TURKMENISTAN: HEAD OF UN PREVENTIVE DIPLOMACY

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 ASHGABAT 001231

SIPDIS

STATE FOR SCA/CEN

E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/14/2018
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 efforts.


ASHGABAT 00001231 002 OF 002


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