VZCZCXRO8335
RR RUEHAST
DE RUEHAH #1483/01 3170250
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 120250Z NOV 08
FM AMEMBASSY ASHGABAT
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 1845
RHFJUSC/US CUSTOMS SERVICE WASHDC
RHEBAAA/USDOE WASHDC
RUCPDOC/DEPT OF COMMERCE WASHDC
RULSJGA/COMDT COGARD WASHDC
RUCNEXC/EXRBS COLLECTIVE
INFO RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC
RHEBAAA/USDOE WASHDC
RHEBAAA/NNSA WASHINGTON DC
RUEKJCS/JOINT STAFF WASHDC
RUEHAST/USOFFICE ALMATY 5504
RUEHNT/AMEMBASSY TASHKENT 5068
RUEHEK/AMEMBASSY BISHKEK 2923
RUEHKB/AMEMBASSY BAKU 0325
RUEHRL/AMEMBASSY BERLIN 0424
RUEHDBU/AMEMBASSY DUSHANBE 0095
RUEHSI/AMEMBASSY TBILISI 1066
RUEHYE/AMEMBASSY YEREVAN 0075
RUEHMO/AMEMBASSY MOSCOW 3028

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 ASHGABAT 001483 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR ISN/ECC - JHARTSHORN, LSPRINGER, AND YWONG 
SCA/CEN FOR DGENRENBEK, RSNELSIRE 
SCA/RA FOR ACUMMINGS 
DHS/CBP FOR GRISING 
SCA/RA FOR JMCCELLAN 
DHS/ICE FOR AMEFFERD 
DOE/NNSA FOR RTALLY, AND EDESCHLER 
DOC/BIS FOR DCREED 
USCG FOR SHABTEMICHAEL 
AMEMBASSY BERLIN FOR CBP ATTACHE 
AMEMBASSY MOSCOW FOR ICE ATTACHE 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: ETTC MNUC PARM PREL KSTC KNNP TX
SUBJECT:  EXBS: TURKMENISTAN COUNTRY ADVISOR MONTHLY REPORTING CABLE 
October 08 - November 10, 2008. 
 
BROAD ITEMS OF INTEREST 
 
¶1.  The EXBS Advisor is responsible for Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan. 
 The Advisor has been unable to travel to Uzbekistan since July 
because of visa and passport problems.  The Advisor received a new 
three-month visa for Uzbekistan, effective November 27, 2008.  The 
Advisor will be TDY to Uzbekistan from November 27 - December 10, 
¶2009.  The EXBS staff attended a Law Enforcement Donors Coordination 
meeting sponsored by UNODC on October 13; finalized the arrangements 
to ship and store three radioactive sources necessary to calibrate 
the radiation portal monitors that will be installed by the DOE/SLD; 
prepared a diplomatic note to the Turkmen MFA informing them of a 
WMD/CIT a workshop; completed a cable on "Border Security Assistance 
- Request for Information" (Re:State 107424); completed arrangements 
for two US delegations coming to Turkmenistan; attended two training 
programs sponsored by UNODC; met with representatives of UNDP BOMCA, 
UNODC, OSCE, and IOM to discuss future cooperation on border 
projects; and met with a vendor for Radascan x-ray systems. 
 
COMPLETED ACTIONS FOR THE REPORTING PERIOD 
 
¶2.  On October 13, the EXBS advisor attended a Law Enforcement 
Donors Coordination Meeting hosted by UNODC.  The Embassy is a 
member of the Donors Assistance Group in Turkmenistan.  The group 
meets every three months to discuss and exchange information and 
views about the drug and crime situation in Turkmenistan.  The 
October 13 meeting was attended by EXBS, DATT and INL. 
Representative from the Embassies of Turkey, Russia, Korea, Japan, 
France, House of Europe, Germany and representatives from 
BOMCA/CADAP, UNODC, OSCE, and TACIS were also there to share 
information.  The Embassy hosted the previous donors meeting held in 
May of 2008.  The October meeting was very informative and the OSCE 
representative offered to sponsor any member who wished to sign up 
for the 'ADAM" donor database.  The database has donor project 
information from all members and is accessible only through 
membership.  Currently one hundred and two countries and forty-two 
international organizations are registered.  The website is 
Adam.UNODC.org. 
 
¶3. On October 21, 2008 EXBS Assistant Gulshat Jumayeva contacted 
Turkmen Gas Geophysics for information on importing, storing, and 
transporting small nuclear radiation sources.  These sources will be 
used to test the new radiation portal monitors that will be 
installed at Turkmen border ports by the Department of Energy Second 
Line of Defense (DOE/SLD).  The sources are harmless but must be 
stored and their use controlled by a Turkmenistan Government agency 
or someone designated to act on the behalf of the Turkmenistan 
Government.  Turkmen Gas Geophysics falls under the control of the 
Ministry of Oil and Gas and is the only agency in Turkmenistan 
licensed to store and transport these kinds of materials. 
 
¶4. On November 3 and 4, 2008 members of the EXBS staff attended a 
Practical Training in Drug Search, Detection and Identification 
workshop sponsored by OSCE.  The trainers were Officers from Turkish 
Customs and Drug Enforcement.  The participants were headquarters 
personnel from Ashgabat.  The Turkish trainers were professional and 
the program was well received by the participants. 
 
¶5. From December 14-18, 2008 EXBS will sponsor a three-day 
Department of Energy-led Weapons of Mass Destruction Commodity 
Identification Training (WMD-CIT) workshop in Ashgabat, 
 
ASHGABAT 00001483  002 OF 003 
 
 
Turkmenistan.  The workshop will be the second WMD-CIT workshop held 
in Turkmenistan this year.  On November 6, 2008 EXBS sent a 
diplomatic note to the Turkmen MFA informing them of the workshop. 
 
¶6. During this reporting period, EXBS has been completing logistics 
for two US delegations scheduled to arrive in Turkmenistan.  A 
delegation from the Department of Energy National Nuclear Security 
Administration and the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission will be in 
Turkmenistan from November 10 - 16 to conduct meetings with the 
Turkmen Ministry of Energy and other Turkmen Governmental agencies 
on radiological security upgrades in Turkmenistan.  The second 
delegation will be in Turkmenistan from November 14-24 to conduct a 
legal and regulatory training workshop.  Members of EXBS staff will 
attend both the meetings and the workshop. 
 
¶7. On November 10, 2008 EXBS Program Assistant Batyr Hommadov 
traveled to the Artyk Border Crossing to participate in an 
OSCE-sponsored practical training in drug search and identification 
exercise.  The trainers were from the Turkish Customs Service and 
Drug Control.  This was the second OSCE training session witnessed 
by the EXBS staff.  A report of the first session is in para 4 
above.  The first sessions conducted in Ashgabat were attended by 
headquarters personnel stationed in Ashgabat.  Mr. Hommadov did not 
feel that the Turkmen Border Guards, Customs, Drug Enforcement and 
Ministry of Interior Officers were very impressed with the second 
training.  The participants from the second training were line 
officers working in a field environment.  They said that the 
training was too basic.  There was also a problem with access to 
vehicles for inspection.  The method of instruction was hands-on 
with the Turkish trainers conducting the inspection and the Turkmen 
Officers observing.  The officer-in-charge would not allow this 
because he had not received clearance from his main command.  EXBS 
has encountered this problem many times in the past.  The problems 
stems from the differences in search authority in the different 
countries.  Turkish officials have broad search authority much like 
the search authority found in the United States.  The Turkmenistan 
border search authority is more restrictive. 
 
¶8. During this reporting period, EXBS staff met with representatives 
from OSCE, UNDP BOMCA/CADAP, and IOM to discuss coordination on our 
respective border security programs.  EXBS was invited to attend two 
drug training programs presented by OSCE, as noted in paras 4 and 7 
above.  EXBS has invited representatives from other donor programs 
to attend the Legal and Regulatory Workshop to be held from November 
18-21. 
 
TRAINING CONDUCTED DURING REPORTING PERIOD 
 
None 
 
EQUIPMENT DELIVERED DURING REPORTING PERIOD 
 
None 
 
IMMINENT TRAINING OR EQUIPMENT STATUS UPDATE. 
 
¶9. Imminent training as planned as follows: 
- RIID and CT-30 training will be scheduled by CBP.  The RIIDs and 
CT-30s will be turned over to the Turkmen Government after the 
training. 
- A Legal and Regulatory Workshop is scheduled for November 18 - 21, 
 
ASHGABAT 00001483  003 OF 003 
 
 
¶08. CTP will provide the training. 
- A WMD CIT training workshop is scheduled for December 14 -18, 08. 
CTP will provide the training. 
- From March 16 - 20, 2009 EXBS has scheduled an International Rail 
Interdiction workshop in Turkmenistan. 
- From April 27 - May 4, 2009 EXBS has scheduled an International 
Air Cargo Interdiction Training program in New York. 
- From July 20 - 24, 2009 EXBS has scheduled an International Border 
Interdiction Training program in Texas. 
- From July 27 - August 7, 2008 EXBS has scheduled an International 
Air Cargo Interdiction Training 11 program in Turkmenistan. 
 
SIGNIFICANT DEVELOPMENTS ON EXPORT CONTROLS, NONPROLIFERATION, OR 
RELATED BORDER SECURITY 
 
None 
 
RED FLAG ISSUES 
 
None 
 
CURRAN