VZCZCXRO3960
PP RUEHAG RUEHAST RUEHBI RUEHCI RUEHDF RUEHIK RUEHLH RUEHLN RUEHLZ
RUEHPW RUEHROV RUEHVK RUEHYG
DE RUEHAH #1238/01 2601424
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 161424Z SEP 08
FM AMEMBASSY ASHGABAT
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 1566
INFO RUCNCLS/ALL SOUTH AND CENTRAL ASIA COLLECTIVE
RUCNCIS/CIS COLLECTIVE
RUCNMEM/EU MEMBER STATES COLLECTIVE
RUEHAK/AMEMBASSY ANKARA 4310
RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING 2122
RUEHKO/AMEMBASSY TOKYO 1987
RUEHIT/AMCONSUL ISTANBUL 2558
RHMFIUU/CDR USCENTCOM MACDILL AFB FL
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC
RHEFDIA/DIA WASHDC
RUEKJCS/JOINT STAFF WASHDC
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC
RUEHVEN/USMISSION USOSCE 2898

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ASHGABAT 001238 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR SCA/CEN 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV PTER KCRM TX
SUBJECT: TURKMENISTAN: STATE SECURITY COUNCIL CONVENED IN 
THE WAKE OF WEEKEND VIOLENCE 
 
¶1. (U) Sensitive but unclassified. Not for public Internet. 
 
¶2. (U) SUMMARY: On September 15, President Berdimuhamedov 
held a session of Turkmenistan's State Security Council. 
During the proceedings, the president acknowledged that there 
had been significant casualties during last weekend's armed 
clash between alleged drug traffickers and police.  He also 
criticized law enforcement and military officials, 
questioning their competence to counter contemporary forms of 
criminal violence, and called for the establishment of law 
enforcement training centers to combat narcotics trafficking 
and terrorism.  He underscored the importance of creating 
special counterterrorism units.  END SUMMARY. 
 
¶3. (SBU) As published in the official Neytralniy Turkmenistan 
newspaper, President Berdimuhamedov convened the State 
Security Council on September 15.  The session was prompted 
by the September 12-13 armed clash in Ashgabat between 
alleged drug traffickers and law enforcement personnel. 
Berdimuhamedov acknowledged that law enforcement agency 
personnel had suffered casualties and ordered National 
Security Minister Amanov and Minister of Internal Affairs 
Amanmuradov to put forward the name of staff meriting awards 
for their service in the incident.  (NOTE: We have learned 
from various sources that nine individuals died at the scene 
and another 50 people were wounded.  Twenty of those wounded 
were taken to the Military Hospital and to  Old Niyazov's 
Hospital.  A number of people who were wounded have already 
died of severe trauma.  We know specifically of the deaths of 
four SWAT team members, one conscript soldier, one police 
major, one Turkish citizen, and an MNB officer who had been 
seconded to UNODC.  END NOTE.) 
 
¶4. (U) Berdimuhamedov expressed condolences to the families 
of the deceased, pledged support to their families, and 
instructed that their families be provided with indemnities, 
allowances, and educational opportunities for their children. 
 He also instructed that the photographs of the fallen 
officers be placed in classrooms, so that pupils would "learn 
about the lives of these heroic people."  He ordered that the 
investigation of the incident continue. 
 
MILITARY AND LEGAL REFORM 
 
¶5. (U) The Council session then turned to the issue of 
military and legal reform in Turkmenistan.  The Minister of 
Defense reported on preparations for the next round of army 
conscription, and the head of the State Border Service gave 
an update on the status of a construction project by which 
all existing border posts are to be replaced with new 
structures during the next several years.  The Justice 
Minister reported on the status of several draft laws related 
to military reform. 
 
FOCUS ON LAW ENFORCEMENT AND MILITARY TRAINING 
 
¶6. (U) Emphasizing Turkmenistan's active role in the 
international arena on combating contemporary security 
challenges, including counternarcotics efforts, 
Berdimuhamedov pledged to strengthen the new State Counter 
Narcotics Service and ordered the agency's head, Colonel 
Islamov, to develop a project for the establishment of a 
counternarcotics training center.  He went on to underscore 
the importance of creating special counterterrorism units. 
 
SHORTCOMINGS REVEALED AND LESSONS LEARNED 
 
¶7. (U) Berdimuhamedov said that the September 12-13 armed 
clash had revealed shortcomings in law enforcement and the 
military.  He questioned the competence to counter 
contemporary forms of criminal violence.  Saying, "we must 
firmly block any attempt (against the ) security and peaceful 
existence of our people."  Berdimuhamedov told the law 
enforcement and military chiefs to study the means used in 
 
ASHGABAT 00001238  002 OF 002 
 
 
attempting to apprehend the criminals, including the 
shortcomings, so that tragedies like this can be avoided in 
the future. 
 
¶8. (SBU) COMMENT:  The September 12-13 armed clash has 
awakened Turkmenistan's leadership to the need for better 
prepared police and military.  The incident clearly caught 
law enforcement unawares, and Berdimuhamedov used the forum 
of the Security Council to publicly air his dissatisfaction 
with their level of competence.  END COMMENT. 
CURRAN