TURKMENISTAN'S PRESIDENT BERDIMUHAMMEDOV TELLS SCA

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 06 ASHGABAT 000618

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

STATE FOR SCA

E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/26/2017
TAGS: PREL PGOV PHUM ENRG ECON ETRD TX AF US
SUBJECT: TURKMENISTAN'S PRESIDENT BERDIMUHAMMEDOV TELLS SCA
DAS FEIGENBAUM TO "MAKE IT REAL"


Classified By: Charge d'Affaires a.i. Jennifer L. Brush for reasons 1.4
(B) and (D).

Summary
--------------


1. (C) During a cordial 80-minute meeting on June 25,
Turkmenistan's President Gurbanguly Berdimuhammedov told SCA
Deputy Assistant Secretary Evan Feigenbaum that Turkmenistan
was committed to expanded cooperation with the United States.
He stated that a Trans-Caspian pipeline (TCP) remained on
Turkmenistan's agenda. During the meeting Berdimuhammedov
also demonstrated some lingering naivete regarding the way
things worked in the real world. Berdimuhammedov claimed
there had been "only words and theory" so far in building the
TCP and supplying electricity to Afghanistan. "Where's the
pipeline?" he asked, "We've been talking it for six months,
we need to make it real." He put the blame for the lack of
an energy agreement for Afghanistan on the slow pace of
energy line construction on the Afghan side of the border,
rather than on the two sides' inability to reach a deal on
the power purchase agreement (PPA). DAS Feigenbaum and
Berdimuhammedov engaged in a friendly philosophical debate
about whether economics could be separated from law and
politics. When Feigenbaum noted that rule of law was
important to both the investment and political climate,
Berdimuhammedov said Turkmenistan took a "practical" approach
-- let's just do projects and sell gas. DAS Feigenbaum
pushed him hard on the need for movement on human rights and
political development; Berdimuhammedov said such changes
could not be immediate because of the "mentality" of
Turkmenistan's people. He said the two sides agreed on the
goal but differed on approaches. Berdimuhammedov was
receptive, however, when Feigenbaum suggested expanded
dialogue and exchanges on human rights and democracy,
including judicial, law enforcement and legal/legislative
training. In a later meeting, Deputy Chairman of Foreign
Affairs Meredov, who had attended the Berdimuhammedov
meeting, called Feigenbaum's attention to the president's
openness to dialogue on democracy and human rights.
Berdimuhammedov agreed in principle to Feigenbaum's
suggestion that he attend the opening of the U.S.-built
Imamnazar border crossing checkpoint station on August 13 as
a symbolic gesture of the two leaders' commitment to improved
bilateral relations. Feigenbaum conveyed invitations to
Meredov, the ministers of health and education,and the Mayor
of Ashgabat to visit the United States and welcomed the
president's decision to send his finance and economics
minister to the upcoming U.S.-Central Asia Trade and
Investment Framework Agreement meeting. End Summary.

Berdimuhammedov Praises Expanding Relationship
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2. (C) Berdimuhammedov opened the meeting by noting that
this was the latest in a series of several visits --
including by SCA Assistant Secretary Boucher, SCA PDAS Mann
and CENTCOM Commander Admiral Fallon -- that had helped to
further develop the bilateral relationship. The two sides
had jointly carried out programs -- mainly in education --
and Turkmenistan wanted to cooperate on economic and trade
issues as well.

The U.S. View of Its Bilateral Relationship
--------------


3. (C) Feigenbaum recalled that the last time he visited,
just two and a half weeks after President Niyazov's death,
the president had just received a condolence message from
Secretary of State Rice expressing a wish to turn the page on

SIPDIS
the relationship. The two sides had had the opportunity to
do "more in the last 16 weeks than in the last 16 years" in
improving bilateral relations. The United States had been a
strong supporter of Turkmenistan's sovereignty and
independence since the country's founding. Although there
had been much discussion in the media about a rivalry in the
region among outside powers, such discussion missed the

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point; the main U.S. goal was to help Turkmenistan and its
neighbors realize their potential. As he had almost six
months earlier with Deputy Chairman for Foreign Affairs
Meredov, Feigenbaum also stated that, while there had been
good relations between the two countries, there had also been
difficulties. On his previous visit, Feigenbaum had spent
many long hours talking with Meredov about the bilateral
relationship. Summarizing his presentation to Meredov (ref
a),Feigenbaum stated that there had been successful
cooperation in many areas, including in strengthening
Turkmenistan's borders, broadening cooperation on
Afghanistan, promoting overflight cooperation and the fine
work done by Peace Corps volunteers in Turkmenistan.
Feigenbaum said the United States was proud of the countries'
work in these areas, which had been mutually beneficial.


4. (C) Likewise, Feigenbaum had told Meredov in January that
there were many areas -- education, trade and health -- where
there was great potential for cooperation, but where that
potential had not been fully realized. In addition, there
were areas of difference. These included human rights and
political development; but we should aim to turn these areas
of difference into a positive in the bilateral relationship.
The United States wanted to work with Turkmenistan on civil
society development, media, opportunities for people to
participate in the social life of the country, and in
promoting freedom of religious belief.

Proposed Next Steps
--------------


5. (C) Noting the potential for development in every area,
Feigenbaum suggested that the two countries should expand
cooperation in the areas of agreement, while seeking to
further address areas where there were differences in a
spirit of mutual respect. With that goal, the United States
had sent five delegations representing almost every area of
the relationship -- security, energy, trade, education and
culture, and Afghanistan -- to Turkmenistan over the last six
months. As agreed, the United States planned to send
delegations on economic and business development and
agriculture, as well as political development and human
rights. These delegations had offered an opportunity for
U.S. officials to explore what might be possible in future
relations. And, in fact, the delegations had identified lots
of good areas for cooperation. The challenge was in
implementation. Over the next six months, the United States
wanted to see a two-way flow of visitors -- Turkmenistan
officials traveling to the United States, as well as more
U.S. visitors coming to Turkmenistan. With this goal in
mind, Feigenbaum proposed three next steps:

-- Secretary Rice invited Foreign Affairs Deputy Chairman
Meredov to Washington;

-- The United States hoped for additional opportunities to
interact with those ministries -- education, health and
economy and finance -- in areas where there was the greatest
potential. To this end, the United States welcomed visits by
Turkmenistan's ministers in these areas. Feigenbaum noted
that the Minister of Economy and Finance had already been
approved to participate in the annual Trade Investment
Framework Agreement (TIFA) meetings in Washington in July,
and added that the United States would facilitate bilateral
meetings for the minister in additional to the TIFA meeting.
The United States would also welcome a visit by the Mayor of
Ashgabat to Albuquerque to follow up on the two cities'
sister city relations;

-- The United States also wanted to continue visits directed
toward broadening dialogue, including in those areas where
the two countries had differences, such as democracy and
human rights.

Berdimuhammedov's Priorities
--------------


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6. (C) Thanking the United States for its support for
Turkmenistan's sovereignty and independence, Berdimuhammedov
agreed that the two sides had put together the skeleton of a
new relationship, but there were still areas where
cooperation needed to be reviewed or accelerated.
Specificially, Berdimuhammedov raised:

-- Foreign Relations. Berdimuhammedov claimed his position
on foreign relations was unchanged from the position he had
expressed during his presidential campaign: consistent with
Turkmenistan's neutrality policy, he supported broadening
fraternal, bilateral relations on an economic basis, with no
politicization of issues.

-- Energy. Berdimuhammedov had discussed energy issues with
both Assistant Secretary Boucher and PDAS Mann. The TCP
would not be taken off the agenda. Berdimuhammedov added
that, if the TCP were to move forward, he wanted to see U.S.
companies involved; Chevron had expressed interest in such an
arrangement. Returning later to this topic, however, the
president complained, "We've been talking for six months
about TCP; where is the pipeline? We need to make it real."

-- Afghanistan: The president thanked the United States for
showing a concern toward Afghanistan that even Afghanistan's
neighbors did not show. Turkmenistan wanted Afghanistan to
prosper and, to that end, had rendered assistance and planned
to provide additional economic assistance to its neighbor.

-- Education. Turkmenistan wanted to raise the standard of
its own education system, drawing on the experience of
American and European schools. Turkmenistan appreciated the
many exchange programs that the United States offered, and
hoped to increase the number of slots in higher education
exchange programs, particularly in the areas of finance,
legal issues, oil and gas, and town planning and
architecture. Turkmenistan also wanted to invite U.S.
professors to teach in Turkmenistan's institutions of higher
learning.

-- Human Rights. While there had been "positive results"
already in human rights areas, resolution of problems could
not come immediately because of the "mentality" of
Turkmenistan's people.

In general, Berdimuhammedov concluded, cooperation needed to
be expanded, but he told Feigenbaum he and Meredov should
inventory the relationship in their meeting.

Turkmenistan Eager to Continue Afghan Cooperation
-------------- --------------


7. (C) Feigenbaum expressed pleasure that Berdimuhammedov
had raised Afghanistan, where stability and reconstruction
was important not just for Afghanistan itself, but also for
the entire region. The United States was working hard with
the Government of Afghanistan and its multilateral partners
to resolve security issues, strengthen the government and
borders, and control narcotics trafficking. For example, the
United States was seeking to build roads. He also noted that
there was an opportunity to provide more energy to northern
Afghanistan, and the United States hoped to facilitate
contacts between the governments of Turkmenistan and
Afghanistan.


8. (C) Berdimuhammedov responded that, in discussing
electricity sales to Afghanistan and the TCP, there so far
had only been "words and theory," and asked, "Where is the
reality and the practice?" Urging Feigenbaum to attend the
one ton heroin drug burn the next morning, he said that all
the drugs had been seized along the Afghanistan border over
the last two months. Also regarding Afghanistan
Berdimuhammedov:

-- Agreed that highways were important for establishing
contacts, and stated that he wanted to help build roads in
Afghanistan -- something he said he had not yet even told

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Meredov -- once Turkmenistan was finished improving its own
roads;

-- Stated that the Government of Turkmenistan also wanted to
provide "substantial" but an unspecified amount of financial
assistance during Afghanistan President Karzai's July 5 visit
to Turkmenistan; and

-- Said that Turkmenistan was willing and able to provide a
500-kilowatt electricity line to Afghanistan, but claimed
that "you're moving slowly in Afghanistan." Noting that this
proposal had been raised during the June 7-9 visit of
Afghanistan's Minister of Energy, Ismail Khan,
Berdimuhammedov said, "We're ready to do this."


8. (C) Feigenbaum stated that providing power to Afghanistan
was important to the United States, which was willing to
facilitate conclusion of a Power Purchase Agreement. It was
also important to stop the flow of drugs between Afghanistan
and Turkmenistan; in this regard, he noted that the
attendance of both Berdimuhammedov and Karzai at the August
13 opening of the U.S.-built border crossing checkpoing at
Imamnazar could offer an important symbolic opportunity to
demonstrate both leaders' commitment to work jointly to
accomplish this goal. Berdimuhammedov agreed this was a good
idea and told Meredov to "start working on it,"
Berdimuhammedov thanked the United States for its work at
Imamnazar, and urged that that the United States, too, should
participate in the ceremony.

Berdimuhammedov Pushes for More Educational Exchanges
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9. (C) Commenting that he largely agreed with
Berdimuhammedov's list of areas of potential cooperation,
Feigenbaum added that the two sides needed -- and the United
States wanted -- to move from words to action. For example,
there were slots in U.S. exchange programs, such as
Fulbright, that remained unfilled. And, while the United
States wanted to increase the number of slots for FLEX (high
school) and UGRAD (university) exchanges, it was important
for UGRAD exchange students to be able to maintain their
places in their home universities so that they could return
and enrich their country with what they had learned.
Berdimuhammedov dissembled on this point, responding that he
wanted to increase the number of exchange slots, especially
for teachers and professors, since many needed to requalify
in their professions. (Comment: The Ministry of Education
both complains that the UGRAD program does not give enough
opportunity to local university students, selecting students
already studying overseas instead, and also actively prevents
the local university students who are chosen from returning
to their home universities. End Comment.)


10. (C) Feigenbaum noted that there was much more the United
States and Turkmenistan could do. For example,
Berdimuhammedov had said that he wanted to see more U.S.
companies active in Turkmenistan, yet the challenge was to
attract foreign firms and to create a legal, business and
regulatory climate attractive to business; Feigenbaum
promised when Turkmenistan's Minister of Economy and Finance,
Hojamyrat Geldimyradov, visited Washington in July for the
annual TIFA conference, the United States would seek to
provide him with a good set of bilateral meetings.

Human Rights: We Need to Agree to Disagree
--------------


11. (C) Feigenbaum noted that, like many Americans, he saw
politics and economics as being closely linked.
Strengthening the rule of law was as important for promoting
economic development and trade, just as it was important for
encouraging democracy. Berdimuhammedov shook his head,
saying that he did not agree. Politics was "theoretical" in
nature, while economics was "practical." There were
differences between the two.


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12. (C) Berdimuhammedov said that, with regard to energy, it
did not matter who purchased Turkmenistan's gas; his country
only wanted to sell gas at its border to develop
economically. "We are looking at this from a practical point
of view; you supported diversification, and we're now doing
it." If Turkmenistan came up with additional reserves, the
president added, those reserves could be sent to Afghanistan
in the form of electricity assistance. Both this and the TCP
were economic, rather than political, issues.


13. (C) Feigenbaum explained that in trying to promote a
multidimensional relationship, the United States was
interested in energy, economic development, security, and
cooperation and transnational issues, but it also wanted to
see human rights advance simultaneously with other areas.
Although the United States recognized that not all areas
could advance at the same speed, all were important and
needed to move forward. The United States and Turkmenistan
had many new opportunities that had not existed before. The
United States wanted to develop these opportunities,
therefore Secretary Rice would welcome a meeting with Deputy
Chairman Meredov in Washington for additional talks.


14. (C) When Feigenbaum asked what messages Berdimuhammedov
wanted him to take back to Washington, Berdimuhammedov
responded that the two countries' general vision was the
same, "we only disagree on approach." In some areas, the two
might have different visions, but in general, he wanted to
resolve issues and make the differences into a positive.
Feigenbaum asked whether Berdimuhammedov was surprised that
the United States talked so much about human rights; the
president repeated his notion of "one vision, different
approaches." Feigenbaum emphasized the need to be candid
about differences in a spirit of partnership. The United
States was concerned about freedom of media and religious
belief, and civil society in Turkmenistan. But he hoped
that, by agreeing to talk openly about their differences, the
two countries could turn this into a constructive area of
their relations. That said, areas of difference should not
prevent progress in areas of agreement.


15. (C) Berdimuhammedov suggested that the two sides agree
that they had differing positions on democratization, then
claimed "we have democracy. There are limitations, but these
exist everywhere." The real problem, he continued, was that
those who violated the law today claimed tomorrow that their
rights had been violated. Reform needed to be gradual, the
president said, and he agreed that the differences should not
influence overall cooperation. Feigenbaum asked whether it
would be more useful to have exchanges involving these issues
such as parliamentary and police exchanges and
Berdimuhammedov agreed. Training exchanges, including on
legal issues would be very useful. Turkmenistan wanted to
see exchanges involving the whole block of judicial/law
enforcement bodies, including officials from police, Ministry
of Defense, border security and judges. There had been some
contact, but it was insufficient. When Feigenbaum suggested
that more exchanges in this area could narrow differences,
Berdimuhammedov nodded in apparent agreement, but added that
this was another area where Turkmenistan's mentality might be
different from that of the United States for some time to
come.

Berdimuhammedov to Visit the United States?
--------------


16. (C) Feigenbaum asked whether Berdimuhammedov was
thinking about attending the UN General Assembly opening
session in September. The president, waffling for a second,
looked over at Meredov, who said "Yes, you should go."

Comment
--------------


17. (C) As Meredov subsequently reiterated in a subsequent
meeting with Feigenbaum, Berdimuhammedov wants to continue
expanding relations with the United States (indeed, Meredov

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later told Feigenbaum, the president almost never repeats
himself twice; the fact that he did so repeatedly on the
issue of cooperation demonstrated the president's commitment,
he claimed). Berdimuhammedov's apparent naivete on issues
such as how to move forward on a TCP demonstrates a gap
between the vestiges of Niyazov-think ("if you build it, I'll
agree") and his understanding of how a modern state should
operate. Meredov's optimistic take on the meeting indicates
Berdimuhammedov's reliance on his more experienced foreign
minister to tell USG visitors what the president really meant
to say. Berdimuhammedov's obvious dependence on Meredov to
set his foreign policy and cast him in a favorable light
means a Meredov visit to Washington will offer a unique
opportunity to help him help Berdimuhammedov dig Turkmenistan
out of the cave Niyazov created for his people. End Comment.
BRUSH