Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
08ASHGABAT1331
2008-10-08 07:32:00
CONFIDENTIAL//NOFORN
Embassy Ashgabat
Cable title:
TURKMENAIR CHAIRMAN TO COMMERCE DAS DYCK: WE,LL
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C O N F I D E N T I A L ASHGABAT 001331
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
STATE FOR SCA/CEN
COMMERCE FOR PDYCK/DSTARKS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/01/2018
TAGS: EAIR EINV PREL TX
SUBJECT: TURKMENAIR CHAIRMAN TO COMMERCE DAS DYCK: WE,LL
GIVE BOEING A GOOD DEAL IF THEY OFFER US ONE
REF: ASHGABAT 1305
Classified By: Charge Sylvia Reed Curran for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).
C O N F I D E N T I A L ASHGABAT 001331
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
STATE FOR SCA/CEN
COMMERCE FOR PDYCK/DSTARKS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/01/2018
TAGS: EAIR EINV PREL TX
SUBJECT: TURKMENAIR CHAIRMAN TO COMMERCE DAS DYCK: WE,LL
GIVE BOEING A GOOD DEAL IF THEY OFFER US ONE
REF: ASHGABAT 1305
Classified By: Charge Sylvia Reed Curran for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).
1. (SBU) During his September 29-30 visit to Turkmenistan,
Commerce Department Deputy Assistant Secretary Paul Dyck met
with the Chairman of the National Civil Aviation Service
Gurbanyaz Tirkishov to discuss Boeing,s activities in
Turkmenistan. Turkmenistan Airlines, fleet is almost
exclusively Boeing aircraft, reflecting Boeing,s early entry
into the market. Chairman Tirkishov underscored that Boeing
has been a long-standing partner of Turkmenistan and its
aircraft enable the national airline to fly to 13 cities in
11 different countries (including the UK and Germany) with no
safety concerns.
2. (SBU) Chairman Tirkishov went on to raise two details
that have recently soured their relationship. The first
involves not Boeing, but the subcontractor who handles their
interior aircraft design, Gore Design. The Chairman
complained that Turkmenistan Airlines built a relationship
with Boeing, not with this design company, and that the
design company had been difficult to work with. Gore Design
has been pushing to finalize the contract, and went so far as
to send a letter of complaint via Turkmenistan's Embassy in
Washington protesting delays on the Turkmen side. The
Chairman added that when they complained to Boeing, Boeing
disavowed any relationship with Gore Design, even though,
according to Tirkishov, it was Boeing who "foisted" the
company on Turkmenistan Airlines.
3. (SBU) The second, and more significant issue for Chairman
Tirkishov, is that Boeing has not provided in-country
training opportunities and equipment for the pilots and
technicians. The Chairman claimed that they raised this
issue in 2006, and that they would like Boeing to recognize
their long-standing cooperation by making an offer to provide
equipment and other training here. This is especially
significant since on September 25, President Berdimuhamedov
"gravely reprimanded8 Tirkishov for not providing adequate
training for aircraft technicians (reftel). The Chairman
noted that Bombardier had offered them a very good deal, and
included an offer to improve infrastructure in the more
remote regions of the country. He closed by stating that
they await Boeing,s response in October and hope that Boeing
includes clear incentives for Turkmenistan Airlines to
continue their relationship. DAS Dyck noted Boeing's desire
to sell 10 737 aircraft to Turkmenistan Airlines. (COMMENT:
Tirkishov did not hesitate to name drop Airbus throughout the
meeting, noting that they are reviewing Airbus' proposal to
sell planes to replace the short haul domestic fleet. END
COMMENT.)
4. (SBU) COMMENT: Tirkishov's statement regarding the reasons
for Berdimuhamedov's reprimand are not in line with what the
Boeing rep told us. The Boeing rep laid the blame for
shortcomings on the Turkmen and mentioned nothing about any
request for training from Boeing that would help address
those shortcomings. The Turkmen routinely request that
companies provide training for local personnel to help
address their serious human capacity problem. We have no
reason to doubt that Turkmenistan Airlines made similar
requests to Boeing. END COMMENT.
5. DAS Dyck cleared this cable.
CURRAN
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
STATE FOR SCA/CEN
COMMERCE FOR PDYCK/DSTARKS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/01/2018
TAGS: EAIR EINV PREL TX
SUBJECT: TURKMENAIR CHAIRMAN TO COMMERCE DAS DYCK: WE,LL
GIVE BOEING A GOOD DEAL IF THEY OFFER US ONE
REF: ASHGABAT 1305
Classified By: Charge Sylvia Reed Curran for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).
1. (SBU) During his September 29-30 visit to Turkmenistan,
Commerce Department Deputy Assistant Secretary Paul Dyck met
with the Chairman of the National Civil Aviation Service
Gurbanyaz Tirkishov to discuss Boeing,s activities in
Turkmenistan. Turkmenistan Airlines, fleet is almost
exclusively Boeing aircraft, reflecting Boeing,s early entry
into the market. Chairman Tirkishov underscored that Boeing
has been a long-standing partner of Turkmenistan and its
aircraft enable the national airline to fly to 13 cities in
11 different countries (including the UK and Germany) with no
safety concerns.
2. (SBU) Chairman Tirkishov went on to raise two details
that have recently soured their relationship. The first
involves not Boeing, but the subcontractor who handles their
interior aircraft design, Gore Design. The Chairman
complained that Turkmenistan Airlines built a relationship
with Boeing, not with this design company, and that the
design company had been difficult to work with. Gore Design
has been pushing to finalize the contract, and went so far as
to send a letter of complaint via Turkmenistan's Embassy in
Washington protesting delays on the Turkmen side. The
Chairman added that when they complained to Boeing, Boeing
disavowed any relationship with Gore Design, even though,
according to Tirkishov, it was Boeing who "foisted" the
company on Turkmenistan Airlines.
3. (SBU) The second, and more significant issue for Chairman
Tirkishov, is that Boeing has not provided in-country
training opportunities and equipment for the pilots and
technicians. The Chairman claimed that they raised this
issue in 2006, and that they would like Boeing to recognize
their long-standing cooperation by making an offer to provide
equipment and other training here. This is especially
significant since on September 25, President Berdimuhamedov
"gravely reprimanded8 Tirkishov for not providing adequate
training for aircraft technicians (reftel). The Chairman
noted that Bombardier had offered them a very good deal, and
included an offer to improve infrastructure in the more
remote regions of the country. He closed by stating that
they await Boeing,s response in October and hope that Boeing
includes clear incentives for Turkmenistan Airlines to
continue their relationship. DAS Dyck noted Boeing's desire
to sell 10 737 aircraft to Turkmenistan Airlines. (COMMENT:
Tirkishov did not hesitate to name drop Airbus throughout the
meeting, noting that they are reviewing Airbus' proposal to
sell planes to replace the short haul domestic fleet. END
COMMENT.)
4. (SBU) COMMENT: Tirkishov's statement regarding the reasons
for Berdimuhamedov's reprimand are not in line with what the
Boeing rep told us. The Boeing rep laid the blame for
shortcomings on the Turkmen and mentioned nothing about any
request for training from Boeing that would help address
those shortcomings. The Turkmen routinely request that
companies provide training for local personnel to help
address their serious human capacity problem. We have no
reason to doubt that Turkmenistan Airlines made similar
requests to Boeing. END COMMENT.
5. DAS Dyck cleared this cable.
CURRAN