Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
08ASHGABAT1417
2008-10-29 12:23:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Ashgabat
Cable title:
IRAN/TURKMENISTAN: OIL MINISTER VISITS ASHGABAT;
how-toVZCZCXRO8006 PP RUEHAG RUEHBC RUEHBI RUEHCI RUEHDE RUEHDIR RUEHKUK RUEHLH RUEHPW RUEHROV DE RUEHAH #1417 3031223 ZNY CCCCC ZZH P 291223Z OCT 08 FM AMEMBASSY ASHGABAT TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 1770 INFO RUCNCLS/ALL SOUTH AND CENTRAL ASIA COLLECTIVE RUCNCIS/CIS COLLECTIVE RUCNMEM/EU MEMBER STATES COLLECTIVE RUCNIRA/IRAN COLLECTIVE RUEHAK/AMEMBASSY ANKARA 4443 RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING 2255 RUEHKO/AMEMBASSY TOKYO 2120 RUEHIT/AMCONSUL ISTANBUL 2691 RUCPDOC/DEPT OF COMMERCE WASHDC RHEBAAA/DEPT OF ENERGY WASHDC RHMFISS/CDR USCENTCOM MACDILL AFB FL RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC RHEFDIA/DIA WASHDC RUEKJCS/JOINT STAFF WASHDC RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC
C O N F I D E N T I A L ASHGABAT 001417
SIPDIS
STATE FOR SCA/CEN AND NEA/IR;EEB
PLEASE PASS TO USTDA DAN STEIN
ENERGY FOR EKIMOFF/THOMPSON
COMMERCE FOR HUEPER
E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/29/2018
TAGS: EPET PGOV PINR PREL IR TX
SUBJECT: IRAN/TURKMENISTAN: OIL MINISTER VISITS ASHGABAT;
STILL NO FINAL GAS PRICE AGREEMENT
REF: ASHGABAT 1345
Classified By: Charge d'Affaires Sylvia R. Curran. Reasons: 1.4 (b) and
(d)
C O N F I D E N T I A L ASHGABAT 001417
SIPDIS
STATE FOR SCA/CEN AND NEA/IR;EEB
PLEASE PASS TO USTDA DAN STEIN
ENERGY FOR EKIMOFF/THOMPSON
COMMERCE FOR HUEPER
E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/29/2018
TAGS: EPET PGOV PINR PREL IR TX
SUBJECT: IRAN/TURKMENISTAN: OIL MINISTER VISITS ASHGABAT;
STILL NO FINAL GAS PRICE AGREEMENT
REF: ASHGABAT 1345
Classified By: Charge d'Affaires Sylvia R. Curran. Reasons: 1.4 (b) and
(d)
¶1. (SBU) According to the October 28th edition of the
Russian-language Neytralniy Turkmenistan" and Iranian press
reports, Oil Minister Gholam Hossein Nozari attended the
Independence Day festivities in Ashgabat on October 27 and
met with President Berdimuhamedov to discuss bilateral energy
cooperation. Iranian Ambassador to Turkmenistan
Mohammad-Reza Forqani stated publicly that both sides have
agreed to increase Turkmen gas exports to Iran from 25 to 30
million cm per day, and that Iran plans to play a role in
future Turkmen oil and gas infrastructure projects. He also
said that Iran and Turkmenistan have agreed on a price
formula and hope to reach a final price agreement by December
¶1.
¶2. (C) Poland's ambassador to Ashgabat, who speaks Farsi and
meets frequently with the Iranian ambassador, told Charge on
Monday that Nozari was in Ashgabat to push forward the gas
sales negotiations. He also said that FM Mottaki had planned
to come to Ashgabat the week of October 13 to sign an
agreement on gas, but the visit was canceled at the last
minute because the two sides could not reach agreement on the
price formula.
¶3. (C) COMMENT: Despite numerous press reports in recent
weeks that Iran and Turkmenistan had reached a new gas export
agreement, the two sides still have differences that are
preventing them from actually signing the contract. As
reported reftel, Iran may well agree to a floating price
formula for its future gas purchases, but wants Turkmenistan
in return to agree to a significant increase in exports.
Turkmenistan is already producing and exporting at full
capacity, and likely cannot commit to a sustained export
increase to Iran. END COMMENT.
CURRAN