BERDIMUHAMEDOV EMPHASIZES TURKMENISTAN'S

C O N F I D E N T I A L ASHGABAT 001155 SIPDIS STATE FOR SCA/CEN E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/03/2018 TAGS: PREL TX SUBJECT: BERDIMUHAMEDOV EMPHASIZES TURKMENISTAN'S NEUTRALITY ON GEORGIA REF: ASHGABAT 1069 Classified By: Charge Sylvia Reed Curran for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d). ¶1. (C) During a September 3 meeting with Deputy Assistant Secretary George Krol (septel),President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov, emphasizing the country's neutral position on the conflict in Georgia, said Turkmenistan will not support Georgia, Russia, or South Ossetia. He said it is always tragic when people die, and Turkmenistan takes a "humanitarian" view of the conflict. ¶2. (C) Berdimuhamedov said Turkmenistan had been approached about supplying humanitarian aid to Georgia and to South Ossetia. However, these requests had been made without supplying concrete addresses for where to send aid. Without definite addresses, who would receive this aid? He also understood that much aid had been pilfered by North Ossetian authorities. "It's not surprising," he laughed. In any case, he added, Afghanistan needs help more, and Turkmenistan already gives aid to this neighbor. ¶3. (C) Regarding the tensions between Russia and the United States caused by this conflict, Berdimuhamedov said, in his opinion, America is a superpower, but so is Russia. Third countries don't want to be caught in the middle, so it would be wise not to involve third countries in the matter. Such an approach, helps the world community. He underlined again that Turkmenistan is an independent, neutral country. He committed to a strong relationship with the United States and noted that Russia is a difficult partner. Russia, he asserted, like many others, always comes wanting something from the Turkmen side. In contrast, America, he noted, comes offering, not taking. ¶4. (C) COMMENT: Turkmenistan realizes that its status as a permanently neutral country helps it from getting entangled in what it views as other people's fights. The Georgian Ambassador recently told us that he has been trying unsuccessfully for weeks to meet with Foreign Minister Meredov to discuss the conflict. Meredov finally promised him that they would meet at the end of the week when visiting delegations will have left. However, Meredov noted, while the Georgian would be free to share his views, he knows Turkmenistan's answer before he starts. END COMMENT. ¶5. (C) DAS Krol cleared this cable. CURRAN