Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
08ASHGABAT326
2008-03-10 11:41:00
UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
Embassy Ashgabat
Cable title:
TURKMENISTAN: FIRST PHASE OF USTDA TRAINING A
how-toVZCZCXRO0196 PP RUEHAG RUEHAST RUEHBI RUEHCI RUEHDF RUEHIK RUEHLH RUEHLN RUEHLZ RUEHPW RUEHROV RUEHVK RUEHYG DE RUEHAH #0326 0701141 ZNR UUUUU ZZH P 101141Z MAR 08 FM AMEMBASSY ASHGABAT TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 0410 INFO RUCNCLS/ALL SOUTH AND CENTRAL ASIA COLLECTIVE PRIORITY RUCNCIS/CIS COLLECTIVE PRIORITY RUCNMEM/EU MEMBER STATES COLLECTIVE PRIORITY RUEHAD/AMEMBASSY ABU DHABI PRIORITY 0260 RUEHAK/AMEMBASSY ANKARA PRIORITY 3483 RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING PRIORITY 1301 RUEHKL/AMEMBASSY KUALA LUMPUR PRIORITY 0069 RUEHUL/AMEMBASSY SEOUL PRIORITY 0028 RUEHKO/AMEMBASSY TOKYO PRIORITY 1168 RUEHIT/AMCONSUL ISTANBUL PRIORITY 1737 RHMFIUU/CDR USCENTCOM MACDILL AFB FL PRIORITY RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC PRIORITY RHEFDIA/DIA WASHDC PRIORITY RUEKJCS/JOINT STAFF WASHDC PRIORITY RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC PRIORITY RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC PRIORITY RUCPDOC/DEPT OF COMMERCE WASHDC PRIORITY RHEBAAA/DEPT OF ENERGY WASHDC PRIORITY
UNCLAS ASHGABAT 000326
SIPDIS
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
STATE FOR SCA/CEN, EEB
PLEASE PASS TO USTDA DAN STEIN
ENERGY FOR EKIMOFF/THOMPSON
COMMERCE FOR HUEPER
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL PGOV EPET EAID TX
SUBJECT: TURKMENISTAN: FIRST PHASE OF USTDA TRAINING A
BIG SUCCESS
UNCLAS ASHGABAT 000326
SIPDIS
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
STATE FOR SCA/CEN, EEB
PLEASE PASS TO USTDA DAN STEIN
ENERGY FOR EKIMOFF/THOMPSON
COMMERCE FOR HUEPER
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL PGOV EPET EAID TX
SUBJECT: TURKMENISTAN: FIRST PHASE OF USTDA TRAINING A
BIG SUCCESS
1. (U) Sensitive but unclassified. Not for public Internet.
2. (U) Two officials from Turkmenistan's State Agency for
Management and Use of Hydrocarbon Resources, including the
deputy and another high-ranking official, were extremely
enthusiastic about the just-completed first phase of USTDA
training. The two officials on March 5 told the USTDA
contractor who had carried out a definitional mission for
Turkmenistan's hydrocarbon agencies that the training had
more than met their expectations. If anything, the program
was "too large" in scope. Officials look forward to learning
more -- and in greater depth -- in follow-on phases. They
commented that the instructors were solid, reputable and
knowledgeable, adding with appreciation that the instructors
had followed up and answered every question, even though in
some cases they had been unable to respond to questions
outside their immediate purview until after they had returned
home and researched the answer. Even when urged not to be
"polite," the two officials (both of whom had participated in
the first-phase training) failed to come up with anything
other than very minor, cosmetic-style suggestions for
improvement.
3. (U) According to the officials, the New York Mercantile
Exchange (NYMEX) lecture was very well received, and they
said that it was helpful learning more about how Platts sets
energy prices, since the State Agency uses Platts for
production sharing agreement (PSA) negotiations. But, they
added, futures contract prices are fairer than Platts prices,
since Platts bases its prices on only one or two shipments.
They then proceeded to follow and participate intelligently
in a technical discussion with the consultant on the best
Platts price to use when calculating a fair price for
Turkmenistan's gas. The consultant suggested that it might
be helpful for the officials attending the next phase of
training to visit Platts in New York to better understand
what factors Platts relies on in setting energy prices.
4. (SBU) COMMENT: The USTDA training is continuing to
receive top marks from participants -- including from State
Agency Executive Director Muradov, who sat in on several of
the training sessions. The best yardstick to measure the
program's success, however, is the fact that these officials
managed to hold their own in the March 5 discussion on
setting energy prices. Just a few weeks ago, they would have
become lost in this conversation. And, although we have
heard that some participants did better than others in
sessions, our impression is that the training overall was
right on the mark. While even State Agency officials
acknowledge that they still need a lot more training before
they will feel comfortable going head-to-head with experts
who have been at this game much longer than they have, they
now seem to have a much better sense of what they know -- and
what they don't -- and where to go for the answers they need.
END COMMENT.
HOAGLAND
SIPDIS
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
STATE FOR SCA/CEN, EEB
PLEASE PASS TO USTDA DAN STEIN
ENERGY FOR EKIMOFF/THOMPSON
COMMERCE FOR HUEPER
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL PGOV EPET EAID TX
SUBJECT: TURKMENISTAN: FIRST PHASE OF USTDA TRAINING A
BIG SUCCESS
1. (U) Sensitive but unclassified. Not for public Internet.
2. (U) Two officials from Turkmenistan's State Agency for
Management and Use of Hydrocarbon Resources, including the
deputy and another high-ranking official, were extremely
enthusiastic about the just-completed first phase of USTDA
training. The two officials on March 5 told the USTDA
contractor who had carried out a definitional mission for
Turkmenistan's hydrocarbon agencies that the training had
more than met their expectations. If anything, the program
was "too large" in scope. Officials look forward to learning
more -- and in greater depth -- in follow-on phases. They
commented that the instructors were solid, reputable and
knowledgeable, adding with appreciation that the instructors
had followed up and answered every question, even though in
some cases they had been unable to respond to questions
outside their immediate purview until after they had returned
home and researched the answer. Even when urged not to be
"polite," the two officials (both of whom had participated in
the first-phase training) failed to come up with anything
other than very minor, cosmetic-style suggestions for
improvement.
3. (U) According to the officials, the New York Mercantile
Exchange (NYMEX) lecture was very well received, and they
said that it was helpful learning more about how Platts sets
energy prices, since the State Agency uses Platts for
production sharing agreement (PSA) negotiations. But, they
added, futures contract prices are fairer than Platts prices,
since Platts bases its prices on only one or two shipments.
They then proceeded to follow and participate intelligently
in a technical discussion with the consultant on the best
Platts price to use when calculating a fair price for
Turkmenistan's gas. The consultant suggested that it might
be helpful for the officials attending the next phase of
training to visit Platts in New York to better understand
what factors Platts relies on in setting energy prices.
4. (SBU) COMMENT: The USTDA training is continuing to
receive top marks from participants -- including from State
Agency Executive Director Muradov, who sat in on several of
the training sessions. The best yardstick to measure the
program's success, however, is the fact that these officials
managed to hold their own in the March 5 discussion on
setting energy prices. Just a few weeks ago, they would have
become lost in this conversation. And, although we have
heard that some participants did better than others in
sessions, our impression is that the training overall was
right on the mark. While even State Agency officials
acknowledge that they still need a lot more training before
they will feel comfortable going head-to-head with experts
who have been at this game much longer than they have, they
now seem to have a much better sense of what they know -- and
what they don't -- and where to go for the answers they need.
END COMMENT.
HOAGLAND