Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
08ASHGABAT1179
2008-09-05 12:44:00
UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
Embassy Ashgabat
Cable title:
EU/TURKMENISTAN: SEEKING TO ENGAGE DESPITE HUMAN
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UNCLAS ASHGABAT 001179
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
STATE FOR SCA/CEN
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL EAID EU TX
SUBJECT: EU/TURKMENISTAN: SEEKING TO ENGAGE DESPITE HUMAN
RIGHTS SCRUPLES
UNCLAS ASHGABAT 001179
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
STATE FOR SCA/CEN
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL EAID EU TX
SUBJECT: EU/TURKMENISTAN: SEEKING TO ENGAGE DESPITE HUMAN
RIGHTS SCRUPLES
1. (SBU) During a September 3 courtesy call, the European
Commission's Regional Political Affairs Adviser for Central
Asian Countries, Alessandro Liamine, told the A/DCM that the
European Commission is determined to move its relationship
with Turkmenistan ahead. Although a number of EU countries
are withholding consensus on "normalizing" the relationship
because of Turkmenistan's poor human rights record in the
past, the Commission wants to do what it can to begin
building trust. With that in mind, his Almaty-based office,
responsible for regional initiatives, has been tasked with
pulling together a cooperation program focused on helping
Turkmenistan to manage crises. For now, Liamine wants to
focus on domestic crises -- natural, man-made and
stability-related. Once the relationship is more firmly
established, the EC may attempt to deal with larger regional
issues, although he acknowledged that the newly established
UN Center for Preventive Diplomacy may well have filled that
gap by the time the EC is ready to move forward with these
wider-focus programs. During this first trip to Ashgabat,
Liamine was meeting only with members of the international
donor community to get a sense of what is already being done
and what could usefully be done. Once his office has come up
with concrete proposals, he will return to sell the program
to the government.
2. (SBU) COMMENT: Although EU and EC officials have
acknowledged to us that the decision not to offer
Turkmenistan a "normal" relationship is a nuisance, most
officials also seem to recognize that if they do not begin
engagement now, they may lose out on some important
opportunities to build goodwill and make a difference. Most
here agree that Turkmenistan is woefully unprepared to handle
almost any emergency, and this is likely one reason that
Turkmenistan's emergency management bodies are embracing U.S.
offers under the IMET and Nevada National Guard programs to
assist. Nonetheless, this is a huge area of potential
cooperation, and we see more than enough room for others to
become involved. END COMMENT.
CURRAN
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
STATE FOR SCA/CEN
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL EAID EU TX
SUBJECT: EU/TURKMENISTAN: SEEKING TO ENGAGE DESPITE HUMAN
RIGHTS SCRUPLES
1. (SBU) During a September 3 courtesy call, the European
Commission's Regional Political Affairs Adviser for Central
Asian Countries, Alessandro Liamine, told the A/DCM that the
European Commission is determined to move its relationship
with Turkmenistan ahead. Although a number of EU countries
are withholding consensus on "normalizing" the relationship
because of Turkmenistan's poor human rights record in the
past, the Commission wants to do what it can to begin
building trust. With that in mind, his Almaty-based office,
responsible for regional initiatives, has been tasked with
pulling together a cooperation program focused on helping
Turkmenistan to manage crises. For now, Liamine wants to
focus on domestic crises -- natural, man-made and
stability-related. Once the relationship is more firmly
established, the EC may attempt to deal with larger regional
issues, although he acknowledged that the newly established
UN Center for Preventive Diplomacy may well have filled that
gap by the time the EC is ready to move forward with these
wider-focus programs. During this first trip to Ashgabat,
Liamine was meeting only with members of the international
donor community to get a sense of what is already being done
and what could usefully be done. Once his office has come up
with concrete proposals, he will return to sell the program
to the government.
2. (SBU) COMMENT: Although EU and EC officials have
acknowledged to us that the decision not to offer
Turkmenistan a "normal" relationship is a nuisance, most
officials also seem to recognize that if they do not begin
engagement now, they may lose out on some important
opportunities to build goodwill and make a difference. Most
here agree that Turkmenistan is woefully unprepared to handle
almost any emergency, and this is likely one reason that
Turkmenistan's emergency management bodies are embracing U.S.
offers under the IMET and Nevada National Guard programs to
assist. Nonetheless, this is a huge area of potential
cooperation, and we see more than enough room for others to
become involved. END COMMENT.
CURRAN