TURKMENISTAN: READOUT ON TRILATERAL SUMMIT FROM

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 ASHGABAT 001598

SIPDIS

STATE FOR SCA/CEN, EEB
PLEASE PASS TO USTDA DAN STEIN
ENERGY FOR EKIMOFF/THOMPSON
COMMERCE FOR HUEPER

E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/08/2018
TAGS: PREL PGOV ECON EPET TU AZ TX
SUBJECT: TURKMENISTAN: READOUT ON TRILATERAL SUMMIT FROM
TURKISH EMBASSY

Classified By: Charge d'Affaires a.i. Richard M. Miles. Reasons 1.4 (B
) and (D).


1. (C) SUMMARY: According to the Turkish DCM, the November
29 trilateral summit between the Turkmen, Turkish and Azeri
presidents covered a range of issues, with no particular
breakthroughs. On energy, the Turkish president urged the
Turkmen to develop a gas export route to the West, a
suggestion that the Turkmen president reportedly "welcomed."
Other areas for cooperation were also discussed. The
presidents agreed to meet regularly in a trilateral format,
with the next meeting to take place in Turkey, probably in
the spring. END SUMMARY.


2. (C) On December 8, Turkish Embassy DCM Hakan Cengiz
provided poloff with a readout from the November 29
trilateral summit between Turkmenistan President Gurbanguly
Berdimuhamedov, Turkish President Abdullah Gul and Azerbaijan
President Ilham Aliyev. Details about the summit had just
been reported to the Turkish Embassy by the Turkish MFA in
Ankara. The day's meetings began in a bilateral format
between the Turkmen and Turkish leaders. The presidents met
alone with only an interpreter present for 45 minutes. The
Turkmen and Turkish presidents were then joined by Aliyev for
a two-hour trilateral meeting, again only the principals and
the same, lone interpreter. Lunch followed at the
presidential residence Hazar Kosgi ("Caspian Palace")
attended only by the presidents without interpreter.

TURKISH PRESIDENT URGED A WESTERN OUTLET FOR TURKMEN GAS


3. (C) Concerning the energy sector, the discussion in both
the bilateral and trilateral meetings focused on ways to
foster cooperation between the three countries, with Gul
urging Berdimuhamedov to diversify gas export routes to
include Europe. According to Cengiz, Berdimuhamedov
"welcomed" Gul's suggestion. Gul clearly indicated that an
alternative pipeline route is essential for Turkmenistan and
that the Turkmen should seriously explore the possibility.

AIMING TO EXPAND COOPERATION IN A RANGE OF AREAS


4. (C) Talks did not focus exclusively on energy issues. The
presidents also discussed how to develop trilateral relations
in the economic, education, social and cultural spheres.
They welcomed the outcome of Aliyev's official visit to
Ashgabat, which took place on the previous day, particularly
the bilateral agreements on a railroad ferry across the
Caspian and on the normalization of rail and maritime
regulations. There was also discussion about the Turkic
language speaking countries' presidential summit conferences
which have been held regularly, although not annually, since

1992. The next such summit will be held in Baku sometime in

2009. Turkmenistan has not participated at these Turkic
summit conferences for several years. Gul and Aliyev invited
Berdimuhamedov to attend the event in Baku and he accepted.
Gul and Aliyev also invited Turkmenistan to join the
Turkic-speaking countries Parliamentary Assembly, an
institution created through the Turkic summit process.
Berdimuhamedov said Turkmenistan would "seriously consider
joining."

TURKMEN-TURKISH COMMISSION TO MEET IN ASHGABAT


5. (C) Also discussed during the tete-a-tete between
Berdimuhamedov and Gul was the Turkmenistan-Turkey
Intergovernmental Commission, the first meeting of which was
held in Ankara in April 2008. This mechanism, developed by
the Turkmen side, covers every aspect of their bilateral
relationship. The second meeting of the commission will take
place in March or April 2009 in Ashgabat. The co-chairman

ASHGABAT 00001598 002 OF 002


are Turkmen Deputy Chairman for Textiles and Trade
Hojamuhammet Muhammedov and Turkish Minister of Industry and
Trade Zefir Caglayan.

TRILATERAL SUMMITS WILL CONTINUE


6. (C) Cengiz said that all meetings were held in a cordial
and warm atmosphere. After lunch at a presidential residence
Hazar Kosgi ("Caspian Palace"),the three presidents went for
a walk in the garden. Berdimuhamedov then insisted that they
take a tour of the grounds in a golf cart, which Gul drove.
According to Cengiz, the three presidents have decided to
hold such trilateral meetings regularly. The next such
meeting will be in Anatolia, then in Baku. No timing was
set, but Cengiz suggested the next meeting would probably
take place in the spring.


7. (C) COMMENT: Given their cultural and linguistic
affinities, the three leaders, and countries, have a common
platform on which to expand their relations in other spheres.
The ease with which the leaders met and communicated and
their willingness to continue such gatherings in the future
suggests that, with time, the meetings could contribute to
resolving some of their seemingly intractable issues. On the
question of a Trans-Caspian pipeline, however, it doesn't
appear that Gul was able to elicit any more of a commitment
than we've heard in past, when Turkmen leaders have expressed
interest but done little else. Neither does it appear that
Gul was able to effect a significant rapprochement between
the Turkmen and Azeri leaders on Caspian delimitation,
although the fact that they are at least talking is a step in
the right direction. END COMMENT.
MILES