AMBASSADOR KHALILZAD MEETS WITH TURKMENISTAN

C O N F I D E N T I A L USUN NEW YORK 000865

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/26/2018
TAGS: PREL PGOV
SUBJECT: AMBASSADOR KHALILZAD MEETS WITH TURKMENISTAN
PERMREP ON DRAFT ENERGY TRANSIT RESOLUTION

Classified By: AMBASSADOR ZALMAY KHALILZAD, FOR REASONS 1.4 B/D


1. (U) This is an action request. See paragraph 6.


2. (U) On September 25, Ambassador Khalilzad met with
Turkmenistan Permanent Representative to the UN Aksoltan
Ataeva on the margins of the UN General Assembly general
debate. Ataeva solicited USG input on a Turkmenistan draft
General Assembly resolution entitled "Reliable transit of
energy and its role ensuring stable economic development and
international cooperation."


3. (SBU) Aksoltan emphasized the importance of the pipeline
security resolution to her country, and asked for USG
thoughts. She said that in a recent conversation with
Turkmenistan President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedow, Steven
Mann, the State Department's Coordinator for Eurasian Energy
Diplomacy, expressed support for the resolution, which
Turkmenistan plans to introduce October 27 or 28 (Note: See
Ashgabat 01240 on this meeting. End note.). Ambassador
Khalilzad concurred with the importance of energy security as
an issue and promised that he would get back to Aksoltan soon
with USG comments on the resolution. Turkmenistan Foreign
Minister Rasit Meredow will arrive in New York on Saturday
and plans to speak with counterparts from Azerbaijan on
Monday to encourage their support. The delegations of
Armenia, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan,
Macedonia, Turkey and Uzbekistan have already joined the list
of co-sponsors of the draft resolution.


4. (U) Turkmenistan also plans to hold an international
conference on pipeline security this fall. Russia has
indicated that it will participate and will give remarks.


5. (SBU) Comment: Mission notes that the Turkmenistan
government may benefit from speaking with the Azerbaijanis
who had a rough time earlier this year negotiating a similar
seemingly non-controversial resolution on the Extractive
Industries Transparency Initiative, in part because of stiff
opposition from the Russian Federation. Should Russia oppose
this resolution as well, hardnosed geopolitical
considerations will likely be masked by broad assertions that
the UN should not encroach on the principle of national
sovereignty over the management of energy resources, a
position that will have plenty of backers within the General
Assembly. End Comment.


6. Action request: Mission requests guidance from
Washington on the Turkmenistan draft resolution.
Khalilzad