Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
07ASHGABAT826
2007-08-10 09:52:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Ashgabat
Cable title:
TURKMENISTAN AND CASPIAN CONNECTOR: "DON'T
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C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 ASHGABAT 000826
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
STATE FOR SCA/CEN, DRL
PLEASE PASS TO TDA DAN STEIN
E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/10/2017
TAGS: PGOV PREL EINV EPET AJ KZ TX
SUBJECT: TURKMENISTAN AND CASPIAN CONNECTOR: "DON'T
MENTION US NOW, BUT THE DOOR IS OPEN"
REF: ASHGABAT 0810
Classified By: CDA Richard E. Hoagland for reasons 1.4 (B) and (D)
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 ASHGABAT 000826
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
STATE FOR SCA/CEN, DRL
PLEASE PASS TO TDA DAN STEIN
E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/10/2017
TAGS: PGOV PREL EINV EPET AJ KZ TX
SUBJECT: TURKMENISTAN AND CASPIAN CONNECTOR: "DON'T
MENTION US NOW, BUT THE DOOR IS OPEN"
REF: ASHGABAT 0810
Classified By: CDA Richard E. Hoagland for reasons 1.4 (B) and (D)
1. (C) SUMMARY: Turkenistan does not want to be mentioned
in the Terms of Reference for the TDA-funded Caspian
feasibility study for transporting hydrocarbons from
Kazakhstan to Azerbaijan, but insists the door remains open
for experts to study the connector idea. Timing may be an
issue because of current work to prepare documents for the
Caspian Littoral Pipeline. Also, Turkmenistan may feel
uncomfortable going public about the possibility of a
Turkmenistan-Azerbaijan connector because the two countries
have not yet achieved a Caspian Sea delimitation mutual
agreement. END SUMMARY.
2. (C) Deputy Chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers/Foreign
Minister Rashit Meredov called in the Charge at COB on August
9 to respond to the question TDA Europe and Eurasia Director
Dan Stein had posed at their meeting on August 6 (reftel).
The question was whether Turkmenistan would object to being
mentioned in one sentence only in the Terms of Reference for
the TDA-financed feasibility study on transporting
hydrocarbons from Kazakhstan to Azerbaijan. The one
non-specific sentence on Turkmenistan would have opened the
door for this feasibility study to look at connector
possibilities between Turkmenistan's Bloc One and existing
SOCAR infrastructure.
NOT NOW, BUT...
3. (C) In his one-on-one with Charge, FM Meredov praised
Stein for their August 6 meeting. "The meeting was very
constructive for us and made a very good impression. It will
further our cooperation, especially on gas and oil. This
will continue and grow." (NOTE: In that meeting, Stein and
Charge had emphasized that the U.S. side, in the spirit of
cooperation and transparency, did not want to take any steps
without Turkmenistan's concurrence. END NOTE.) Meredov
added, "We sincerely thank you for your respect and openness."
4. (C) Meredov said the government, meaning cabinet of
ministers and the president, had studied the Terms of
Reference closely, including the suggested sentence about
Turkmenistan, and concluded it is too early to go public with
something like this.
...THE DOOR IS OPEN
5. (C) Meredov hastened to add, "The possibility of a
connector is not closed." He called for further study by
U.S. and Turkmenistani experts, and asked specifically that
the United States send technical experts for this purpose.
He emphasized, "The door is open."
DELIMITATION
6. (C) Appearing to add an afterthought, Meredov said
Turkmenistan also would welcome consultations with U.S.
experts on how to achieve Caspian delimitation with
Azerbaijan. (NOTE: In the renewed Turkmenistan-Azerbaijan
relationship, these talks are already underway, with the next
ASHGABAT 00000826 002 OF 002
session scheduled for September. Contacts among foreign
hydrocarbon firms active in Turkmenistan have told us that,
during the latest round, the Azeris greatly decreased their
territorial claims in hopes of promoting a solution where
they could benefit from being an export route for
Turkmenistan's hydrocarbons. END NOTE.)
7. (C) COMMENT: It seems clear the timing of our request,
not the concept of a connector, was the problem for
Turkmenistan. President Berdimuhamedov sent every one of his
senior gas and oil ministers, directors, and other experts to
Kazakhstan August 6-9 to negotiate the documents for the
Caspian Littoral Pipeline and Central Asia Three Pipeline
agreements reached in principle among Russia, Kazakhstan, and
Turkmenistan, with Uzbekistan's consent) at their Tripartite
Summit in May. We speculate that Berdimuhamedov and his
government do not want to go public about concrete steps to
achieve an export route to the West via the Caspian until
they are more certain the tripartite agreement is nailed
down. That said, Meredov went out of his way to emphasize
that the door remains open to study further the technical
details of a possible connector.
8. (C) COMMENT CONTINUED: We also note Meredov's near
after-thought suggestion that Turkmenistan would welcome U.S.
expert assistance to achieve Turkmenistan-Azerbaijan Caspian
Sea delimitation. It could be, even though Azerbaijan agreed
to the possible reference to Turkmenistan in the Terms of
Reference, Turkmenistan is uncomfortable joining such a
feasibility study without the legal basis of delimitation
nailed down, or at least fairly clearly in sight. END
COMMENT.
HOAGLAND
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
STATE FOR SCA/CEN, DRL
PLEASE PASS TO TDA DAN STEIN
E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/10/2017
TAGS: PGOV PREL EINV EPET AJ KZ TX
SUBJECT: TURKMENISTAN AND CASPIAN CONNECTOR: "DON'T
MENTION US NOW, BUT THE DOOR IS OPEN"
REF: ASHGABAT 0810
Classified By: CDA Richard E. Hoagland for reasons 1.4 (B) and (D)
1. (C) SUMMARY: Turkenistan does not want to be mentioned
in the Terms of Reference for the TDA-funded Caspian
feasibility study for transporting hydrocarbons from
Kazakhstan to Azerbaijan, but insists the door remains open
for experts to study the connector idea. Timing may be an
issue because of current work to prepare documents for the
Caspian Littoral Pipeline. Also, Turkmenistan may feel
uncomfortable going public about the possibility of a
Turkmenistan-Azerbaijan connector because the two countries
have not yet achieved a Caspian Sea delimitation mutual
agreement. END SUMMARY.
2. (C) Deputy Chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers/Foreign
Minister Rashit Meredov called in the Charge at COB on August
9 to respond to the question TDA Europe and Eurasia Director
Dan Stein had posed at their meeting on August 6 (reftel).
The question was whether Turkmenistan would object to being
mentioned in one sentence only in the Terms of Reference for
the TDA-financed feasibility study on transporting
hydrocarbons from Kazakhstan to Azerbaijan. The one
non-specific sentence on Turkmenistan would have opened the
door for this feasibility study to look at connector
possibilities between Turkmenistan's Bloc One and existing
SOCAR infrastructure.
NOT NOW, BUT...
3. (C) In his one-on-one with Charge, FM Meredov praised
Stein for their August 6 meeting. "The meeting was very
constructive for us and made a very good impression. It will
further our cooperation, especially on gas and oil. This
will continue and grow." (NOTE: In that meeting, Stein and
Charge had emphasized that the U.S. side, in the spirit of
cooperation and transparency, did not want to take any steps
without Turkmenistan's concurrence. END NOTE.) Meredov
added, "We sincerely thank you for your respect and openness."
4. (C) Meredov said the government, meaning cabinet of
ministers and the president, had studied the Terms of
Reference closely, including the suggested sentence about
Turkmenistan, and concluded it is too early to go public with
something like this.
...THE DOOR IS OPEN
5. (C) Meredov hastened to add, "The possibility of a
connector is not closed." He called for further study by
U.S. and Turkmenistani experts, and asked specifically that
the United States send technical experts for this purpose.
He emphasized, "The door is open."
DELIMITATION
6. (C) Appearing to add an afterthought, Meredov said
Turkmenistan also would welcome consultations with U.S.
experts on how to achieve Caspian delimitation with
Azerbaijan. (NOTE: In the renewed Turkmenistan-Azerbaijan
relationship, these talks are already underway, with the next
ASHGABAT 00000826 002 OF 002
session scheduled for September. Contacts among foreign
hydrocarbon firms active in Turkmenistan have told us that,
during the latest round, the Azeris greatly decreased their
territorial claims in hopes of promoting a solution where
they could benefit from being an export route for
Turkmenistan's hydrocarbons. END NOTE.)
7. (C) COMMENT: It seems clear the timing of our request,
not the concept of a connector, was the problem for
Turkmenistan. President Berdimuhamedov sent every one of his
senior gas and oil ministers, directors, and other experts to
Kazakhstan August 6-9 to negotiate the documents for the
Caspian Littoral Pipeline and Central Asia Three Pipeline
agreements reached in principle among Russia, Kazakhstan, and
Turkmenistan, with Uzbekistan's consent) at their Tripartite
Summit in May. We speculate that Berdimuhamedov and his
government do not want to go public about concrete steps to
achieve an export route to the West via the Caspian until
they are more certain the tripartite agreement is nailed
down. That said, Meredov went out of his way to emphasize
that the door remains open to study further the technical
details of a possible connector.
8. (C) COMMENT CONTINUED: We also note Meredov's near
after-thought suggestion that Turkmenistan would welcome U.S.
expert assistance to achieve Turkmenistan-Azerbaijan Caspian
Sea delimitation. It could be, even though Azerbaijan agreed
to the possible reference to Turkmenistan in the Terms of
Reference, Turkmenistan is uncomfortable joining such a
feasibility study without the legal basis of delimitation
nailed down, or at least fairly clearly in sight. END
COMMENT.
HOAGLAND