TURKEY PREVIEWS MARCH 24-25 BERDIMUHAMEDOV VISIT

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 ANKARA 000504

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EEB FOR A/S SULLIVAN
EUR FOR DAS BRYZA
EEB FOR MANN
DOE FOR HEGBURG

E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/14/2018
TAGS: ENRG EPET TU TX
SUBJECT: TURKEY PREVIEWS MARCH 24-25 BERDIMUHAMEDOV VISIT


Classified By: Economic Counselor Dale Eppler for reasons 1.4 (B) and (
D)


1. (C) Summary. The GOT is prepared to encourage
Turkmenistan to open its energy sector to foreign investment
and work with Western energy companies during Turkmen
President Berdimuhamedov's March 24-25 visit. A lack of
enthusiam from the Turkmen side has forced the Turks to
pull-back on their idea for a Turkmen-Azeri-Turk energy
trilateral, even as they had started to lay the groundwork.
The GOT supports the idea of linking Azeri-Turkmen offshore
production as concrete first step toward developing a
trans-Caspian pipeine, but is undecided whether it will
address the idea with Berdimuhamedov during his visit.
Developing trade and economic relations will otherwise
dominate the agenda. Turkey is also pushing hard for
Turkmenistan's endorsement of a Turkic nations summit with a
permanent secretariat; Turkmenistan has been so far
unenthusiastic. End Summary.


2. (C) We discussed with MFA Department Head for Central
Asia Sule Gurel and Department Head for Energy Berris Ekinci,
March 12, important energy related messages that could be
conveyed to Turkmen President Berdimuhamedov during his March
24-25 visit to Turkey. We told the Turks that Eurasian
Energy Coordinator Mann communicated the following points to
Berdimuhamedov during his February 28 visit and we would
appreciate Turkish support on these themes.

-- It is time for Turkmenistan to balance its energy sector
relations.

-- The way to do this is open the energy sector to foreign
investment, develop new technologies, and reach out to
Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev.

-- Caspian Sea delimitation can wait; cooperation on linking
offshore Turkmen and Azeri gas platforms is a concrete step
that can be taken now.


3. (C) Gurel and Ekinci appreciated our sharing these
messages and said they would forward them to more senior
levels for consideration. Ekinci made clear that opening
Turkmenistan to foreign investment and working with Western
energy companies already featured prominently in the GOT's
energy briefing papers for the Berdimuhamedov visit. She
said the GOT was still considering whether it could
specifically address linking Turkmen and Azeri offshore gas
fields during Berdimuhamedov's visit. Gurel said President
Gul wanted to host a Turkmen-Azeri-Turk energy trilateral,
and the Turks had started to lay the ground work for one in
Antalya. But, implying that the Turkmen were not ready,
Gurel said the GOT has since abandoned the trilateral as part
of this visit and she is unsure whether it will be
rescheduled.


4. (C) Gurel previewed Berdimuhamedov's two-day visit. (The
cancellation of the proposed energy trilat appears to have
precluded the four-day visit the Turks had initially
anticipated.) The GOT hopes the visit, coming on the heels
of President Gul's January 2008 visit to Ashgabat, will
further "repair bilateral relations" and lead to new energy,
trade and transportation cooperation. The two sides are
presently negotiating agreements on economic cooperation;
establishing regular, bilateral political consultations; and
cooperation between the two countries' national television
broadcasters. Key for Turkey is a joint declaration in which
it seeks to gain Turkmenistan's endorsement of a Turkic
nations summit, with a permanent secretariat. Turkmenistan
supports bilateral parliamentary exchanges with Turkey, but
Gurel described Turkmenistan (and Uzbekistan) as
unenthusiastic, so far, with the Turkish proposal. Neither
Turkmenistan nor Uzbekistan participated in the last Turkic
summit, in Ankara in February, or in the last Turkic
parliamentary summit in Antalya, also in February. The next
summit will be held in Baku in June; ensuring Turkmen and
Uzbek participation will be a high priority for Turkey.


5. (C) Gurel said the Turks hope to use the visit to improve
transportation connections between the two countries, which
are key to strengthening trade relations. Turkmenistan is a

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gateway for Turkey to the rest of Central Asia and she noted
that Turkish truck drivers have faced "problems" there. The
Turks will propose an intergovernmental transportation
commission to resolve these issues. She added that
Berdimuhamedov had specifically requested a visit to a MANAS
(Turkish-German consortium) bus factory in Istanbul,
indicating the priority he places on building Turkmenistan's
transportation infrastructure.


6. (C) According to a bemused Gurel, Berdimuhamedov is
attaching great importance to a joint cultural concert to be
held in Istanbul, March 25, as a symbol of strong cultural
bonds. About a hundred Turkmen dancers will come to Istanbul
to perform. She said the Turkmen have requested huge banners
of the two Presidents be displayed at the event, which has
left the Turks in a bit of a scramble; giant portraits of
President Gul just don't exist (such hagiography being
reserved strictly for Ataturk in this country).


7. (C) We noted that educational exchanges did not appear to
be featured prominently on the agenda as they often are for
other visits involving Turkey. Gurel described these ties as
already strong. While she did not have a precise figure, she
said numerous Turkmen students study at Turkish universities,
many on Turkish scholarships. One Turkish school, attached
to the Turkish Ministry of Education, and the large network
of Turkish NGO-run schools in Turkmenistan, all operate
comfortably, she said.

Visit Ankara's Classified Web Site at
http://www.intelink.sgov.gov/wiki/Portal:Turk ey

WILSON