Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
09ASHGABAT1061
2009-08-21 12:22:00
UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
Embassy Ashgabat
Cable title:
TURKMENISTAN: FIRST INTERNATIONAL INVESTMENT FORUM
how-toVZCZCXRO8180 RR RUEHAST RUEHBI RUEHCI RUEHDBU RUEHLH RUEHLN RUEHNEH RUEHPW RUEHSK RUEHVK RUEHYG DE RUEHAH #1061 2331222 ZNR UUUUU ZZH R 211222Z AUG 09 FM AMEMBASSY ASHGABAT TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 3337 INFO RUCNCLS/ALL SOUTH AND CENTRAL ASIA COLLECTIVE RUCNCIS/CIS COLLECTIVE RUEHAK/AMEMBASSY ANKARA 5575 RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING 3294 RUEHKO/AMEMBASSY TOKYO 3159 RUEHIT/AMCONSUL ISTANBUL 3818 RUCPDOC/DEPT OF COMMERCE WASHDC RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 1101 RUEATRS/DEPT OF TREASURY WASHDC RHMFISS/USCENTCOM SPECIAL HANDLING MACDILL AFB FL RUEHVEN/USMISSION USOSCE 3828 RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC RHEFDIA/DIA WASHDC RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC
UNCLAS ASHGABAT 001061
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
STATE FOR SCA/CEN; EEB
COMMERCE FOR ESHOUSE
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV EIND EINV ECON ETRD TX
SUBJECT: TURKMENISTAN: FIRST INTERNATIONAL INVESTMENT FORUM
SET FOR OCTOBER
UNCLAS ASHGABAT 001061
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
STATE FOR SCA/CEN; EEB
COMMERCE FOR ESHOUSE
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV EIND EINV ECON ETRD TX
SUBJECT: TURKMENISTAN: FIRST INTERNATIONAL INVESTMENT FORUM
SET FOR OCTOBER
1. (U) Sensitive but unclassified. Not for Internet
distribution.
2. (SBU) Turkmen official media announced the First Annual
International Investment Forum to be held October 15-17 in
Ashgabat. The Turkmen Chamber of Commerce is organizing the
forum with the support of the Cabinet of Ministers. In
addition, British company IC Energy was named a forum
co-organizer, responsible for inviting participants from
abroad. Press reports noted that Turkmenistan's policy of
"Positive Neutrality" enhances the forum's ability to serve
as neutral ground for business meetings and talks on issues
of economic cooperation in the region. Turkmen Chamber of
Commerce Chairman Pavlan Taganov told Economic Officer on
August 20 that he was confident the Investment Forum would be
an excellent opportunity for U.S. businesses to engage the
GOTX on opportunities in various business sectors in addition
to energy.
3. (U) The three-day forum will be divided into both standard
plenary sessions and interactive/round table sessions. The
topic for the plenary sessions will be strategy and
investment opportunities for the development of Turkmen oil,
gas, and chemical sectors. The interactive sessions will
focus on a wide range of investment projects including: real
estate, construction, community improvement, transportation
infrastructure, textile industry, healthcare, medical, and
pharmaceutical, agriculture, power generation, alternative
energy, telecommunications, information technology, and
banking. According to press reports, the GOTX promises to
provide potential investors with a detailed overview of
Turkmenistan's economic potential and its "solid investment
portfolio" which lists current projects including the Avaza
tourist zone on the Caspian coast.
4. (U) To date, IC Energy and the Turkmen Chamber of
Commerce have confirmed the following U.S. companies'
participation in the forum: American Appraisal, Buried Hill
Energy, Chevron, ConocoPhillips, Colemont Insurance Brokers,
Exxon Mobil, General Electric, Halliburton, M-I Swaco, MSA,
and PricewaterhouseCoopers. Forum organizers also told us
that ConocoPhillips and Colemont Insurance Brokers are
official partners/sponsors of the forum, and that increased
U.S. company participation would add credibility to the
annual event.
5. (SBU). COMMENT: The International Investment Forum is
one of several state-sponsored events designed to attract
immediate foreign investment into Turkmenistan. So far, it
is no surprise that U.S. energy companies would attend such
an event, given the hydrocarbon potential in Turkmenistan.
Whether such forums will succeed in convincing other U.S.
companies to do business in Turkmenistan remains to be seen.
Nevertheless, should the U.S. companies scheduled to
participate make it to Ashgabat, it will send a strong signal
that American businesses are taking another look at
Turkmenistan. END COMMENT.
MILES
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
STATE FOR SCA/CEN; EEB
COMMERCE FOR ESHOUSE
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV EIND EINV ECON ETRD TX
SUBJECT: TURKMENISTAN: FIRST INTERNATIONAL INVESTMENT FORUM
SET FOR OCTOBER
1. (U) Sensitive but unclassified. Not for Internet
distribution.
2. (SBU) Turkmen official media announced the First Annual
International Investment Forum to be held October 15-17 in
Ashgabat. The Turkmen Chamber of Commerce is organizing the
forum with the support of the Cabinet of Ministers. In
addition, British company IC Energy was named a forum
co-organizer, responsible for inviting participants from
abroad. Press reports noted that Turkmenistan's policy of
"Positive Neutrality" enhances the forum's ability to serve
as neutral ground for business meetings and talks on issues
of economic cooperation in the region. Turkmen Chamber of
Commerce Chairman Pavlan Taganov told Economic Officer on
August 20 that he was confident the Investment Forum would be
an excellent opportunity for U.S. businesses to engage the
GOTX on opportunities in various business sectors in addition
to energy.
3. (U) The three-day forum will be divided into both standard
plenary sessions and interactive/round table sessions. The
topic for the plenary sessions will be strategy and
investment opportunities for the development of Turkmen oil,
gas, and chemical sectors. The interactive sessions will
focus on a wide range of investment projects including: real
estate, construction, community improvement, transportation
infrastructure, textile industry, healthcare, medical, and
pharmaceutical, agriculture, power generation, alternative
energy, telecommunications, information technology, and
banking. According to press reports, the GOTX promises to
provide potential investors with a detailed overview of
Turkmenistan's economic potential and its "solid investment
portfolio" which lists current projects including the Avaza
tourist zone on the Caspian coast.
4. (U) To date, IC Energy and the Turkmen Chamber of
Commerce have confirmed the following U.S. companies'
participation in the forum: American Appraisal, Buried Hill
Energy, Chevron, ConocoPhillips, Colemont Insurance Brokers,
Exxon Mobil, General Electric, Halliburton, M-I Swaco, MSA,
and PricewaterhouseCoopers. Forum organizers also told us
that ConocoPhillips and Colemont Insurance Brokers are
official partners/sponsors of the forum, and that increased
U.S. company participation would add credibility to the
annual event.
5. (SBU). COMMENT: The International Investment Forum is
one of several state-sponsored events designed to attract
immediate foreign investment into Turkmenistan. So far, it
is no surprise that U.S. energy companies would attend such
an event, given the hydrocarbon potential in Turkmenistan.
Whether such forums will succeed in convincing other U.S.
companies to do business in Turkmenistan remains to be seen.
Nevertheless, should the U.S. companies scheduled to
participate make it to Ashgabat, it will send a strong signal
that American businesses are taking another look at
Turkmenistan. END COMMENT.
MILES