VZCZCXRO7647
PP RUEHAG RUEHAST RUEHBI RUEHCI RUEHDBU RUEHDF RUEHIK RUEHLH RUEHLN
RUEHLZ RUEHNEH RUEHPW RUEHROV RUEHSK RUEHSL RUEHSR RUEHVK RUEHYG
DE RUEHAH #0883/01 1960844
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 150844Z JUL 09
FM AMEMBASSY ASHGABAT
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 3140
INFO RUCNCLS/ALL SOUTH AND CENTRAL ASIA COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUCNCIS/CIS COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUCNMEM/EU MEMBER STATES COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUEHAK/AMEMBASSY ANKARA PRIORITY 5429
RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING PRIORITY 3156
RUEHKO/AMEMBASSY TOKYO PRIORITY 3021
RUEHBS/USEU BRUSSELS PRIORITY
RHMCSUU/CDR USCENTCOM MACDILL AFB FL PRIORITY
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC PRIORITY
RHEFDIA/DIA WASHDC PRIORITY
RUEKJCS/JOINT STAFF WASHDC PRIORITY
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC PRIORITY
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC PRIORITY
RUEAWJA/DEPT OF JUSTICE WASHDC PRIORITY
RUEHIT/AMCONSUL ISTANBUL 3673
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ASHGABAT 000883 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR SCA/CEN, INL 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV KCRM SNAR SOCI TX
SUBJECT:  TURKMENISTAN: DEA SPECIAL AGENT COMPLETES A LONG TERM TDY 
IN ASHGABAT, TURKMENISTAN 
 
¶1.  (U) Sensitive but unclassified.  Not for public Internet. 
 
¶2.  (SBU) SUMMARY:  From March 10, 2009, through July 25, 2009, a 
DEA special agent conducted a long-term TDY in Ashgabat.  The agent 
was involved in various activities with the Turkmen State 
Counter-Narcotics Service (SCNS) in order to maintain a working 
relationship between DEA and SCNS.  DEA has established a solid 
presence in Turkmenistan by getting involved with SCNS on various CN 
issues.  Further close cooperation with SCNS will likely pay 
dividends in the effort to establish a healthy bilateral 
relationship between DEA and the law-enforcement community of 
Turkmenistan.  END SUMMARY. 
 
¶3.  (SBU) From March 10, 2009, through July 25, 2009, a DEA agent 
conducted a long-term TDY assignment at the U.S. Embassy in 
Ashgabat.  The previous DEA TDY agent in Ashgabat made initial 
contact and built the foundation for a relationship with the SCNS. 
The new DEA TDY agent assumed responsibility of maintaining regular 
contact with SCNS and other law-enforcement agencies.  He also 
escorted Turkmen officials on various trips to the United States. 
In November of 2008, DEA agent escorted SCNS delegation headed by 
Major Serdar Batyrov, the Acting Chief of SCNS, to Tampa, Florida 
and New York.  While in New York, the delegation visited the DEA New 
York Field Division, where SCNS officers were introduced to 
different methods of combating illicit drug trafficking utilized by 
DEA.  March 15-19, 2009, the agent escorted two SCNS officers to 
Tampa, Florida for the Consultative Staff Talks with the US Central 
Command. 
 
¶4. (SBU) During the agent's tenure in Ashgabat, SCNS officers 
received multiple counter-narcotics trainings conducted by various 
participants from the United States.  On March 4, 2009, the DEA 
agent conducted a Drug Identification training seminar for the SCNS 
officers at the SCNS Training Facility near Ashgabat.  On June 9, 
2009, a US Navy regional analyst from the Office of Naval 
Intelligence conducted a Maritime Smuggling Techniques training 
seminar to the SCNS officers at the SCNS Training Facility near 
Ashgabat.  Between June 15-19, 2009, a DEA Senior Chemist conducted 
a UNODC sponsored Drug Precursor training seminar to the officers 
from SCNS and other law-enforcement agencies of Turkmenistan. 
Between June 22-26, 2009, three DEA special agents from the DEA 
International Training department conducted a UNODC sponsored 
Interview and Interrogation training seminar for the officers of 
SCNS and other law enforcement agencies.   On June 26, 2009, the DEA 
agent participated in a symbolic drug burn ceremony, which was led 
by Major Batyrov.  The ceremony took place at a border guard 
installation near Ashgabat. 
 
¶5.  (SBU) DEA is planning to conduct at least one more training 
seminar for the SCNS officer before the end of fiscal year 2009. 
There are several events scheduled to take place in fiscal year 2010 
under the OMC umbrella.  Recently, the DEA agent received a request 
from Major Batyrov to conduct additional training seminars for the 
SCNS chemists and K-9 handlers.  The training plan is being worked 
on by DEA/INL personnel. 
 
¶6.  (SBU) During his stay in Ashgabat, the DEA agent have officially 
met with the heads of SCNS, State Border Service (SBS), and State 
Customs Service (SCS) in order to broaden counter-narcotics 
relationships between DEA and local law-enforcement agencies.  DEA 
is striving to maintain a good relationship with SCNS by providing 
SCNS officers with appropriate training, supplying SCNS with 
tactical equipment, and escorting SCNS officers on multiple trips to 
the United States for various CN related functions. 
 
DEALING WITH SCNS 
 
¶7. (SBU) SCNS has welcomed all assistance from the U.S. Government 
with open arms.  Any contact with SCNS and/or any other government 
entity of Turkmenistan must be accomplished via a Diplomatic Note. 
A Dip Note is usually submitted to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs 
(MFA) no later than 4-6 weeks from the proposed date of an event. 
 
ASHGABAT 00000883  002 OF 002 
 
 
Per SCNS policy, if a foreign agency is in possession of valuable, 
time sensitive information regarding narcotics trafficking 
activities in Turkmenistan, the information should be officially 
submitted to the Central Asian Regional Information and Coordination 
Center (CARICC) for corroboration. 
 
SCNS' RELATIONSHIP WITH OTHER TURKMEN LAW ENFORCEMENT 
 
¶8. (SBU) When asked regarding the cooperation between SCNS and other 
law-enforcement agencies of Turkmenistan, the DEA agent was advised 
that inter-agency cooperation does in fact exist.  According to 
SCNS, high ranking officials, SCNS has a good working relationship 
with most law-enforcement agencies in Turkmenistan.  SCNS officials 
told us that when a law-enforcement agency seizes narcotics, that 
agency contacts SCNS and informs SCNS of the seizure.  SCNS officers 
in turn respond to the crime scene and take over the investigation 
(i.e. take possession of seized drugs, interview of arrested 
persons, collection of evidence, etc).  SCNS is the leading agency 
that conducts all narcotics investigations in Turkmenistan.  At this 
moment, neither SCNS nor any other law-enforcement agency in 
Turkmenistan has an active intelligence sharing system with DEA.  At 
this point, the only way to receive somewhat accurate information is 
to contact third party agencies, such as UNODC and/or CARICC. 
 
¶9. (SBU) Although SCNS cooperates with other Turkmen law enforcement 
agencies, the overall experience of the agencies in CN matters is 
rather poor.  For the longest time, Turkmenistan denied that 
narcotics were a problem in the country.  SCNS is a relatively young 
agency.  It was established in January 2008.  The majority of 
high-ranking officers working for SCNS have been transferred from 
other law enforcement agencies to fill vacant positions.  Most of 
the officers have minimal or no prior CN experience.  Although the 
SCNS officials have recently reported successful results in 
combating the flow of illicit drugs, SCNS staff is in desperate need 
of additional training to adequately perform their duties as 
narcotics officers. 
 
 
¶10.  (SBU) COMMENT:  DEA should and will continue to maintain a 
working relationship with SCNS and provide them with all the support 
they need.  DEA is not alone in this effort.  Other U.S. government 
agencies such as INL and US CENTCOM have contributed significantly 
to the overall success of SCNS and other law enforcement agencies 
combating illicit drugs in Turkmenistan.  In the past, INL assisted 
Turkmen MOI with training for their forensic chemists.  Under the 
umbrella of ICITAP, INL coordinated with DEA chemists to come to 
Ashgabat to conduct the training and to supply MOI forensic lab with 
vital equipment.  At this moment, DEA and INL are working on a 
project to provide appropriate training to SCNS chemists based on a 
personal request from Major Batyrov.  INL is also working on 
supplying SCNS K-9 officers with narcotics/money-detecting dogs. 
DEA has established a solid presence in Turkmenistan by getting 
involved with SCNS on various CN issues.  Further close cooperation 
with SCNS will likely pay dividends in the effort to establish a 
healthy bilateral relationship between DEA and the law-enforcement 
community of Turkmenistan.  END COMMENT. 
 
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