2004 Press Releases

Embassy Donates Automobiles, Office Equipment to Turkmen State Forensic Service

Dec. 22, 2004

The U.S. Embassy in Turkmenistan handed over two VAZ 21102 automobiles and office equipment to the State Forensic Service of the Ministry of Justice of Turkmenistan at a presentation ceremony held at the agency's office in Ashgabat on December 21, 2004. U.S. Ambassador to Turkmenistan Tracey Ann Jacobson, Turkmenistan's First Deputy Minister of Justice Mr. Batyr Arniyazov and Chief of the State Forensic Service Mr. Annamukhammet Misekov participated in the ceremony. The equipment was donated through the International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs Project (INL), implemented by the U.S. Department of State and administered by the U.S. Embassy in Ashgabat, and the International Criminal Investigative Training Assistance Program (ICITAP) of the U.S. Department of Justice.

The First Deputy Minister of Justice of Turkmenistan thanked Ambassador Jacobson and the U.S. Government for the assistance and noted that "more U.S.-Turkmenistan bilateral agreements are being implemented in the forensics sphere and greater volumes of equipment and other types of assistance is provided by the U.S. Embassy in Ashgabat to the State Forensic Service." Evaluating the Embassy's assistance to the State Forensic Service, its chairman Mr. Misekov stated that the agency's operations have become more effective since the assistance program began. Ambassador Jacobson stressed the importance of the scientific and technical cooperation between the governments of the United States and Turkmenistan in the forensics sphere to combat trafficking in narcotics, weapons of mass destruction and people, fight against organized crime, and protect Turkmen citizens' rights.

Russian-made VAZ 21102 automobiles will be used by Forensic Service experts to get to crime sites and for other work-related purposes. The office equipment donated by the Embassy includes a laptop computer, a photo printer, a multimedia projector and a digital video camera. The equipment will allow the Forensic Service to increase its technological level of criminal investigations, analyses, and trainings.

In August 2004, the U.S. Embassy donated 20 drug/precursor test kits and office equipment to the State Forensic Service of Turkmenistan. Since May 2004, the Embassy has also conducted English language courses for Forensic Service employees.

The INL donations and projects are specifically designed to improve the capability of the host countries' law enforcement agencies in its efforts against narcotics and organized crime. ICITAP works with nations around the globe to improve their forensic capability to resolve criminal investigations and support anti-narcotic efforts.