PRESIDENT NIYAZOV HINTS THAT APPROVAL ON MARY

C O N F I D E N T I A L ASHGABAT 000864 SIPDIS SIPDIS DEPT FOR SCA/CEN (PERRY) E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/14/2016 TAGS: PGOV ENRG TX ZK SUBJECT: PRESIDENT NIYAZOV HINTS THAT APPROVAL ON MARY DIVERT AGREEMENT MAY BE FORTHCOMING REF: A. ASHGABAT 00584 ¶B. ASHGABAT 00440 ¶C. SECSTATE 64711 Classified By: Charge d'Affaires Jennifer L. Brush, for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d) ¶1. (C) During a August 14 with visiting SCA/PDAS Mann, Turkmenistan's President Niyazov strongly hinted that his government soon would approve the divert agreement for Mary Airfield. Following PDAS Mann's thanks to Turkmenistan for its assistance with Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan, the president said, "we have reviewed your document and will be approving it soon, we will inform the embassy when it is ready." Looking directly at Charge, Niyazov said, "you know what I'm talking about, right?" In the meantime, Niyazov added, "our doors are open." ¶2. (C) Comment: President Niyazov and Foreign Minister Meredov typically have discussed this negotiation in carefully controlled circumstances and Niyazov likely did not want to go into detail in front of the other government officials attending the Mann meeting. The "open doors" remarks probably is a reference to earlier assurances that until a divert agreement is finalized, Turkmenistan would grant emergency landing rights to U.S. aircraft. Though the U.S.-proposed language was delivered to Turkmenistan in April, the government had requested that USG not expect a response until after the July 24-25 visit to Turkmenistan of Iranian President Ahmadinejad. End Comment. ¶3. (U) PDAS Mann has cleared this message. BRUSH