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UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 ASHGABAT 000081 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR SCA/CEN 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV TX
SUBJECT:  TURKMENISTAN: PRESIDENT SHUFFLES GOVERNMENT PERSONNEL; 
ANNOUNCES 2009 PRIORITIES 
 
REF: A) 08 ASHGABAT 793; B) 08 ASHGABAT 1297 
 
¶1. (U) Sensitive but Unclassified.  Not for Internet Distribution. 
 
¶2. (SBU) SUMMARY: On January 15, the government held an extended 
Cabinet of Ministers meeting at which President Berdimuhamedov 
announced a sweeping reshuffling of the Cabinet and other government 
posts.  Especially hard hit were the health, finance and oil and gas 
sectors, as well as major state enterprises.  Governors were across 
the board criticized for their failure to complete provincial 
projects, and some key officials who held on to their positions 
nonetheless received reprimands.  The purpose of the meeting was to 
review the government's accomplishments during 2008 and set out the 
priorities for 2009, and the President delivered an address that 
made clear that despite some successes, much work remains.  Some of 
the promoted officials have been post's interlocutors in the past, 
but whether this will facilitate our future cooperation with the 
Turkmen remains to be seen.  END COMMENT. 
 
CABINET MEETING REVIEWED ACCOMPLISHMENTS IN 2008 
 
¶3. (SBU) On January 15, President Berdimuhamedov held an extended 
session of his Cabinet of Ministers at which issues of the further 
development of the country and the results of 2008 were reviewed. 
The session was held at the reconstructed building of the Academy of 
Sciences of Turkmenistan and gathered government members, leaders of 
public organizations, mass media and rectors of universities and 
institutes.  Deputy Chairpersons of the Cabinet of Ministers, 
provincial governors, heads of Ministries and Agencies reported on 
2008 work results in their respective areas of responsibility. 
Chairman of Supreme Control Chamber Tuwakmammed Japarov and 
Prosecutor General Chary Hojamuradov reported on serious 
shortcomings and violations in the activities of a number of 
ministries and agencies that had been revealed during their 
inspections. 
 
NUMEROUS REPRIMANDS AND FIRINGS 
 
¶4. (SBU) An extensive list of officials were either reprimanded or 
removed from office due to shortcomings in their work. 
 
- Chairman of the State Statistics Committee Kakamyrat Mommadov was 
gravely reprimanded for not ensuring timely commissioning of a new 
school construction of which was assigned to the Statistics 
Committee. 
 
- Deputy Chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers for Economy Hojamyrat 
Geldimuradov was relieved from his position due to health reasons 
upon his own request. 
 
- Deputy Chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers for Energy Tachberdi 
Tagiyev was gravely reprimanded for weak control over work in the 
oil and gas area, and was required to take immediate measures to 
correct his shortcomings. 
 
- Hyakims (governors) of welayats (provinces) were seriously 
admonished and administrative penalties were imposed for not 
ensuring development of provincial towns and villages, development 
of social, transport and communication areas and uninterrupted work 
of agricultural conveyors.  They were required to immediately take 
all necessary measures for correcting their shortcomings. 
 
- Governor of Lebap Province Charyyarguly Odeberdiyev was relieved 
from his position for shortcomings in his work. 
 
- Chairperson of "Turkmenhaly" (Turkmen Carpet) State Shareholders 
Corporation Minewer Belliyeva was relieved from her position due to 
health reasons upon her own request. 
 
¶5. (SBU) As a result of Prosecutor General's and Supreme Auditing 
Chamber Chairman's reports, President Berdimuhamedov also relieved 
the following officials from their positions: Minister of Social 
Welfare Gurbandurdy Kakalyev, Chairman of "Turkmenbashy" State 
 
ASHGABAT 00000081  002 OF 003 
 
 
Commercial Bank Amanmurad Toylyev, Chairman of "Turkmennebit" 
(TurkmenOil) State Concern Garyagdy Tashliyev, Chairman of 
"Turkmengeologiya" (Turkmen Geology) State Corporation Sapargeldi 
Jumayev, Chairman of "Turkmenpagta" (Turkmen Cotton) State Concern 
Annamuhammet Muhadov, Director General of "Turkmen Atlary" (Turkmen 
Horse) State Union Annaguly Nurgeldiyev, Minister of Communication 
Resulberdi Hojagurbanov, Minister of Power Energy and Industry 
Gurbannur Annaveliyev, and Chairman of State Committee on Tourism 
and Sports Bashim Kerimov. 
 
REPLACEMENTS WERE ALSO NAMED 
 
¶6.  (SBU) During the meeting, Berdimuhamedov announced successors to 
fill the vacancies.  Key among them were Tuwakmammed Japarov, 
previously Chairman of Supreme Auditing Chamber, to the position of 
Deputy Chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers for Economy and Finance; 
Yarmukhammet Orazgulyev, appointed Minister of Power Energy and 
Industry; Gurbanmammet Elyasov, appointed Chairman of the State 
Committee for Tourism and Sports; Orazmurat Gurbannazarov, appointed 
Chairman of the Supreme Control Chamber; Hakmurad Annamuradov, 
appointed Chairman of Turkmen Cotton; Seyitmukhammed Gulmammedov, 
appointed Chairman of Turkmen Horse Association; Bekmurad 
Shamuradov, appointed Minister of Social Welfare; Owulyaguly 
Jumagulyev, appointed Minister of Communications; Yagshymurat 
Yayylov, appointed Governor of Lebap Province; Orazdurdy 
Hajymuradov, appointed Chairman of TurkmenOil; and Tore 
Yagshymuradov, appointed Chairman of Turkmen Geology. 
 
¶7. (SBU) In other business, Berdimuhamedov announced that a set of 
documents aimed at regulating the further socio-economic development 
of the country in priority areas had been prepared.  In particular, 
the President signed a decree on raising state purchase prices for 
wheat produced in Turkmenistan, and a decree on the construction of 
a number of facilities in various provinces of the country.  To 
advance progress on Turkmenistan's United Nations initiative on 
energy pipeline security, Berdimuhamedov issued a decree to organize 
an international conference on this topic in Ashgabat on April 
23-24. 
 
PRESIDENT REVIEWS PROGRESS AND SETS NEW PRIORITIES 
 
¶8. (SBU) At the conclusion of the session, President Berdimuhamedov 
delivered a keynote speech in which he outlined priorities of the 
country's development in 2009.  Characterizing results of the last 
year, Berdimuhamedov said that 2008 was "a year of fundamental 
reforms, large-scale socio-economic changes, and successes on the 
way to complete renewal of all aspects of life in the country and 
society."  He named the adoption of the revised Constitution and the 
December parliamentary elections as "incontestable proof of 
Turkmenistan's commitment to principles of democracy, rule of law, 
unity and accord in society." 
 
¶9. (SBU) Touching upon internal reforms, Berdimuhamedov listed the 
following achievements in 2008:  Manat (currency) rate unification 
and its redenomination, agricultural reform, adoption of the concept 
of socio-economic development of Ashgabat and provinces for 
2008-2012, Awaza tourism complex project, educational reform, 
construction programs, healthcare development, and state assistance 
for development of entrepreneurship. 
 
FOREIGN POLICY SUCCESS LINKED TO ENERGY 
 
¶10. (SBU) Among Turkmenistan's foreign policy successes, the 
President listed the adoption of the UN resolution on security of 
energy transit pipelines.  According to Berdimuhamedov, "It is in 
the interest of the country and the world community to direct the 
colossal potential of Turkmenistan's resources for the benefit of 
the region and entire humanity.  Our goal is to set in place a new, 
reliable and effective mechanism for international cooperation based 
on mutual interest, economic expedience, and sound competitiveness. 
In this way, Turkmenistan is building its energy policy, forming a 
diversified system to bring Turkmen energy resources to world 
markets." 
 
ASHGABAT 00000081  003 OF 003 
 
 
 
LACK OF MANAGEMENT SKILLS HOLDS BACK PROGRESS 
 
¶11. (SBU) Assessing what the country had not been able to achieve 
during 2008, Berdimuhamedov noted that the gap between goals and 
their achievement was largely due to the insufficient level of 
management in the various areas, and sometimes to obvious 
misunderstandings of priorities.  According to President, many 
officials and chiefs have not kept up with the times.  They are not 
oriented towards the objective laws of the market economy and are 
not familiar with modern methods of production management, but 
rather allow bureaucracy to hold back their work.  Among the 
priority tasks in 2009, the President named further strengthening of 
the democratic and legal basis of the state, the increase of 
country's economic strength, spiritual improvement of society, 
development of education, science and culture, and intensification 
of international cooperation, all aimed at a continual improvement 
of the life of the population. 
 
SOME FRIENDS IN HIGH PLACES? 
 
¶12. (SBU) COMMENT:  The shake-up in the government included some 
officials who were well-known to post.  The new Minister of Power 
Energy and Industry, Yarmukhammet Orazgulyev, has been one of the 
officials that USAID has dealt with in discussions about electricity 
sales to Afghanistan and possible participation in the second phase 
of the upcoming Regional Energy Markets Assistance project (REMAP). 
His promotion might be a fortunate thing for these initiatives. 
 
¶13. (SBU) COMMENT CONTINUED: On the other hand, at the Ministry of 
Health and Medical Industry, both deputy ministers were relieved of 
their duties.  The deputy minister responsible for the Sanitary 
Epidemiological Service (SES), Annamurad Orazov, was fired and 
replaced by the person who occupied this position during former 
President Niyazov's time (2001-2003), Leyla Shamuradova  (Note: She 
was promoted after serving as the Head of Medical Services for the 
city of Ashgabat (GorZdrav) for the last several years). 
Shamuradova opposed sending Turkmen candidates to the USAID-funded 
CDC Field Epidemiology Training Program (FETP) training in Almaty. 
After ignoring our requests during the first two years, in response 
to the third year's attempt she said that FETP should be organized 
in Ashgabat SES instead of Almaty.  Turkmenistan finally sent it's 
first ever candidate last fall. (Ref A).  She also initially fired 
two gynecologists who participated in USAID's Community Connections 
exchange tour in 2008 (who took vacation in order to participate), 
but later reinstated them.  We envision possible difficulties 
working with her because she is an "old-school" type, who - in our 
past experience - embraced Niyazov's cautious approach toward 
international assistance. 
 
¶14. (SBU) COMMENT CONTINUED: Post has seen newly-named Deputy 
Chairman for Economy and Finance Tuwakmammed Japarov steadily rise 
in his career, since we first knew him as Deputy Minister of Economy 
and Finance.  Japarov reportedly had a hand in the dismissal of the 
former Minster of Economy and Development Gurbanmyrat Gurbanmyradov 
(Ref B), which, combined with his new promotion, suggests that he is 
a very skilled operator within the system.  Regarding his deposed 
predecessor Geldimyradov, there is no doubt that the "for health 
reasons" resignation was a face-saving measure -- and we have seen 
this with other firings.  When Japarov served as the Supreme Control 
Chamber (SCC) Chairman, he supported cooperation with 
USAID/BearingPoint that placed a Public Sector Audit and Accounting 
Advisor in the SCC for two months in fall 2008 to provide training 
for SCC staff on sessions on audit standards, financial audits, and 
performance audits, and prepared a capacity development plan for the 
SCC.  During a 2008 meeting on money laundering with U.S. officials, 
post was impressed by the depth of Japarov's knowledge on a 
difficult subject. Incoming SCC Chairman Gurbannazarov was one of 
two deputy chairmen of the SCC.  The other, Mushikov, was involved 
in and supportive of USAID/BearingPoint's work.  Gurbannazarov was 
not closely involved, at least not visibly.  END COMMENT. 
 
MILES