Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
08ASHGABAT735
2008-06-09 10:20:00
UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
Embassy Ashgabat
Cable title:
TURKMENISTAN: PRICEY WHITE MARBLE SUMMER CAMP
how-toVZCZCXRO4354 PP RUEHAG RUEHAST RUEHBI RUEHCI RUEHDF RUEHIK RUEHLH RUEHLN RUEHLZ RUEHPW RUEHROV RUEHVK RUEHYG DE RUEHAH #0735 1611020 ZNR UUUUU ZZH P 091020Z JUN 08 FM AMEMBASSY ASHGABAT TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 0966 INFO RUCNCLS/ALL SOUTH AND CENTRAL ASIA COLLECTIVE RUCNCIS/CIS COLLECTIVE RUCNMEM/EU MEMBER STATES COLLECTIVE RUEHAK/AMEMBASSY ANKARA 3886 RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING 1703 RUEHKO/AMEMBASSY TOKYO 1570 RUEHIT/AMCONSUL ISTANBUL 2139 RHMFIUU/CDR USCENTCOM MACDILL AFB FL RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC RUCPDOC/DEPT OF COMMERCE WASHDC RHEFDIA/DIA WASHDC RUEKJCS/JOINT STAFF WASHDC RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC RUEHVEN/USMISSION USOSCE 2590
UNCLAS ASHGABAT 000735
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
STATE FOR SCA/CEN, EEB
COMMERCE FOR HEUPER
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV ECON EINV SOCI TX
SUBJECT: TURKMENISTAN: PRICEY WHITE MARBLE SUMMER CAMP
OPENS
UNCLAS ASHGABAT 000735
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
STATE FOR SCA/CEN, EEB
COMMERCE FOR HEUPER
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV ECON EINV SOCI TX
SUBJECT: TURKMENISTAN: PRICEY WHITE MARBLE SUMMER CAMP
OPENS
1. (U) Sensitive but unclassified. Not for public Internet
2. (SBU) SUMMARY: On June 9, President Berdimuhamedov opened
the Nebitchi children's summer camp, a high-class resort for
kids located outside of Ashgabat. The state-of-the art white
marble facilities, fun activities, and amusement park-class
waterslides make Nebitchi an attractive place to spend part
of the summer. However, at over $100/10-day stay, this camp
will be out of reach for all but the wealthiest and/or most
indulgent Turkmen families. END SUMMARY.
3. (SBU) On June 9, President Berdimuhamedov presided over
the opening ceremony of the "Nebitchi" (Oilman) children's
summer camp in Gokdere village, about a 40-minute drive
outside of Ashgabat. The camp was a joint project of the
Turkmen Oil State Concern and the Turkish Bashyazijyogollary
Inshaat Gyda (BYZ) construction company. The owner of BYZ,
who had flown in from Ankara for the ceremony, told us that
the project cost $14 million and had been built at cost. He
decided to forego any profit, because children's camps are a
particular interest of Berdimuhamedov. The owner of BYZ said
that his company has five other projects in Turkmenistan and
hopes to expand even further.
4. (SBU) The camp is composed of five large white marble
structures, including a large outdoor amphitheater, a
dormitory, a sports center, cafeteria, and arts/culture
building. The dormitory resembles a three-star hotel for
kids. Each room has four twin beds, with gender-specific bed
spreads (blue in a boys' room, pink in a girls' room); large
armoire; and hotel-class bathroom with shower. The
arts/culture building had a moving "nodding donkey" oil well
drill sculpture in the lobby -- a sign of its link to Turkmen
Oil State Concern. There are also classrooms for painting,
carpet and dressmaking, and music classes. Several
classrooms have computers where children played various
games, but none of the computers were connected to the
Internet. On the top floor is an auditorium. Children
playing dutars performed for the president. Afterwards, the
audience watched a video of the president at a cavalcade of
opening ceremonies around the country. He rewarded two of
the performers with a box of chocolate each.
5. (SBU) The grounds included two large pools replete with
waterslides. The larger of the slide complexes was as good
as one would see at an amusement park in the United States.
Near the smaller pool was a sculpted plastic cliff, with
eagles and plastic deer, that was reminiscent of a Disneyland
attraction.
6. (SBU) According to one of the officials who escorted the
diplomats at the opening ceremony, parents can sign up their
children for 10-day stays at the camp for a little over
$100/session. (NOTE: According to Embassy local employees,
a typical price for summer camps is about $35/month. END
NOTE.) The official said he was thinking about sending his
own children for part of the summer.
7. (SBU) COMMENT: The average monthly salary in
Turkmenistan for government workers is slightly less than
$200/month at the current exchange rate. It is unlikely that
many parents could afford to send their little ones to camp
for the current asking price. This will be a camp for the
very well-off. And will likely stay mostly empty, despite
the gleaming campus and wonderful amenities. END COMMENT.
HOAGLAND
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
STATE FOR SCA/CEN, EEB
COMMERCE FOR HEUPER
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV ECON EINV SOCI TX
SUBJECT: TURKMENISTAN: PRICEY WHITE MARBLE SUMMER CAMP
OPENS
1. (U) Sensitive but unclassified. Not for public Internet
2. (SBU) SUMMARY: On June 9, President Berdimuhamedov opened
the Nebitchi children's summer camp, a high-class resort for
kids located outside of Ashgabat. The state-of-the art white
marble facilities, fun activities, and amusement park-class
waterslides make Nebitchi an attractive place to spend part
of the summer. However, at over $100/10-day stay, this camp
will be out of reach for all but the wealthiest and/or most
indulgent Turkmen families. END SUMMARY.
3. (SBU) On June 9, President Berdimuhamedov presided over
the opening ceremony of the "Nebitchi" (Oilman) children's
summer camp in Gokdere village, about a 40-minute drive
outside of Ashgabat. The camp was a joint project of the
Turkmen Oil State Concern and the Turkish Bashyazijyogollary
Inshaat Gyda (BYZ) construction company. The owner of BYZ,
who had flown in from Ankara for the ceremony, told us that
the project cost $14 million and had been built at cost. He
decided to forego any profit, because children's camps are a
particular interest of Berdimuhamedov. The owner of BYZ said
that his company has five other projects in Turkmenistan and
hopes to expand even further.
4. (SBU) The camp is composed of five large white marble
structures, including a large outdoor amphitheater, a
dormitory, a sports center, cafeteria, and arts/culture
building. The dormitory resembles a three-star hotel for
kids. Each room has four twin beds, with gender-specific bed
spreads (blue in a boys' room, pink in a girls' room); large
armoire; and hotel-class bathroom with shower. The
arts/culture building had a moving "nodding donkey" oil well
drill sculpture in the lobby -- a sign of its link to Turkmen
Oil State Concern. There are also classrooms for painting,
carpet and dressmaking, and music classes. Several
classrooms have computers where children played various
games, but none of the computers were connected to the
Internet. On the top floor is an auditorium. Children
playing dutars performed for the president. Afterwards, the
audience watched a video of the president at a cavalcade of
opening ceremonies around the country. He rewarded two of
the performers with a box of chocolate each.
5. (SBU) The grounds included two large pools replete with
waterslides. The larger of the slide complexes was as good
as one would see at an amusement park in the United States.
Near the smaller pool was a sculpted plastic cliff, with
eagles and plastic deer, that was reminiscent of a Disneyland
attraction.
6. (SBU) According to one of the officials who escorted the
diplomats at the opening ceremony, parents can sign up their
children for 10-day stays at the camp for a little over
$100/session. (NOTE: According to Embassy local employees,
a typical price for summer camps is about $35/month. END
NOTE.) The official said he was thinking about sending his
own children for part of the summer.
7. (SBU) COMMENT: The average monthly salary in
Turkmenistan for government workers is slightly less than
$200/month at the current exchange rate. It is unlikely that
many parents could afford to send their little ones to camp
for the current asking price. This will be a camp for the
very well-off. And will likely stay mostly empty, despite
the gleaming campus and wonderful amenities. END COMMENT.
HOAGLAND