOMCA/CADAP) workshop on Trade Facilitation.  The 
lack of MFA follow-through was so severe that MFA officials 
attempted on April 19 to cancel the workshop scheduled to take place 
on April 21-22.  In the end, the workshop took place, but without 
the active participation of Turkmen officials, making the utility of 
this workshop marginal at best.  The problems that beset this 
workshop highlight the lack of coordination between Turkmenistan's 
ministries and MFA's serious human resource problem.  END SUMMARY. 
 
POOR COORDINATION AND BUREACRACY 
 
¶2.  (SBU) The United Nations Economic Commission for Europe, the 
Czech Republic Technical Cooperation Project and EU-UNDP Border 
Management and Drug Actions Programs in Central Asia (BOMCA/CADAP) 
held a trade facilitation workshop in Ashgabat on April 21-22 for 
officials from customs, border patrol, sanitary epidemiological and 
veterinary agencies throughout Central Asia, and representatives 
from diplomatic missions and international organizations in 
Ashgabat.  The official opening of the conference was delayed 
because no Government of Turkmenistan officials showed up for the 
ceremony, and the Government of Turkmenistan neither participated 
nor made any presentations.  BOMCA Country Manager Batyr Kurbanov 
(please strictly protect throughout) said that representatives from 
the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) called him on Saturday, April 
19, to say that they would have to cancel the conference because 
they were not ready, but Kurbanov was able to talk them out of 
taking this drastic step. 
 
THE STORY BEHIND THE STORY AT MFA 
 
¶3.  (SBU) Kurbanov said that MFA did not provide for adequate 
participation of Turkmen officials and that international 
participants noticed the lack of government presentations at the 
workshop.  Kurbanov said that MFA is overwhelmed with the high 
volume of tasks its small staff is asked to handle and cannot keep 
up with all requests effectively and in a timely manner.  In 
addition, MFA is not effectively coordinating activities on an 
interagency level.  For example, Kurbanov and his staff were under 
the impression that the State Counternarcotics Commission -- with 
which BOMCA implements all its projects -- would ensure 
Turkmenistan's participation.  However, it did not do so because the 
subject of the workshop fell under the responsibilities of the 
Ministry of Trade and Foreign Economic Relations.  Neither the State 
Counternarcotics Commission nor the Ministry of Trade took any 
action, and therefore no representative from either organization 
attended or prepared a presentation.  In an attempt to save face, 
the MFA attempted to delay or cancel the event -- a difficult 
situation for BOMCA as all other delegations had already arrived in 
Turkmenistan. 
 
USEFUL TOPICS...BUT NO RESULTS 
 
¶4.  (SBU) The workshop covered topics which Turkmenistan needs to be 
aware of as it increases openness to the outside world, including 
integrated approaches to trade facilitation, experiences of other 
countries in trade facilitation, trade and transit corridor 
approaches in Central Asia, and international standards for trade 
information exchange.  However, the overall workshop was 
unproductive due to Turkmenistan's lack of participation.  While 
regional representatives were eager to learn more about 
Turkmenistan's experience, Turkmen attendees did not participate in 
any discussions and did not make presentations on issues related to 
Turkmenistan's procedures and experience in trade and transport 
facilitation.  Turkmen officials also refrained from engaging in 
discussions related to the adoption of recommendations on countries' 
needs and priorities in trade facilitation.  International 
 
ASHGABAT 00000529  002 OF 002 
 
 
participants appeared uncomfortable because of the unwillingness of 
Turkmen participants to engage. 
 
¶5.  (SBU) COMMENT:  Post is not the only foreign mission that has 
noticed that the MFA lacks the proper resources (human and 
otherwise) needed to complete their tasks in an effective manner. 
While it is positive that Turkmenistan wants to host high-profile 
regional and international meetings, the lack of active 
participation from Turkmenistan and poor government coordination in 
hosting the event brings little utility in the end.  END COMMENT. 
 
CURRAN