TURKMENISTAN: HEAD OF UN PREVENTIVE DIPLOMACY

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 ASHGABAT 001218 SIPDIS STATE FOR SCA/CEN E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/15/2018 TAGS: PBIO PREL ECON ENRG EPET UN TX SUBJECT: TURKMENISTAN: HEAD OF UN PREVENTIVE DIPLOMACY CENTER OUTLINES CURRENT WORK REF: A. ASHGABAT 1186 ¶B. ASHGABAT 1187 Classified By: Charge Sylvia Reed Curran for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d). ¶1. (C) SUMMARY: Deputy Assistant Secretary George Krol met September 4 with United Nations Regional Center for Preventive Diplomacy Head of Office Miroslav Jenca to discuss regional issues, including water, energy, and Afghanistan. Jenca described Turkmenistan's proposed UN resolution on energy security as "unrealistic." He described a series of upcoming meetings spearheaded by the EU on water issues. The Center plans to promote issues related to Afghanistan as well. END SUMMARY. ¶2. (C) On September 4, Deputy Assistant Secretary George Krol met with United Nations Regional Center for Preventive Diplomacy for Central Asia Head of Office Miroslav Jenca to discuss regional issues. Jenca said he had attended UNDP sponsored meetings in Almaty on preparations for the upcoming winter, based on the experience with last year's extremely cold winter in Central Asia. He believed the Preventive Diplomacy Center could lead efforts in this area. He noted last year Uzbekistan prevented the transit of certain humanitarian items destined for Tajikistan. The Preventive Diplomacy Center wants to avoid that happening this year. UNDP will make an appeal to the international community. Another Center initiative Jenca noted is the training of diplomats in the region on preventive diplomacy. It has already started the process of training junior staff from the Turkmenistan MFA. Jenca said that during the UNGA there would be a meeting to show support for the Center. He said United States support for the work of the Center would be critical. UN RESOLUTION ON ENERGY SECURITY ¶3. (C) Regarding Turkmenistan's proposal for a UN resolution on energy security, Jenca said that there is no final draft, but he has seen some preliminary language. He had met with Deputy Chairman/Foreign Minister Rashid Meredov on this issue on September 2. The Turkmen have decided to broaden the resolution to cover not just gas and oil pipelines but also electricity transmission lines. Jenca claimed the Turkmen, realizing a resolution dealing with global energy/pipelines would be too difficult to pass, the will limit the geographic scope of the resolution to Central Asia and the Caspian. Later, this could be expanded. Jenca considered the Turkmen resolution unrealistic. He claimed the Chinese have reacted negatively to the idea. The Russians told him this issue was beyond the Preventive Diplomacy Center's mandate. (NOTE: President Berdimuhamedov told DAS Krol he thought foreign leaders were broadly supportive of Turkmenistan's initiative. Ref. A END NOTE.) WATER ISSUES ¶4. (C) Jenca said the Germans have committed 10 million euros and promised another 20 million euros to address Central Asia water issues through the EU. Jenca plans to travel to Berlin to discuss the issue and he noted a meeting on the subject will take place in Almaty at the end of November. Italy would be the lead for the European Commission. There would be another meeting December 3 under the French presidency. Water would also be a topic covered during the September 17-18 EU-Central Asia dialogue meeting with Central Asian foreign ministers in Paris. The plan is to show the Central Asian countries examples of where shared water resources work, such as the U.S.- Canadian and U.S.-Mexican borders, and the Mekong River Valley. UNDP is also working on a project. Jenca said he wanted to meet with EU Commissioner for External Relations Benita Ferraro-Waldner to discuss joint UN-European ASHGABAT 00001218 002 OF 002 efforts. ENERGY ¶5. (C) Jenca said he wanted to bring people from around the region to the UN preventive Diplomacy Center to discuss experiences and to give them local ownership. He said the Russian position is to increase Central Asians dependency on Russia. He noted Carnegie's Martha Brill Olcott is planning to host a seminar in Tashkent on alternate forms of energy. AFGHANISTAN ¶6. (C) Jenca said he will talk to Special Representative of the UN Secretary General for Afghanistan Kai Eide during an upcoming trip to Afghanistan. He thought the UN Preventive Diplomacy Center could promote issues related to Afghanistan as well. ELECTRICTY ¶7. (U) DAS Krol described to Jenca U.S. efforts to foster regional electricity connections and passed on a slide presentation on the subject. Jenca expressed thanks and said he thought the Center could be helpful in this area as well. ¶8. (C) COMMENT: When the Center first opened, many observers wondered what it would really do. Jenca clearly believes there is real potential for the Center to grapple with some of the region?s more intractable problems such as water management as well as be a regional training and conference center. But for the Center to be successful, it must have the political support of region?s leaders, its near neighbors like Russia as well as the EU and the U.S. END COMMENT. CURRAN