From: <a href="http://www.aftenposten.no/spesial/wikileaksdokumenter/article3980207.ece">Aftenposten</a><br>
Date: 26.3.2008
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VZCZCXYZ0000
RR RUEHWEB
DE RUEHAH #0379 0861144
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
R 261144Z MAR 08
FM AMEMBASSY ASHGABAT
TO SECSTATE WASHDC 0494

C O N F I D E N T I A L ASHGABAT 000379 
SIPDIS 
SIPDIS 
DS/IP/OPO/FPD AND DS/IP/SCA 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/26/2018 
TAGS: AMGT, APER, ASEC 
SUBJECT: ASHGABAT SURVEILLANCE DETECTION PROGRAM 
REF: A. 07 ASHGABAT 551 B. 07 ASHGABAT 619 C. 07 ASHGABAT 780
     D. 07 ASHGABAT 839 E. 07 ASHGABAT 1050 F. ASHGABAT 35 G. 
SURVEILLANCE DETECTION MANAGEMENT AND OPERATIONS FIELD GUIDE V2.0 

XXXXX

032008

SUBJ: SD TEAM - ASHGABAT 
Classified By: Derived From: 2008 Ashgabat 00035 dated 01/08/2008 

1. (U) This is an action request, please see paragraph 6. 

2. (C) Reftels correctly assert that Embassy Ashgabats 
Surveillance Detection (SD) operations have been severely 
restricted by the Government of Turkmenistan (GOT) and that 
it is unlikely that the GOT will agree to authorize normal SD 
operations in the near future. Since April 2007 to present, 
the SD Team is not allowed to conduct operations outside of 
the Embassy compound territory. This includes coverage of 
the Residential compound, Public Affairs off-site location 
and the USAID/EXBS off-site location. 

3. (C) Efforts to seek approval to continue SD operations 
with the GOT have met with negative results. In a recent 
meeting with President Berdimuhammedov, PDAS Mann was unable 
to raise the re-implementation of SD operations. President 
Berdimuhammedov limited the discussion to one topic, and PDAS 
Mann did not have an opportunity to address the issue of SD 
and other post-specific issues. Additional attempts by 
Charge Hoagland to raise the issue of SD operations with the 
Ministry of Foreign Affairs also produced no positive 
results. As previously mentioned, the re-instatement of SD 
operations in Turkmenistan must be addressed personally with 
the president by high ranking USG officials, which has gone 
beyond the working level of local law enforcement and RSO 
staff. (In August 2007, Assistant Secretary Daniel Sullivan 
raised SD with President Berdimuhammedov, but nothing 
resulted from that intervention). 

4. (C) Through natural attrition, the SD Team has reduced its 
size from 14 to 11 persons. There are currently two vacant 
Local Guard Force (LGF) positions, with the possibility of a 
third position opening soon. Pending the resolution of the 
SD Team, RSO is not filling theses positions in order to 
minimize the Reduction in Force (RIF) effect if SD operations 
are permanently suspended. 

5. (C) RSO continues to make use of the additional manpower 
afforded by this suspension by implementing members of the SD 
Team into LGF operations. SD Team members have enabled the 
Embassy to conduct limited surveillance from within the 
compounds walls. Currently, all SD incidents are observed 
by the LGF and recorded into SIMAS by the SD Coordinator 
and/or the SD Analyst in his absence. The integration of the 
SD Team into the LGF has proven to be an added benefit to the 
Embassy LGF. Members of the LGF can focus more of their 
attention on properly screening personnel and vehicles. 
Additionally, SD Team members have been able to train LGF 
members on how to better spot surveillance attempts. It 
should be noted that all surveillance incident reports over 
the past 11 months have originated from the LGF. 

6. (C) In order to maintain the integrity of the SD program, 
post is strongly requesting authorization to permanently 
maintain the SD Coordinator and SD Analyst positions. 
Currently, post has not received a definite answer from the 
GOT to permanently suspend SD operations, and is hopeful that 
this issue will be resolved favorably in the near future. If 
and when SD operations are reinstated, the SD Coordinator and 
Analyst will play a key role in reviving the program. The 
employees in both positions have institutional knowledge and 
can provide training to LGF and Embassy staff about 
surveillance detection. Additionally, these positions can 
continue to track, analyze and monitor security related 
incidents on a daily basis. Furthermore, RSO strongly 
requests that DS/IP/OPO/FPD allow post to retain the 
additional 9 SD Team members through the end of the current 
fiscal year. 

7. (U) Your point of contact for this information is XXXXX.

HOAGLAND 
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