Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
08ASHGABAT1376
2008-10-20 13:36:00
UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
Embassy Ashgabat
Cable title:
TURKMENISTAN: PRESIDENT OPENS DESERT CITY
how-toVZCZCXRO9541 PP RUEHAG RUEHAST RUEHBI RUEHCI RUEHDF RUEHIK RUEHLH RUEHLN RUEHLZ RUEHPW RUEHROV RUEHVK RUEHYG DE RUEHAH #1376 2941336 ZNR UUUUU ZZH P 201336Z OCT 08 FM AMEMBASSY ASHGABAT TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 1728 INFO RUCNCLS/ALL SOUTH AND CENTRAL ASIA COLLECTIVE RUCNCIS/CIS COLLECTIVE RUCNMEM/EU MEMBER STATES COLLECTIVE RUEHAK/AMEMBASSY ANKARA 4416 RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING 2228 RUEHKO/AMEMBASSY TOKYO 2093 RUEHIT/AMCONSUL ISTANBUL 2664 RHMFIUU/CDR USCENTCOM MACDILL AFB FL RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC RHEFDIA/DIA WASHDC RUEKJCS/JOINT STAFF WASHDC RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC RUEHVEN/USMISSION USOSCE 2985
UNCLAS ASHGABAT 001376
SIPDIS
SENSITIVE
STATE FOR SCA/CEN
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV ECON SOCI TX
SUBJECT: TURKMENISTAN: PRESIDENT OPENS DESERT CITY
REF: A. ASHGABAT 1321
B. ASHGABAT 0870
UNCLAS ASHGABAT 001376
SIPDIS
SENSITIVE
STATE FOR SCA/CEN
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV ECON SOCI TX
SUBJECT: TURKMENISTAN: PRESIDENT OPENS DESERT CITY
REF: A. ASHGABAT 1321
B. ASHGABAT 0870
1. (U) Sensitive but unclassified. Not for public Internet.
2. (SBU) On October 17, President Berdimuhamedov, with
government leaders and the diplomatic corps in tow,
officially opened the model district of Ruhubelent.
Ruhubelent, located about an hour's drive from the northern
provincial capital of Dashoguz, is situated in the middle of
nowhere. According to press reports, the Turkmenistan
government spent almost $ 1 billion to develop the northern
area of the country. The city was started from nothing.
And, as late as mid-September (Ref A),construction was only
partially complete, with buildings lacking running water and
a sewer system.
3. (SBU) Despite the state of construction in September, the
opening of the model district was on the list of activities
to commemorate Turkmenistan's 17th anniversary of
independence and had to be completed by mid-October. And
completed it was. Now the city boasts a mayor's office, a
budget-finance administrative office, a school for 320
students, a kindergarten for 90 children, a 50-bed
polyclinic, prosecutor's office, police department, Ministry
of National Security department, Supreme Court office,
cultural center, Dayhan Bank, two shopping centers,
communications department, and housing for 48 families. Each
building was festooned with bright ribbon, reminding one of
giant Christmas gifts. The dignitaries accompanying the
president were invited to inspect the modern amenities,
including visit one home (COMMENT: Most of the duplex homes
still appeared to be uninhabited. END COMMENT.) and make
long distance, overseas phone calls in the communications
center. The communications center had an Internet cafe, and
the school had state of the art multimedia equipment. The
president presented the various institutions (hospital,
school, cultural center) with new buses, vans, and ambulances.
4. (U) Berdimuhamedov said in his speech to the assembled
crowd that the construction of this and other villages is
based on two concepts of development of Turkmenistan. The
first concept is the transformation of the social-living
conditions of the populations in the regions. The second is
upgrading Turkmen villages and the creation of productive
abundance in the country. He said this construction is the
one of the first steps on the road of fulfilling his policy
of broad transformation and progressive reform, with the goal
being the welfare and flourishing of the Turkmen people.
5. (SBU) COMMENT: Unfortunately, the emphasis seems mainly
on new buildings and high-tech equipment to demonstrate
advances in people lives. Those are indeed important, but
repairing basic infrastructure and curriculum development
would go much farther in building a bright future for
Turkmenistan's people. END COMMENT.
CURRAN
SIPDIS
SENSITIVE
STATE FOR SCA/CEN
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV ECON SOCI TX
SUBJECT: TURKMENISTAN: PRESIDENT OPENS DESERT CITY
REF: A. ASHGABAT 1321
B. ASHGABAT 0870
1. (U) Sensitive but unclassified. Not for public Internet.
2. (SBU) On October 17, President Berdimuhamedov, with
government leaders and the diplomatic corps in tow,
officially opened the model district of Ruhubelent.
Ruhubelent, located about an hour's drive from the northern
provincial capital of Dashoguz, is situated in the middle of
nowhere. According to press reports, the Turkmenistan
government spent almost $ 1 billion to develop the northern
area of the country. The city was started from nothing.
And, as late as mid-September (Ref A),construction was only
partially complete, with buildings lacking running water and
a sewer system.
3. (SBU) Despite the state of construction in September, the
opening of the model district was on the list of activities
to commemorate Turkmenistan's 17th anniversary of
independence and had to be completed by mid-October. And
completed it was. Now the city boasts a mayor's office, a
budget-finance administrative office, a school for 320
students, a kindergarten for 90 children, a 50-bed
polyclinic, prosecutor's office, police department, Ministry
of National Security department, Supreme Court office,
cultural center, Dayhan Bank, two shopping centers,
communications department, and housing for 48 families. Each
building was festooned with bright ribbon, reminding one of
giant Christmas gifts. The dignitaries accompanying the
president were invited to inspect the modern amenities,
including visit one home (COMMENT: Most of the duplex homes
still appeared to be uninhabited. END COMMENT.) and make
long distance, overseas phone calls in the communications
center. The communications center had an Internet cafe, and
the school had state of the art multimedia equipment. The
president presented the various institutions (hospital,
school, cultural center) with new buses, vans, and ambulances.
4. (U) Berdimuhamedov said in his speech to the assembled
crowd that the construction of this and other villages is
based on two concepts of development of Turkmenistan. The
first concept is the transformation of the social-living
conditions of the populations in the regions. The second is
upgrading Turkmen villages and the creation of productive
abundance in the country. He said this construction is the
one of the first steps on the road of fulfilling his policy
of broad transformation and progressive reform, with the goal
being the welfare and flourishing of the Turkmen people.
5. (SBU) COMMENT: Unfortunately, the emphasis seems mainly
on new buildings and high-tech equipment to demonstrate
advances in people lives. Those are indeed important, but
repairing basic infrastructure and curriculum development
would go much farther in building a bright future for
Turkmenistan's people. END COMMENT.
CURRAN