TURKMENISTAN: UN CENTER FOR PREVENTATIVE

C O N F I D E N T I A L ASHGABAT 001070 SIPDIS STATE FOR SCA/CEN, EEB E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/18/2018 TAGS: PREL EPET AORC TX SUBJECT: TURKMENISTAN: UN CENTER FOR PREVENTATIVE DIPLOMACY SAYS THERE IS NO DRAFT RESOLUTION ON PIPELINE SECURITY REF: ASHGABAT 1039 Classified By: Charge d'Affaires Sylvia Reed Curran for reasons 1.4 (B) and (D). ¶1. (C) Fedor Klimtchouk, Deputy Head of the UN Regional Center for Preventative Diplomacy for Central Asia and Senior Political Affairs Officer, said on August 15 that President Berdimuhamedov asked Special Representative of the UN Secretary General and Head of Center Ambassador Miroslav Jenca during their first meeting about the possibility of a resolution on pipeline security. Klimtchouk said that the president wants the Center to come up with some ideas for such a resolution. The Center intends to study the issue. Klimtchouk added that the direction of the resolution, including whether the Turkmen envision that this resolution will provide for military protection of pipelines. However, Klimtchouk said, Berdimuhamedov's main focus in this resolution appears to be the proposed Trans-Afghanistan pipeline (TAPI). ¶2. (C) Recently, Deputy Chairman/Foreign Minister Meredov pointed to the situation in Georgia as illustrative of why there is a need for a UN convention on pipeline security. He added that if Turkmenistan sent gas through a trans-Caspian pipeline, it would want security guaranteed. ¶3. (C) COMMENT: We are unclear why Turkmenistan is putting the cart before the horse and the president is seeking support for the resolution before there is a draft. Perhaps the president's lack of clarity reflects a larger uncertainty within the Government of Turkmenistan as to what exactly should be in the resolution. END COMMENT. CURRAN