TURKMENISTAN'S FOREIGN MINISTER LISTS POLICY

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 ASHGABAT 000035

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

STATE FOR SCA/CEN, SCA/PPD, DRL
AID/W FOR EE/AA

E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/08/2018
TAGS: PGOV PREL PHUM MARR ETRD KDEM TX
SUBJECT: TURKMENISTAN'S FOREIGN MINISTER LISTS POLICY
PRIORITIES; DRAGS FEET ON OUTSTANDING BILATERAL ISSUES


Classified By: CHARGE RICHARD E. HOAGLAND FOR REASONS, 1.4 (B),(D)


1. (C) SUMMARY: Charge met for an hour January 8 with
Foreign Minister Rashit Meredov to press outstanding issues,
to deliver new demarches, and to elicit a preview of
Turkmenistan's foreign policy priorities for the new year
(another issue reported septel). Meredov reaffirmed
President Berdimuhamedov's commitment to meet international
human rights standards, and will work closely especially with
the UN and the OSCE to this end. He praised
U.S.-Turkmenistan security cooperation. Responding to
demarches, Meredov said Turkmenistan likely would recommence
importing U.S. poultry, would study closely the U.S. position
on Kosovo, and made a strong pitch for Turkmenistan to host
next summer's TIFA meeting in Central Asia. However, on
long-outstanding bilateral issues, which should be relatively
easy to solve, he dragged his feet once again. END SUMMARY.

HUMAN RIGHTS


2. (SBU) Meredov asked that his personal apology be passed
to DRL DAS Barks-Ruggles that he had been unavailable to meet
with her during her December visit to Ashgabat. He asked
that the United States pay special attention to President
Berdimuhamedov's end-of-the-year cabinet meeting in which he
had reiterated Turkmenistan's commitment to meeting
international standards of human rights. Meredov said, "He
is completely serious. These are not empty words." For that
reason, the Institute of Democracy and Human Rights will
intensify its work, in conjunction with the newly founded
Institute of Law, to review international conventions and
identify what further steps Turkmenistan needs to take to
meet its international commitments. Turkmenistan will work
closely with the UN and with the OSCE.


3. (SBU) Meredov said, following general policy,
Turkmenistan places highest priority on working with
international organizations. For that reason, Turkmenistan
will seek a seat at the UN Commission on Human Rights
(UNCHR). He noted UNCHR Commissioner for Central Asia
Matilda Bogner will visit Turkmenistan again early in the
year. Meredov said, "This is very serious work for us, but
we need time because we want to get it right."

SECURITY


4. (C) Meredov said Turkmenistan wants to strengthen its
security relationship with the United States in 2008,
especially in the war on terrorism and in the fight against
weapons of mass destruction. He praised U.S.-Turkmenistan
cooperation on border security -- "one of the best programs
we have." For weapons of mass destruction, he said, "Any
time you have specific intelligence, you can be sure we will
act on it."


5. (SBU) Summing up his goals for building on the 2007
U.S.-Turkmenistan foundation, Meredov added, "Of course we
will place priority on educational and cultural cooperation,"
although he was not prepared to offer concrete proposals at
this point.

NEW BUSINESS: CHICKEN, TIFA, KOSOVO


6. (U) Charge delivered three recent demarches to the
foreign minister.


7. (SBU) CHICKEN: Meredov said he was already aware of the
U.S. desire that Turkmenistan lift its ban on importing

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poultry from the United States (ref C) and said, "In
principle, this should not be a problem." Charge will meet
later in the week with the ministers of trade and health to
press the points.


8. (C) TIFA: Meredov skimmed the TIFA demarche (ref A),and
zeroed in on where the 2008 meeting will be held. He made a
strong case for Turkmenistan as host. He said, "We strongly
want it to be here. We want to show we are serious about
regional cooperation and economic integration. Turkmenistan
as host would be a strong signal that the United States
considers Turkmenistan a reintegrated regional player and a
strong partner." Charge noted the demarche asks for the
Central Asian countries to reach consensus among themselves
on the venue for the meeting, but said he would pass
Meredov's views to Washington.


9. (U) KOSOVO: Meredov accepted the demarche (ref B) as a
non-paper and said the government will study it closely. We
will report any subsequent comments.

OLD BUSINESS: NEGOTIATE, OR JUST SAY NO


10. (C) The embassy has four long-pending issues, all
involving draft agreements, for which we are waiting the
Turkmen side's response. Charge noted to Meredov we really
would appreciate some signal that they intend to respond.
"If your response is no, then it's no, and we move on. But
the U.S. side gets impatient with prolonged silence and
inaction. At a minimum, we need to start negotiating
long-delayed draft agreements."


11. (SBU) ASHGABAT INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL: Charge thanked
Meredov and the government of Turkmenistan for beginning
negotiations to register the Ashgabat International School
(AIS). Meredov asked about the status of this process.
Charge said AIS had submitted its draft agreement to the
Ministry of Education, as instructed, and we are awaiting
their response. Meredov seemed a little surprised no further
steps had yet occurred.


12. (SBU) 12-MONTH WORK PLAN: Charge said that it would be
highly logical -- and desirable -- to reach agreement in
January on the long-pending 12-month bilateral work plan
Meredov himself had originally requested. Charge urged the
foreign ministry to return an annotated draft of the proposal
so negotiations can begin. Meredov said he would have
Americas Director Serdar Bashimov work on it when he returns
from vacation on January 14.


13. (C) TURKMENBASHY AMERICAN CORNER: Meredov himself
raised this issue and said, "It will be solved. It's simply
a matter of finding the right building." Charge reminded
Meredov we had already followed his instructions and found
another property that fit his standards. Meredov replied
that the mayor of Turkmanbashy is not satisfied with this
site. Charge reminded Meredov the mayor had told the Charge
Meredov himself makes the decision, not the mayor. Meredov
grumped, "The mayor doesn't know my business." Charge
suggested, if the issue is simply real estate, then we
establish an embassy-foreign ministry-mayorality working
group to define terms and then jointly find an acceptable
property. Meredov said he would consider this.


14. (C) SURVEILLANCE DETECTION PROGRAM: Charge reminded
Meredov the embassy had submitted a new Surveillance
Detection draft memorandum of agreement in the Fall, as the
government of Turkmenistan had suggested; but to date we have

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had no response. Meredov replied simply, "This is a much
more complicated issue."


15. (C) COMMENT: Meredov's responses to each of these
ouststanding issues differed. AIS registration and reopening
the Turkmenbashy American Corner probably will happen,
although later rather than sooner. We probably will
eventually end up with some version of a 12-month bilateral
work plan. Restarting the Surveillance Detection Program
will be much harder.


16. (C) COMMENT CONTINUED: We are perplexed that the
government of Turkmenistan doesn't even reply to draft
agreements the embassy has submitted. It may be the strong
cultural aversion against saying no. However, there may be
other cultural attitudes in play. In this long-isolated
government's view, an ambassador is a ceremonial VIP but in
reality relatively working level. The government prefers to
negotiate -- anything -- during high-level visits. Just as
likely, however, is the fact that this is a government that
initiates from the top down. The working level does not
initiate and clear up the chain, and anyone who initiates
risks trouble. We will report septel an insider's version of
how this happened recently on another issue. In any case, we
will continue to persist on these outstanding issues until we
wear down Meredov and get some kind of substantive response.
END COMMENT.
HOAGLAND