Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
08ASHGABAT1421
2008-10-30 15:10:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Ashgabat
Cable title:
TURKMENISTAN/ROMANIA: RELATIONS ARE GOOD, BUT NOT
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C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 ASHGABAT 001421
SIPDIS
STATE FOR SCA/CEN
E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/30/2018
TAGS: PHUM PREL ECON TX
SUBJECT: TURKMENISTAN/ROMANIA: RELATIONS ARE GOOD, BUT NOT
WITHOUT CHALLENGES
REF: ASHGABAT 0955
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 SECTION 01 OF 02 ASHGABAT 001421
SIPDIS
STATE FOR SCA/CEN
E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/30/2018
TAGS: PHUM PREL ECON TX
SUBJECT: TURKMENISTAN/ROMANIA: RELATIONS ARE GOOD, BUT NOT
WITHOUT CHALLENGES
REF: ASHGABAT 0955
Classified By: Charge Sylvia Reed Curran for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).
1. (C) SUMMARY: According to the Romanian Charge, relations
between his country and Turkmenistan are fairly good.
Nevertheless, there are several areas of concern, including
Turkmenistan's request that Romania convince EU member states
not to be so critical of Turkmenistan's human rights record.
He also offered that one reason the Turkmen have made little
progress regarding political reform is because the Turkmen
leadership are afraid of change in that area. END SUMMARY.
RELATIONS ARE GOOD BUT NOT WITHOUT CHALLENGES
2. (C) Relations between Turkmenistan and Romania are good,
but not without challenges, Romanian Charge Toyan Bordianu
recently told us. He said President Berdimuhamedov's July
2008 visit to Romania was very positive. The two countries
signed five documents -- a treaty on economic cooperation and
the formation of an economic council on technical
cooperation, a treaty on double taxation, an agreement on
expanding investment and on joint exploration of the Caspian
shelf, a memorandum on consultation between the two foreign
ministries, and an agreement on educational exchanges.
Bordianu noted that the first 20 Turkmen students to study in
Romania started their programs in early October. The Turkmen
also gave Romania land in the Avaza tourist zone to build a
resort.
3. (C) Nevertheless, there are several problem areas in the
relationship. For example, Turkmenistan has given the
Romanians permission to do exploration in one of the blocks
in the disputed area of the Caspian. Bordianu said this
poses a problem since Romania has good relations with
Azerbaijan and does not want to jeopardize them. Another
area of irritation has been the difficulty in pinning down a
date for a visit by the President of Romania to Turkmenistan.
They had proposed December, but that conflicted with the
Turkmenistan parliamentary elections. Then, March-April was
proposed, but weeks went by without even a response to the
diplomatic note. The embassy finally resent the note,
proposing January or February.
4. (C) Another problem area in the relationship is human
rights. The Turkmen asked for Romania's help with the EU and
EU members, so that the Europeans do not judge them so
harshly and stop being critical about Turkmenistan's human
rights record. The Romanians responded that they would try
to be helpful in certain areas, but cannot carry their water
with the EU.
NABUCCO
5. (C) Bordianu said Romania supports Nabucco and would be
happy if a trans-Caspian pipeline is joined to Nabucco.
Nevertheless, he agreed with the Turkmen that stability and
security are necessary for energy cooperation to work.
VIEWS ON POLITICAL/ECONOMIC REFORMS
6. (C) Bordianu offered his view of the political and
economic situation in the country. He said political reform
has not moved forward, because the Turkmen leadership is
afraid of making real change in that area. Economic reforms
have been difficult, because the country does not use market
economic principles. Light industry constitutes a small
proportion of the economy. He said the textile industry is
not significant. The economy is based 85-90% on oil and gas.
7. (C) Bordianu decried drug trafficking in the country. He
alleged that there are some officials that work with and
protect drug traffickers, which is why narcotics are so
prevalent. He also claimed that there is a factory in
Turkmenbashy that produces precursors.
ASHGABAT 00001421 002 OF 002
REGIONAL WATER ISSUES
8. (C) The EU named Romania the head of the Caucasus/Central
Asia group for water within the framework of the EU.
Bordianu said this process has produced lots of activities,
but no follow-up.
9. (C) COMMENT: The Turkmen may think that the key to
improving relations with the EU is finding someone who can
plead their case, like Romania. This, however, is not a
simple case of public relations. Continuing to take concrete
steps to improve the human rights situation as well as
building strong bilateral economic/commercial ties with the
various EU members will have a much stronger impact. END
COMMENT.
CURRAN
SIPDIS
STATE FOR SCA/CEN
E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/30/2018
TAGS: PHUM PREL ECON TX
SUBJECT: TURKMENISTAN/ROMANIA: RELATIONS ARE GOOD, BUT NOT
WITHOUT CHALLENGES
REF: ASHGABAT 0955
Classified By: Charge Sylvia Reed Curran for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).
1. (C) SUMMARY: According to the Romanian Charge, relations
between his country and Turkmenistan are fairly good.
Nevertheless, there are several areas of concern, including
Turkmenistan's request that Romania convince EU member states
not to be so critical of Turkmenistan's human rights record.
He also offered that one reason the Turkmen have made little
progress regarding political reform is because the Turkmen
leadership are afraid of change in that area. END SUMMARY.
RELATIONS ARE GOOD BUT NOT WITHOUT CHALLENGES
2. (C) Relations between Turkmenistan and Romania are good,
but not without challenges, Romanian Charge Toyan Bordianu
recently told us. He said President Berdimuhamedov's July
2008 visit to Romania was very positive. The two countries
signed five documents -- a treaty on economic cooperation and
the formation of an economic council on technical
cooperation, a treaty on double taxation, an agreement on
expanding investment and on joint exploration of the Caspian
shelf, a memorandum on consultation between the two foreign
ministries, and an agreement on educational exchanges.
Bordianu noted that the first 20 Turkmen students to study in
Romania started their programs in early October. The Turkmen
also gave Romania land in the Avaza tourist zone to build a
resort.
3. (C) Nevertheless, there are several problem areas in the
relationship. For example, Turkmenistan has given the
Romanians permission to do exploration in one of the blocks
in the disputed area of the Caspian. Bordianu said this
poses a problem since Romania has good relations with
Azerbaijan and does not want to jeopardize them. Another
area of irritation has been the difficulty in pinning down a
date for a visit by the President of Romania to Turkmenistan.
They had proposed December, but that conflicted with the
Turkmenistan parliamentary elections. Then, March-April was
proposed, but weeks went by without even a response to the
diplomatic note. The embassy finally resent the note,
proposing January or February.
4. (C) Another problem area in the relationship is human
rights. The Turkmen asked for Romania's help with the EU and
EU members, so that the Europeans do not judge them so
harshly and stop being critical about Turkmenistan's human
rights record. The Romanians responded that they would try
to be helpful in certain areas, but cannot carry their water
with the EU.
NABUCCO
5. (C) Bordianu said Romania supports Nabucco and would be
happy if a trans-Caspian pipeline is joined to Nabucco.
Nevertheless, he agreed with the Turkmen that stability and
security are necessary for energy cooperation to work.
VIEWS ON POLITICAL/ECONOMIC REFORMS
6. (C) Bordianu offered his view of the political and
economic situation in the country. He said political reform
has not moved forward, because the Turkmen leadership is
afraid of making real change in that area. Economic reforms
have been difficult, because the country does not use market
economic principles. Light industry constitutes a small
proportion of the economy. He said the textile industry is
not significant. The economy is based 85-90% on oil and gas.
7. (C) Bordianu decried drug trafficking in the country. He
alleged that there are some officials that work with and
protect drug traffickers, which is why narcotics are so
prevalent. He also claimed that there is a factory in
Turkmenbashy that produces precursors.
ASHGABAT 00001421 002 OF 002
REGIONAL WATER ISSUES
8. (C) The EU named Romania the head of the Caucasus/Central
Asia group for water within the framework of the EU.
Bordianu said this process has produced lots of activities,
but no follow-up.
9. (C) COMMENT: The Turkmen may think that the key to
improving relations with the EU is finding someone who can
plead their case, like Romania. This, however, is not a
simple case of public relations. Continuing to take concrete
steps to improve the human rights situation as well as
building strong bilateral economic/commercial ties with the
various EU members will have a much stronger impact. END
COMMENT.
CURRAN