VZCZCXRO2666
RR RUEHAG RUEHAST RUEHBI RUEHCI RUEHDBU RUEHDF RUEHIK RUEHLH RUEHLN
RUEHLZ RUEHNEH RUEHPW RUEHROV RUEHSK RUEHSL RUEHSR RUEHVK RUEHYG
DE RUEHAH #1031/01 2261336
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 141336Z AUG 09
FM AMEMBASSY ASHGABAT
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 3293
INFO RUCNCLS/ALL SOUTH AND CENTRAL ASIA COLLECTIVE
RUCNCIS/CIS COLLECTIVE
RUCNMEM/EU MEMBER STATES COLLECTIVE
RUEHAK/AMEMBASSY ANKARA 5540
RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING 3260
RUEHKO/AMEMBASSY TOKYO 3125
RUEHIT/AMCONSUL ISTANBUL 3783
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 1086
RHMCSUU/CDR USCENTCOM MACDILL AFB FL
RUEHVEN/USMISSION USOSCE 3798
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC
RHEFDIA/DIA WASHDC
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC
RUEKJCS/JOINT STAFF WASHDC

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ASHGABAT 001031 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR SCA/CEN 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV PHUM SOCI TX
SUBJECT:  TURKMENISTAN : PRESIDENT MIFFED AT UNAUTHORIZED CARWASH; 
TWO EMPLOYEES SACKED 
 
¶1. (U) Sensitive but Unclassified.  Not for Internet distribution 
 
¶2. (SBU) SUMMARY:  During the last weekend, a staff member 
of the Cabinet of Ministers made a working visit to the 
"Turkmenistan Airlines" National Civil Aviation Agency, 
whose activity he oversees in his Cabinet capacity.  After 
arriving in his personal car, he ordered the Agency's Deputy 
Minister's driver to wash his car at the organization's 
yard.  Unable to refuse the order from a high level 
official, the driver washed the car.  President 
Berdimuhamedov was driving past the Agency at that time and 
noticed a private car being washed at the state 
organization's yard.  The outcome: the Cabinet employee and 
the driver were sacked; and the Minister and Deputy Minister 
of Turkmenistan Airlines have allegedly been reprimanded for 
allowing such an incident to take place at the Agency. 
Although the story spread by word of mouth and was not 
covered by local media, it appears that it was intended as a 
lesson for officials not to abuse their power.  END SUMMARY. 
 
¶3. (SBU) On Sunday, August 9, an employee of the Cabinet 
of Ministers overseeing the activity of 
"Turkmenhowayollary" (Turkmenistan Airlines) National 
Civil Aviation Agency visited the Agency.  (Note: 
Turkmenistan's government agencies' top officials 
unofficially work on weekends. End Note)  Arriving at the 
Agency in his private vehicle, he ordered the 
Turkmenistan Airlines' Deputy Minister's driver to wash 
his car in the Agency's yard.  Not daring to refuse the 
higher authority representative, the driver was washing 
the car when President Berdimuhamedov drove by the Agency 
and noticed a private car being washed on the state 
agency's premises.  After presidential staff found out 
whose car it was, President Berdimuhamedov called in the 
Deputy Chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers for Transport 
and Communications, Nazarguly Shagulyev to see to the 
matter.  As a result of the incident, the Cabinet 
employee who ordered his car to be washed and the driver 
who did the washing were both fired.  The Minister and 
Deputy Minister of Turkmenistan Airlines were allegedly 
reprimanded for allowing the incident to take place on 
the premises of their organization. 
 
¶4. (SBU) Everyone who is aware of the story feels pity 
for the driver, who was dismissed as a result of the 
incident.  He was not in a position to refuse the order 
of the higher authority, Cabinet staff member.  If he had 
refused, he would have been "punished" by his own boss 
for not complying with the order of the "big boss."  As 
an Ashgabat resident familiar with the story said, "the 
poor driver fell victim of the incident for just being at 
the wrong place at the wrong time."  He added that the 
driver did the washing to avoid trouble, but instead lost 
his job by following orders. 
 
¶5. (SBU) President Berdimuhamedov is known for making 
surprise visits.  In the past, while he was Minister of 
Healthcare and Medical Industry, Berdimuhamedov used to 
pay surprise visits to hospitals and medical 
establishments to check the discipline, order and sanitary 
condition of hospitals.  According to an Embassy local 
staff person, after one such visit, a doctor at one of 
the Ashgabat hospitals was fired for wearing tennis shoes 
during work hours instead of wearing special footwear. 
With its headquarters located close to the Presidential 
Office, the Aviation Agency's administration should have 
expected to be in the President's field of vision.  Even 
more so the Cabinet employee, who was aware of both the 
president's penchant for surprise visits and his habit to 
work on weekends.  However, the Cabinet staff member's 
awareness of this fact did not keep him from abusing 
power, showing his arrogance and his supremacy over an 
 
ASHGABAT 00001031  002 OF 002 
 
 
ordinary driver. 
 
¶6. (SBU) COMMENT: The incident served as a good lesson 
for all state employees not to abuse their power for 
personal benefit, no doubt contributing to its wide 
distribution via the grapevine.  It no doubt serves the 
president's interests that he has this reputation, 
encouraging state employees to always be on alert that 
the head of state may pay a surprise visit to their 
organization or simply drive by and notice their 
wrongdoings.  END COMMENT. 
 
MILES