Embassy News

Assistant Secretary Daniel Sullivan to Visit Turkmenistan and Attend Ymamnazar Border Crossing Opening

PAS No 190
August 10, 2007

Ashgabat, August 10, 2007 – On August 13, Daniel Sullivan Assistant Secretary of State for Economic, Energy and Business Affairs will attend the official opening of a new Turkmen border station crossing at Ymamnazar on the border with Afghanistan.  This state-of-the-art facility will allow efficient international commerce while proving to be a deterrent to illegal trafficking, not only in narcotics, but weapons of mass destruction, persons and contraband.  The U.S. Government spent $1.8 million on this project with the United Nations contributing $650,000.  The Ymamnazar site is the second such border crossing station constructed on Turkmenistan's borders under the Central Asia Counter Narcotics Strategy of the U.S. Central Command. 

Also attending the ceremony will be Richard Hoagland, Charge d'Affaires of the U.S. Embassy to Turkmenistan, Rear Admiral William Payne of U.S. Central Command, Brigadier General Robert Fitch, Commander of the Nevada Air National Guard, and Brigadier General William Burks, Deputy Adjutant General of the Nevada National Guard.

Representatives of the Government of Turkmenistan will include Myratberdi Annalyev, Chairman of the State Customs Service, Yaylym Berdiyev, Chief of the State Service for Registration of Foreigners, Bayram Alowov, Chairman of the State Border Service, and Wepa Hajyev, First Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs among others.

Assistant Secretary Daniel Sullivan will also hold official meetings with high ranking officials of the government of Turkmenistan on August 14.  Discussions will include further regional economic integration and the benefits of expanded cross-border trade for Turkmenistan.