TURKMENISTAN'S PRESIDENT BERDIMUHAMEDOV MAKES THE

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ASHGABAT 000435

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS

STATE FOR SCA/CEN

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PREL ECON MARR NATO TX
SUBJECT: TURKMENISTAN'S PRESIDENT BERDIMUHAMEDOV MAKES THE
MOST OF THE NATO SUMMIT IN BUCAREST



1. (U) Sensitive but unclassified. Not for public Internet.


2. (SBU) SUMMARY: President Berdimuhamedov's trip to
Bucharest April 2-3 for the NATO summit appears to have been
a success, both in terms of promoting Turkmenistan's image as
an engaged player on the world stage, and in confirming
Turkmenistan's likely continued role in NATO's Partnership
for Peace program and in helping assistance get to
Afghanistan. The president took every opportunity to
underscore that Turkmenistan has an important role to play in
promoting regional peace and stability, and wants to work
more closely with NATO. The brief Bush-Berdimuhamedov
meeting provided an important opportunity to draw
Turkmenistan more fully back into the international
mainstream. We look forward to seeing if it will pay
bilateral dividends. END SUMMARY.


3. (U) On April 2, President Berdimuhamedov arrived in
Bucharest, Romania, and became the first Turkmen president to
attend a NATO meeting. Although Turkmenistan has been
cooperating with NATO's Partnership for Peace (PfP) program
since 1994, Turkmen contact with the organization had been
limited.


4. (U) Just prior to departing for the summit,
Berdimuhamedov publicly said that he wanted Turkmenistan to
participate in NATO peacekeeping initiatives, and suggested
that Turkmenistan, with its newly-established UN Center for
Preventive Diplomacy, be a neutral venue for peace talks.
Turkmen press laid the groundwork for his trip, noting that
"Turkmenistan, as a state loyal to the status of neutrality
it received from the international community, is going to
confirm its readiness to use its peacekeeping potential to
maintain peace, stability, and common security, including
within the framework of cooperation with NATO."


5. (SBU) Romanian DCM in Ashgabat Laurentiu Coican said
that when his government requested a delegation list from the
Turkmen to attend the summit, they refused to provide one,
saying that they provide a delegation list only when
attending bilateral meetings. Further problems arose when
journalists from state-controlled Turkmen media outlets
sought visas for Romania without acquiring the needed press
accreditation first (a process easily handled online). The
MFA insisted this was not necessary, because they were the
president's journalists, and indicated that they would
acquire accreditation when they arrived at the airport in
Bucharest. The Romanian government refused, and the Turkmen
journalists ended up filling out their accreditation requests
online two days before departure, so that they could get
their visas.


6. (SBU) While at the summit, President Berdimuhamedov met
with Afghan President Hamid Karzai to discuss fuel and energy
cooperation, transportation projects, and developments
regarding the implementation of the
Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan-India natural gas pipeline
(TAPI). The two presidents discussed the progress of the
north-south railway and communication project underway in
Turkmenistan, and Karzai expressed his appreciation for the
project. Berdimuhamedov also met with Croatian President
Stjepan Mesic to discuss the development of new bilateral
economic ties. The Turkmen president extended an invitation
for Mesic to visit Turkmenistan, and Mesic reportedly
accepted the invitation. Ciocan said that Berdimuhamedov
also sought a meeting with the Romanian president, but it was
not possible to arrange one, due to the Turkmen delegation's
short stay. (NOTE: The Romanian president, according to
Ciocan, only had two bilateral meetings -- with Presidents
Bush and Putin. END NOTE.)


7. (SBU) On April 3, Berdimuhamedov met briefly with

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President Bush. Turkmen press reports indicated that the
Turkmen president reaffirmed Turkmenistan's intention to
stick with a strategy of pipeline diversification. They also
discussed expanding contact in the areas of education,
science, and voiced their agreement, in particular, to
increasing the number of Turkmen participating in U.S.
educational programs. Turkmen press claimed (although Ciocan
disputes) that the conversation with Berdimuhamedov was the
only bilateral discussion Bush held while attending the
summit.


8. (U) In a short speech during the summit, Berdimuhamedov
affirmed Turkmenistan's continued cooperation with PfP,
naming emergency preparedness, personnel training, science,
ecology, combating narcotics and terrorism, border control
projects, and combating international crime as examples of
constructive joint work that has been done in the framework
of PfP. He mentioned the success of the NATO Committee on
Science-sponsored Silk Road Project, which is bringing
Internet access to academic institutions throughout
Turkmenistan.


9. (U) He underscored also Turkmenistan's continued
willingness to assist with any assistance operations for
Afghanistan. He noted his country's past role in supporting
the transit of humanitarian aid to Afghanistan, and noted
Turkmenistan's bilateral assistance to Afghanistan. He also
mentioned Turkmenistan's potential role in addressing
political, social and economic problems or crises that
threaten peace and security, citing the UN Centre for
Preventive Diplomacy in Ashgabat as the perfect vehicle for
addressing such crises.


10. (SBU) COMMENT: The brief Bush-Berdimuhamedov meeting
in Bucharest provided an important opportnity to draw
Turkmenistan more fully back in the international mainstream.
Turkmen Media coverage was straightforward without
distortions or gross exaggerations. As we have often
reported, "respect" plays a fundamental role in Turkmen
political culture. We look forward to seeing if the
Bush-Berdimuhamedov meeting will pay bilateral dividends.
END COMMENT.
HOAGLAND