VZCZCXRO7265
PP RUEHAG RUEHAST RUEHBI RUEHCI RUEHDF RUEHIK RUEHLH RUEHLN RUEHLZ
RUEHNEH RUEHPW RUEHROV RUEHSR RUEHVK RUEHYG
DE RUEHAH #1558/01 3381116
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 031116Z DEC 08
FM AMEMBASSY ASHGABAT
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 1944
INFO RUCNCLS/ALL SOUTH AND CENTRAL ASIA COLLECTIVE
RUCNCIS/CIS COLLECTIVE
RUCNMEM/EU MEMBER STATES COLLECTIVE
RUEHAK/AMEMBASSY ANKARA 4557
RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING 2365
RUEHKO/AMEMBASSY TOKYO 2230
RUEHIT/AMCONSUL ISTANBUL 2805
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 3117

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ASHGABAT 001558 
 
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/EA 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL EAID SNAR TX AF
SUBJECT: COUNTERNARCOTICS DONORS EXCHANGE VIEWS ON PATH 
AHEAD IN TURKMENISTAN 
 
¶1.  (U) Sensitive but unclassified.  Not for public Internet. 
 
¶2.  (SBU) SUMMARY:  At a November 25 Mini Dublin Group 
meeting hosted by the Italians, donors discussed the need to 
continue offering practical counternarcotics training and the 
importance of encouraging Turkmen-Afghan cross-border 
cooperation.  Both France and Turkey were diversifying their 
assistance across various GOTX law enforcement agencies, 
instead of focusing on the State Counternarcotics Service. 
Donors agreed that border and precursor control should be 
priorities for counternarcotics work in Turkmenistan.  They 
also agreed to continue supporting the government's 
prioritization of counternarcotics and to help build capacity 
within Turkmenistan's law enforcement agencies.  Donor 
consensus will solidify donor goals and increase the chances 
for successful implementation.  For the second year in a row, 
the GOTX did not send a representative to the meeting.  END 
SUMMARY. 
 
UNODC CONTINUES ASSISTANCE TO SCNS, AND NETHERLANDS OFFERS A 
STUDY TOUR 
 
¶3.  (SBU) The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime 
(UNODC) said that it is working on a new technical assistance 
and training project for the State Counternarcotics Service 
(SCNS), adding that this is one of UNODC's prime partners. 
The representative of the Embassy of the Netherlands -- 
resident in Moscow -- added that his country will soon offer 
a study tour for three SCNS officers. 
 
FRENCH OBSERVATIONS ON THE STATE COUNTERNARCOTICS SERVICE 
 
¶4.  (SBU) The French ambassador pointed out that the SCNS is 
still limited in personnel and capacity.  He emphasized the 
agency's need for practical training, saying that the 
chairman of the SCNS had asked for such assistance, and 
warned against offering training that would be too 
theoretical.  He felt that training in container control 
would be especially useful.  France was in the process of 
diversifying its assistance to other law enforcement 
agencies, such as the Border Guards.  According to the 
ambassador, one hindrance to effective technical assistance 
is the reluctance of Turkmen agencies to share equipment, 
which means that each agency, including the Ministry of 
Internal Affairs and the military, would like donors to 
provide the same equipment to all agencies.  He added that a 
police attach will soon fill a new position at the French 
Embassy. 
 
ITALIAN CONTRIBUTIONS TO TURKMENISTAN'S FIGHT AGAINST DRUGS 
 
¶5.  (SBU) The representative from Italy said that his country 
is assisting Turkmenistan's counternarcotics efforts through 
financing the Central Asian Regional Information Coordination 
Centre (CARICC).  He applauded Turkmenistan's 
counternarcotics activities, including the country's 
appointment of a liaison officer to CARICC.  Italy is also 
offering some computer-based training for Turkmen law 
enforcement officers. 
 
TURKEY SHIFTS FOCUS FROM COUNTERNARCOTICS TO LAW ENFORCEMENT 
 
¶6.  (SBU) The representative of Turkey said that his country 
is not currently offering any bilateral cooperation in 
counternarcotics to Turkmenistan, but it is working with 
Turkmenistan on general law enforcement technical assistance. 
 In addition, Turkey donated $150,000 to UNODC for the Farap 
Border Control Checkpoint, and two Turkish experts recently 
 
ASHGABAT 00001558  002 OF 002 
 
 
ran a UNODC training course for 15 law enforcement officers. 
Turkey also helped to organize a study tour for these 
officers.  Three Turkish experts participated in Organization 
for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) training for 40 
officers in Ashgabat, Serhatabat, and Artek. 
 
OTHER COUNTRIES:  INTERESTED, BUT NOT DOING MUCH 
 
¶7.  (SBU) Poland does not have any projects in the area of 
drug control or counternarcotics.  The Russian representative 
did not come prepared to discuss his country's assistance to 
Turkmenistan in this area .  The Japanese representative said 
that although his country is not offering any projects, one 
Turkmen officer is currently participating in a rule of law 
seminar for Customs officers, and another one will attend a 
similar seminar in February. 
 
¶8.  (SBU) COMMENT:  Although the GOTX has stated that 
counternarcotics efforts are a high priority, the absence of 
a GOTX representative at the meeting raises a question about 
its openness to cooperation with donors, at least in a 
multilateral format.  Among the attendees, there was a clear 
consensus that border and precursor control, which are 
targets of U.S. assistance, are appropriate priorities for 
counternarcotics work in Turkmenistan.  Donors also agreed on 
the importance of encouraging Turkmenistan to engage and 
cooperate more with its neighbors, in particular Afghanistan. 
 END COMMENT. 
MILES