Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
08ASHGABAT358
2008-03-19 10:25:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Ashgabat
Cable title:
TURKMENISTAN: MORE "YIKES MOMENTS" AT THE
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C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 ASHGABAT 000358
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
STATE FOR SCA/CEN, EEB
PLEASE PASS TO USTDA DAN STEIN
ENERGY FOR EKIMOFF, THOMPSON
COMMERCE FOR HUEPER
E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/19/2018
TAGS: PGOV PREL ECON EPET TX
SUBJECT: TURKMENISTAN: MORE "YIKES MOMENTS" AT THE
HYDROCARBON STATE AGENCY
Classified By: CDA Richard E. Hoagland: 1.4 (B),(D)
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 ASHGABAT 000358
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
STATE FOR SCA/CEN, EEB
PLEASE PASS TO USTDA DAN STEIN
ENERGY FOR EKIMOFF, THOMPSON
COMMERCE FOR HUEPER
E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/19/2018
TAGS: PGOV PREL ECON EPET TX
SUBJECT: TURKMENISTAN: MORE "YIKES MOMENTS" AT THE
HYDROCARBON STATE AGENCY
Classified By: CDA Richard E. Hoagland: 1.4 (B),(D)
1. (C) On March 19, Hydrocarbon State Agency Director
Muradov
-- admitted the Government of Turkmenistan will not meet the
final deadline to submit names for the next USTDA training in
the United States;
-- said he wants to find an international law firm or oil and
gas consultancy that will "share the risk" of its advice; and
-- asked for a recommendation for the best oil and gas
analytical and real-time gas-pricing service, but admitted
Turkmenistan's oil and gas sector does not yet have access to
high-speed Internet.
2. (U) Charge met March 19 with Hydrocarbon State Agency
Director Byrammurad Muradov. State Agency Senior Expert
Yakub Hanberdiyev and Senior Legal Expert Yolbars Kepbanov
also participated.
DEALINE MISSED FOR USTDA TRAINING IN THE UNITED STATES
3. (SBU) Muradov admitted Turkmenistan will not meet the
final-final post-deadline deadline to submit names for the
next phase of USTDA-sponsored training in the United States
for gas and oil experts. Speaking openly and frankly, he
said it has been an interagency nightmare to try to
coordinate who participates. At least the Ministry of Oil
and Gas and Geological Institute have not yet submitted names
and probably won't do so, in part because of the upcoming
long spring holiday weekend, before the week of March 24.
Then the list will have to go through the Cabinet of Minister
-- maybe another two weeks -- for their recommendation to the
President so he can sign the presidential decree allowing the
participants to travel overseas.
4. (C) Muradov was greatly mortified. He said, "I was too
optimistic. I thought I could make it happen." He asked
that his sincere apologies be passed to all involved. In
reply to Charge's blunt question, Muradov averred there is
absolutely no other problem than the Turkmen bureaucracy.
It's not a larger political issue; it's bureaucratic
incompetence. He said Turkmenistan greatly values the USTDA
cooperation and wants it to continue and to expand. He added
he is putting together, and locking in, the participants for
all further iterations of the training programn so that this
"never happens again."
INDEPENDENT CONSULTANTS
5. (C) Charge noted he had recommended at the turn of the
year the State Agency consider hiring an international law
firm or consultancy to help it wade through the complexities
of major Western companies' proposals, and had then provided
a list of such consulting firms, many based in Almaty,
Kazakhstan. Muradov said the State Agency has been in touch
with several to ask them to make proposals and hopes to make
a decision by the middle of this year. He confided, however,
he's not very satisfied with what he's seen so far. "They
give expert advice and then expect us to make the decision.
I want them to share the risk of the decision, to stand by us
for 30 years, to be a partner." Charge noted most
consultancies do not operate like that, and finding such a
partner may be difficult. (COMMENT: This emphasizes yet
again the Turkmen fear of taking responsibility and making
the "wrong decision." What may result is Muradov will find a
ASHGABAT 00000358 002 OF 002
small middle-man firm that will offer to play such a role.
END COMMENT.)
NEED REAL-TIME INFORMATION
6. (C) Muradov requested Charge help him find a service that
will provide his agency real-time information about market
price for gas and analytical services. Charge replied that
should be relatively easy and asked if the Oil and Gas
Building, in which the State Agency is located, has
high-speed Internet. Muradov said his Agency has local
Internet, but it's too slow to use. Charge proposed the
Agency use the American Embassy Employee Association model
and receive high-speed Internet by satellite from an offshore
Internet service provider. He asked, "Would your government
permit that?" Muradov said he would try to convince the
Cabinet of Ministers, but he didn't seem overly enthusiastic.
Charge said, "You cannot do business in the global
marketplace without high-speed Internet. Without Internet,
it's like trying to do brain surgery with a sharp rock."
Muradov said, "You know I understand that, but...."
HOAGLAND
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
STATE FOR SCA/CEN, EEB
PLEASE PASS TO USTDA DAN STEIN
ENERGY FOR EKIMOFF, THOMPSON
COMMERCE FOR HUEPER
E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/19/2018
TAGS: PGOV PREL ECON EPET TX
SUBJECT: TURKMENISTAN: MORE "YIKES MOMENTS" AT THE
HYDROCARBON STATE AGENCY
Classified By: CDA Richard E. Hoagland: 1.4 (B),(D)
1. (C) On March 19, Hydrocarbon State Agency Director
Muradov
-- admitted the Government of Turkmenistan will not meet the
final deadline to submit names for the next USTDA training in
the United States;
-- said he wants to find an international law firm or oil and
gas consultancy that will "share the risk" of its advice; and
-- asked for a recommendation for the best oil and gas
analytical and real-time gas-pricing service, but admitted
Turkmenistan's oil and gas sector does not yet have access to
high-speed Internet.
2. (U) Charge met March 19 with Hydrocarbon State Agency
Director Byrammurad Muradov. State Agency Senior Expert
Yakub Hanberdiyev and Senior Legal Expert Yolbars Kepbanov
also participated.
DEALINE MISSED FOR USTDA TRAINING IN THE UNITED STATES
3. (SBU) Muradov admitted Turkmenistan will not meet the
final-final post-deadline deadline to submit names for the
next phase of USTDA-sponsored training in the United States
for gas and oil experts. Speaking openly and frankly, he
said it has been an interagency nightmare to try to
coordinate who participates. At least the Ministry of Oil
and Gas and Geological Institute have not yet submitted names
and probably won't do so, in part because of the upcoming
long spring holiday weekend, before the week of March 24.
Then the list will have to go through the Cabinet of Minister
-- maybe another two weeks -- for their recommendation to the
President so he can sign the presidential decree allowing the
participants to travel overseas.
4. (C) Muradov was greatly mortified. He said, "I was too
optimistic. I thought I could make it happen." He asked
that his sincere apologies be passed to all involved. In
reply to Charge's blunt question, Muradov averred there is
absolutely no other problem than the Turkmen bureaucracy.
It's not a larger political issue; it's bureaucratic
incompetence. He said Turkmenistan greatly values the USTDA
cooperation and wants it to continue and to expand. He added
he is putting together, and locking in, the participants for
all further iterations of the training programn so that this
"never happens again."
INDEPENDENT CONSULTANTS
5. (C) Charge noted he had recommended at the turn of the
year the State Agency consider hiring an international law
firm or consultancy to help it wade through the complexities
of major Western companies' proposals, and had then provided
a list of such consulting firms, many based in Almaty,
Kazakhstan. Muradov said the State Agency has been in touch
with several to ask them to make proposals and hopes to make
a decision by the middle of this year. He confided, however,
he's not very satisfied with what he's seen so far. "They
give expert advice and then expect us to make the decision.
I want them to share the risk of the decision, to stand by us
for 30 years, to be a partner." Charge noted most
consultancies do not operate like that, and finding such a
partner may be difficult. (COMMENT: This emphasizes yet
again the Turkmen fear of taking responsibility and making
the "wrong decision." What may result is Muradov will find a
ASHGABAT 00000358 002 OF 002
small middle-man firm that will offer to play such a role.
END COMMENT.)
NEED REAL-TIME INFORMATION
6. (C) Muradov requested Charge help him find a service that
will provide his agency real-time information about market
price for gas and analytical services. Charge replied that
should be relatively easy and asked if the Oil and Gas
Building, in which the State Agency is located, has
high-speed Internet. Muradov said his Agency has local
Internet, but it's too slow to use. Charge proposed the
Agency use the American Embassy Employee Association model
and receive high-speed Internet by satellite from an offshore
Internet service provider. He asked, "Would your government
permit that?" Muradov said he would try to convince the
Cabinet of Ministers, but he didn't seem overly enthusiastic.
Charge said, "You cannot do business in the global
marketplace without high-speed Internet. Without Internet,
it's like trying to do brain surgery with a sharp rock."
Muradov said, "You know I understand that, but...."
HOAGLAND