Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
08ASHGABAT259
2008-02-21 08:51:00
UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
Embassy Ashgabat
Cable title:
TURKMENISTAN PROVIDES MORE HUMANITARIAN AID, THIS
VZCZCXRO3407 PP RUEHAG RUEHAST RUEHBI RUEHCI RUEHDF RUEHIK RUEHLH RUEHLN RUEHLZ RUEHPW RUEHROV RUEHVK RUEHYG DE RUEHAH #0259 0520851 ZNR UUUUU ZZH P 210851Z FEB 08 FM AMEMBASSY ASHGABAT TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 0318 INFO RUCNCLS/ALL SOUTH AND CENTRAL ASIA COLLECTIVE PRIORITY RUCNCIS/CIS COLLECTIVE PRIORITY RUCNMEM/EU MEMBER STATES COLLECTIVE PRIORITY RUEHAK/AMEMBASSY ANKARA PRIORITY 3419 RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING PRIORITY 1237 RUEHKO/AMEMBASSY TOKYO PRIORITY 1104 RUEHIT/AMCONSUL ISTANBUL PRIORITY 1673 RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK PRIORITY 0738 RHMFIUU/CDR USCENTCOM MACDILL AFB FL PRIORITY RUEHVEN/USMISSION USOSCE PRIORITY 2252 RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC PRIORITY RHEFDIA/DIA WASHDC PRIORITY RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC PRIORITY RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC PRIORITY RUEKJCS/JOINT STAFF WASHDC PRIORITY
UNCLAS ASHGABAT 000259
SIPDIS
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
STATE FOR SCA/CEN
USAID/W FOR EE/AA
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PREL EAID SOCI TI TX
SUBJECT: TURKMENISTAN PROVIDES MORE HUMANITARIAN AID, THIS
TIME TO TAJIKISTAN
REF: ASHGABAT 0199
UNCLAS ASHGABAT 000259
SIPDIS
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
STATE FOR SCA/CEN
USAID/W FOR EE/AA
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PREL EAID SOCI TI TX
SUBJECT: TURKMENISTAN PROVIDES MORE HUMANITARIAN AID, THIS
TIME TO TAJIKISTAN
REF: ASHGABAT 0199
1. (U) Sensitive but unclassified. Not for public Internet.
2. (SBU) SUMMARY: Following on its decision to send aid to
Afghanistan (reftel),Turkmenistan donated fuel as
humanitarian assistanceto Tajikistan on February 13, publicly
demonstrating the strong bilateral ties it shares with its
neighbor, but also making its mark as a responsible regional
player. Turkmenistan has also brought its electricity
deliveries to Tajikistan up to previously-agreed levels, now
that historic low winter temperatures in Turkmenistan have
eased. END SUMMARY.
3. (U) On February 13, Turkmen state television news
reported President Berdimuhamedov had issued a decree to
donate 500 tons of diesel fuel to Tajikistan. A News Central
Asia Internet report estimated the value of the fuel at about
$385,000, based on the fuel's retail value in China. The
fuel arrived in Tajikistan on February 18. Berdimuhamedov
announced the donation after meeting with Tajikistan's
Minister of Energy Sherali Gulov, who was in Ashgabat for a
Turkmen-Tajik economic commission session.
4. (U) Turkmenistan's government has stepped up its
relationship with Tajikistan since former President Niyazov's
death, and appears to be increasingly sympathetic to
Tajikistan's economic and energy woes. According to
Tajikistan's press, Turkmenistan has forgiven some $13
million of Tajik debt since 2005. According to the same
source, the Tajiks still owe about $23 million, described as
inter-bank debts, as well as electricity- and
agriculture-related debts.
5. (U) Turkmenistan has also been supplying Tajikistan with
a significant portion of its electricity needs since November
2007. During the coldest periods of the winter, deliveries
of electricity dropped from about 6 kilowatt hours to about 3
kilowatt hours per day because of Turkmenistan's climbing
domestic demand, but as of February 19, daily delivery had
reached 7.5 kilowatt hours.
6. (SBU) COMMENT: Given the positive press created by
Turkmenistan's delivery of a large caravan of humanitarian
aid to Afghanistan in early February (reftel),Berdimuhamedov
may view a donation of aid to Tajikistan as another
opportunity to demonstrate publicly Turkmenistan's potential
as a regional leader. But the relationship between
Turkmenistan and Tajikistan is genuinely good -- President
Rahmon was one of the first regional leaders to stretch out a
hand of friendship to Berdimuhamedov, attending both former
President Niyazov's funeral and President Berdimuhamedov's
inauguration. With back-to-back aid to both Afghanistan and
Tajikistan, Turkmenistan is positioning itself as a
responsible regional player. END COMMENT.
HOAGLAND
SIPDIS
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
STATE FOR SCA/CEN
USAID/W FOR EE/AA
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PREL EAID SOCI TI TX
SUBJECT: TURKMENISTAN PROVIDES MORE HUMANITARIAN AID, THIS
TIME TO TAJIKISTAN
REF: ASHGABAT 0199
1. (U) Sensitive but unclassified. Not for public Internet.
2. (SBU) SUMMARY: Following on its decision to send aid to
Afghanistan (reftel),Turkmenistan donated fuel as
humanitarian assistanceto Tajikistan on February 13, publicly
demonstrating the strong bilateral ties it shares with its
neighbor, but also making its mark as a responsible regional
player. Turkmenistan has also brought its electricity
deliveries to Tajikistan up to previously-agreed levels, now
that historic low winter temperatures in Turkmenistan have
eased. END SUMMARY.
3. (U) On February 13, Turkmen state television news
reported President Berdimuhamedov had issued a decree to
donate 500 tons of diesel fuel to Tajikistan. A News Central
Asia Internet report estimated the value of the fuel at about
$385,000, based on the fuel's retail value in China. The
fuel arrived in Tajikistan on February 18. Berdimuhamedov
announced the donation after meeting with Tajikistan's
Minister of Energy Sherali Gulov, who was in Ashgabat for a
Turkmen-Tajik economic commission session.
4. (U) Turkmenistan's government has stepped up its
relationship with Tajikistan since former President Niyazov's
death, and appears to be increasingly sympathetic to
Tajikistan's economic and energy woes. According to
Tajikistan's press, Turkmenistan has forgiven some $13
million of Tajik debt since 2005. According to the same
source, the Tajiks still owe about $23 million, described as
inter-bank debts, as well as electricity- and
agriculture-related debts.
5. (U) Turkmenistan has also been supplying Tajikistan with
a significant portion of its electricity needs since November
2007. During the coldest periods of the winter, deliveries
of electricity dropped from about 6 kilowatt hours to about 3
kilowatt hours per day because of Turkmenistan's climbing
domestic demand, but as of February 19, daily delivery had
reached 7.5 kilowatt hours.
6. (SBU) COMMENT: Given the positive press created by
Turkmenistan's delivery of a large caravan of humanitarian
aid to Afghanistan in early February (reftel),Berdimuhamedov
may view a donation of aid to Tajikistan as another
opportunity to demonstrate publicly Turkmenistan's potential
as a regional leader. But the relationship between
Turkmenistan and Tajikistan is genuinely good -- President
Rahmon was one of the first regional leaders to stretch out a
hand of friendship to Berdimuhamedov, attending both former
President Niyazov's funeral and President Berdimuhamedov's
inauguration. With back-to-back aid to both Afghanistan and
Tajikistan, Turkmenistan is positioning itself as a
responsible regional player. END COMMENT.
HOAGLAND