VZCZCXRO9767
RR RUEHDT
DE RUEHAH #0912/01 2011258
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 201258Z JUL 09 ZDK ZDK ZDK
FM AMEMBASSY ASHGABAT
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 3170
INFO RUCNCLS/ALL SOUTH AND CENTRAL ASIA COLLECTIVE
RUCNCIS/CIS COLLECTIVE
RUCNMEM/EU MEMBER STATES COLLECTIVE
RUEHAK/AMEMBASSY ANKARA 5452
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RUEHKO/AMEMBASSY TOKYO 3042
RUEHIT/AMCONSUL ISTANBUL 3696
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 1059
RHMCSUU/CDR USCENTCOM MACDILL AFB FL
RUEHVEN/USMISSION USOSCE 3731
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC
RHEFDIA/DIA WASHDC
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC
RUEKJCS/JOINT STAFF WASHDC

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ASHGABAT 000912 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR SCA/CEN 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: ECON PGOV TX
SUBJECT:  TURKMENISTAN: BIOGRAPHIC INFORMATION ON KEY NEW 
APPOINTEES 
 
ASHGABAT 00000912  001.5 OF 002 
 
 
¶1. (U) Sensitive but Unclassified.  Not for Internet distribution 
 
¶2. (SBU) At the July 10 Cabinet of Ministers session, President 
Berdimuhamedov dismissed 12 senior officials, including one Deputy 
Cabinet Minister, one provincial governor, one deputy provincial 
governor, one Minister, one State Committee Director, four district 
governors, one Oil Refinery Plant Director, one provincial police 
chief, and one deputy district governor.  The President cited 
"serious shortcomings in their work" during the first half of 2009 
when announcing the dismissals. 
 
¶3. (SBU) The President also reprimanded the governor of Mary 
province, Kakageldi Gurbanov.  The evening television news broadcast 
showed the President admonishing some officials and then firing 
some, and then telling them to leave the room.  The camera followed 
almost all of the dismissed officials as they walked towards the 
exit.  Allegedly, according to locals, when the Head of State tells 
an official to leave the room during a cabinet session, it means 
that as soon as he steps out the door, law enforcement organs 
commence an investigation on him, usually for "financial 
shortcomings."  This is a practice  that Berdimuhamedov inherited 
from his predecessor, the late President Niyazov.  Post has gathered 
the following biographic information about the newly appointed 
officials. 
 
¶4. (SBU) Baymyrat HOJAMUHAMMEDOV, Deputy Chairman for Oil and Gas, 
Cabinet of Ministers:  Born in 1961 in Ashgabat.  Hojamuhammedov 
graduated in 1984 from the Turkmen Polytechnic Institute majoring in 
mountain engineering and hydrogeology.  In 1990, he received a 
graduate degree from the Orjoinikdize Geological Exploration 
Institute in Moscow.  From 1991 to 2003, he held a number of 
positions in the Turkmen Geology Production Association and then in 
the Turkmen Oil and Gas State Trade Corporation.  From 2003 to 2005, 
he worked as Deputy Chairman of the National Clearing Center at the 
Cabinet of Ministers of Turkmenistan.  In 2005, he was appointed 
Chief of Department of the Turkmen Oil and Gas State Trade 
Corporation.  In 2007, he worked in the system of Ministry of Oil 
and Gas Industry and Mineral Resources, was Head of the Department 
of Supply of Production facilities at the Turkmen Gas State Concern. 
 In 2007-2008, Hojamuhammedov held the post of Minister of Oil and 
Gas Industry and Mineral Resources.  In 2008, he was appointed 
Chairman of Turkmengas State Concern.  His predecessor, Tachberdi 
Tagyev was relieved of his position formally "due to transfer to 
another job", i.e. to the position of Director of Seydi Oil Refinery 
Plant, but in reality, he was demoted "for shortcomings in his 
work." 
 
¶5. (SBU) Mammetniyaz NURMAMMEDOV, Governor of Dashoguz province: 
Nurmammedov was the mayor of Dashoguz city until 2007.  From 2007 to 
2009, he was the governor of Ahal province.  No further biographic 
information on Nurmammedov is available.  His predecessor, 
Saparmyrat Ashirov, was fired for "serious shortcomings in his 
work," in particular, non-fulfillment of the grain harvest and 
non-implementation of the presidential program on rural 
development. 
 
¶6. (SBU) Dangmyrat MYRATBERDIYEV, Governor of Ahal province:  Since 
2006, he has been the governor of the Altyn Asyr district of Ahal 
province, and was later appointed Deputy Governor of Ahal province. 
No further biographic information on Myratberdiyev is available. 
(His predecessor, Mammetniyaz Nurmammedov was transferred to 
Dashoguz province). 
 
¶7. (SBU) Dowlet MOMMAYEV, Acting Chairman of Turkmengas State 
Concern:  Previously, Mommayev worked as Deputy Chairman of the 
Turkmen Gas State Concern.  No further biographic details of 
Mommayev are available.  His predecessor, Baymyrat Hojamuhammedov 
was promoted to the post of Deputy Chairman of the Cabinet of 
Ministers. 
 
¶8. (SBU) Rozmyrat SEYITKULYEV, Acting Minister of Railway 
Transportation:  From July 8 to July 10, 2009, Seyitkulyev was 
Deputy Minister of Railway Transportation.  No further biographic 
 
ASHGABAT 00000912  002.4 OF 002 
 
 
details on Seyitkulyev are available.  His predecessor, Deryaguly 
Muhammetgulyev, was fired for "serious shortcomings in his work". 
 
¶9. (SBU) Ashyrguly GURBANGULYEV, Chairman of the State Committee on 
Statistics:  From 2007 to 2009, Gurbangulyev was the director of the 
Institute of Strategic Planning and Economic Development (Note: On 
10/11/2007, National State Institute of Statistics and Information 
of Turkmenistan was divided into State Committee on Statistics and 
Institute of Strategic Planning and Economic Development).  No 
further information on Gurbangulyev is available.  His predecessor, 
Kakamyrat Mommadov was fired for "shortcomings in his work." 
 
¶10. (SBU) Muhammetgeldi ATAYEV, Director of Institute of Strategic 
Planning and Economic Development:  Atayev previously served as 
Deputy Minister of Economy and Development.  From 2007 to 2008, was 
the Deputy Director of the Institute of Strategic Planning and 
Economic Development.  No further biographic information on Atayev 
is available.  His predecessor, Ashyrguly Gurbangulyev, was 
transferred to the position of Chairman of the State Committee on 
Statistics. 
 
¶11. (SBU) Geldimyrat AMANJAYEV, Deputy Minister of Railway 
Transportation.  No biographic information on Amanjayev is 
available.  His predecessor Rozmyrat Seyitkuliyev was promoted to 
the position of Acting Minister of Railway Transportation. 
 
¶12. (SBU) Tachmuhammet RAHMANOV, Deputy Governor of Balkan province. 
 No biographic information on Rahmanov is available. 
 
¶13. (SBU) Maksatberdi JAKGAYEV, Deputy Governor of the Ruhabat 
district of Ahal province.  No biographic information on Jakgayev is 
available. 
 
¶14. (SBU) Orazdurdy SUHANOV, Chief of Balkan province Police 
Department.  No biographic information on Suhanov is available.  His 
predecessor, Dovletmammed Gurbanov, was relieved from the position 
and transferred to another job. 
 
¶15. (SBU) Kakageldi ZAHYROV, Chief of Dashoguz province Police 
Department.  No biographic information on Zahyrov is available. 
 
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