TURKMEN FOREIGN MINISTER POSITIVE ABOUT RELATIONS;

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 ASHGABAT 001483

SIPDIS

DEPT FOR SCA/CEN

E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/18/2019
TAGS: PREL PGOV TX
SUBJECT: TURKMEN FOREIGN MINISTER POSITIVE ABOUT RELATIONS;
URGES DIPLOMATIC SOLUTION IN AFGHANISTAN

Classified By: Charge Sylvia Reed Curran, Reasons 1.4 (b) and (d)


1. (C) SUMMARY. In a November 16 meeting with Deputy
Assistant Secretary of State George Krol, Deputy Chairman and
Foreign Minister Rashid Meredov provided his perspective on
the current state of U.S.-Turkmenistan relations and the path
ahead. He commented on our increasingly active political
dialogue, but provided little concrete feedback on the
upcoming bilateral consultations. Meredov spoke positively
about recent activities by the U.S.-Turkmenistan Business
Council to develop commercial ties. He had little positive
comment on the AUCA student and Peace Corps issues, but urged
DAS Krol to raise them with President Berdimuhamedov.
Turning to regional issues, Meredov reiterated the Turkmen
government view that problems in Afghanistan need to be
resolved by peaceful means, preferably under UN auspices. He
remarked generally about the importance of maintaining
continuous negotiations among all five countries bordering
the Caspian, and did not rule out bilateral talks to resolve
Turkmen-Azeri issues. END SUMMARY.


2. (C) Meredov began by noting the good impetus to bilateral
relations generated by President Berdimuhamedov's trip to New
York for the UN General Assembly. Citing other high-level
meetings by US and Turkmenistan officials during the past six
months, he noted that the bilateral political dialogue is on
a higher level. He hoped the planned bilateral consultations
would be an effective forum. He agreed in principle to
meeting in January 2010 in Washington and said the Turkmen
side would continue examining the matter and let the U.S.
side know about the staffing of the Turkmen delegation,
suggestions for concrete agenda items and dates. As possible
agenda items, he mentioned further development of the
political dialogue, discussion of regional and international
issues as well as cooperation in the educational, cultural
and humanitarian spheres. Meredov also raised the
possibility of a meeting between Presidents Obama and
Berdimuhamedov in 2010, urging the U.S. side to look at the
scheduling possibilities for such a meeting.


3. (C) DAS Krol noted that the Secretary was satisfied with
her meeting with Berdimuhamedov. Regarding the bilateral
consultations, Krol emphasized the need to move from words to
action. He stressed that the two sides should work together
on the consultations as a follow-up to the UNGA visit. DAS
Krol suggested that discussion of security issues also be
included in the agenda. Meredov said the Turkmen side would
consider it, noting some positive cooperation in
anti-terrorism efforts. He acknowledged the approaching
expiration of the overflight agreement and said renewal is
currently under consideration.


4. (C) Turning to commercial and economic relations, Meredov
said the Turkmen were happy with the U.S.-Turkmenistan
Business Council's (USTBC) recent activities. He noted that
the recent business forum held in Ashgabat, while not
involving a large number of U.S. companies, was a "start,"
and the Turkmen side would like to see this activity
continued. He mentioned some U.S. companies, such as Boeing
and John Deere, that already have trade relations with
Turkmenistan. He added that there have been interesting
proposals from U.S. companies in the areas of energy,
agricultural processing, petrochemicals, and tourism, and
that the Turkmen side is ready to consider such proposals.
DAS Krol noted that the U.S. also wants to expand our
economic and commercial ties beyond the oil and gas sector.


5. (C) The Foreign Minister characterized cultural and
educational activities as an area in which we have had
positive experience. He said that, regarding "several issues
that are known to you and us, we will work on this in the
near term." (Note: Meredov was referring to the American
University of Central Asia students and Peace Corps
volunteers. End Note) Concerning the students, who have
been denied permission to depart for studies at the American

ASHGABAT 00001483 002 OF 003


University in Bulgaria, Meredov urged DAS Krol to raise the
student issue with Berdimuhamedov during their meeting on the
following day. Meredov also recommended that DAS Krol raise
the Peace Corps issue with the president. He elaborated on
the Peace Corps situation, saying that the government's last
minute decision to postpone the arrival of the incoming group
of volunteers was related to the fact the work places for the
volunteers would not be ready in time. Meredov stated that
there was no change in the policy of the Turkmen government
towards the Peace Corps program. He continued by noting
that, if the volunteers were coming to work in education and
health care, they should be qualified specialists in these
fields, in order to avoid "misunderstandings." He commented
that sometimes there has been a teacher that was not fully
trained and that, just because someone was an English
speaker, that person was not necessarily a specialist. He
thought that was an issue that needed to be addressed. DAS
Krol suggested that there could be new areas for Peace Corps
programs, such as tourism and small and medium enterprise
development, perhaps staffed with retired U.S. business
people. The Foreign Minister concluded on the Peace Corps
issue by saying that Peace Corps should understand the reason
behind the Turkmen government action and that, in his view,
the Peace Corps needed to show maximum flexibility in the
number of volunteers. He stated that he was not a supporter
of drastic measures and always wanted to proceed with mutual
understanding in dealing with these issues, noting that more
consultation would also be an opportunity to development the
relationship.


6. (C) Regarding regional issues, particularly Afghanistan
and the Caspian, Meredov noted these were issues on the
agenda of the international community, and not just
Turkmenistan's concerns. He described Afghanistan as a
neighbor with whom Turkmenistan cooperates, particularly in
the humanitarian sphere, building schools and clinics in
rural areas. The Turkmen government wants its assistance to
be relevant and wants to see the results, but it does not
publicize its efforts in order to receive recognition. Its
motive is to support the ethnic Turkmen and other ethnic
groups in Afghanistan as neighbors. He noted that the
Turkmen government did not cut delivery of electricity when
the Afghans could not pay, but rather forgave the debt. He
indicated that Turkmenistan stands ready to expand its power
stations and build new power transmission lines to the TX-AF
border, at its own expense. It would do this even though the
sale of the electricity would not be particularly profitable
for the Turkmen. A second Turkmen proposal was to extend the
railroad line 85 kilometers to the Afghan border, with the
possibility of construction of a terminal for loading and
unloading cargo for road transport. According to Meredov,
the Afghans did not respond to this offer.


7. (C) Noting that Turkmenistan does not interfere in
Afghanistan's internal affairs, Meredov mentioned that both
at UNGA and at a subsequent press conference in Ashgabat,
Berdimuhamedov said the Afghanistan problem needs to be
resolved by peaceful, diplomatic means. A military solution
would not have a positive result. Turkmenistan, as a UN
member, would be ready to work under UN guidance, whatever
format that would involve, but only through political and
practical measures. Meredov pointed out that, while there
has been war in Afghanistan for more than 30 years, the TX-AF
border has always remained "normal." Ethnic Turkmen live
across the border and are a tolerant people that are somewhat
integrated in the Afghan system. They do not lean towards
fringe groups, but play a balancing role in order to maintain
stability. Meredov suggested that all parties in Afghanistan
want peace, but that factionalism makes it complicated. He
acknowledged that dangerous groups have reached Northern
Afghanistan. He asked about the U.S. view of the situation,
mentioning the conflicting points of view of various U.S.
officials reported in the media. DAS Krol described
discussions taking place in Washington on this issue, and the
general agreement that a solely military solution would not

ASHGABAT 00001483 003 OF 003


work. He questioned how to establish stability and social
reconciliation by diplomatic, peaceful means and noted that
the solution ultimately lies in the hands of the Afghan
people. Meredov averred that the issue requires
consultations. The Turkmen government thinks some mechanisms
could be more actively pursued in order to achieve a
diplomatic outcome.


8. (C) Meredov said the Caspian also poses complicated
issues, and that each Caspian Basin country had its own
views. He said the questions are not just energy related,
but that the Caspian should be "a sea of friendship and
neighborliness." Security could not be divided as separate
national, regional and global interests. Similarly, security
involves a unified whole, and includes a range of issues such
as energy, commerce, the environment and defense. Meredov
said the Turkmen government views the Caspian in that way.
He mentioned that Berdimuhamedov had proposed a conference on
the disarmament of the Caspian Basin, to be held in Ashgabat
under UN auspices. Meredov also said the Caspian countries
were still working on an instrument that would provide a
legal basis for resolving their issues. The five Caspian
countries are working together on multiple projects in order
to continue the momentum and tempo of their negotiations, a
kind of permanent dialogue.


9. (C) Economic relations and geopolitical issues can be
addressed in a parallel manner, according to Meredov. He
cited the example of a railroad ferry agreement reached
between Turkmenistan and Azerbaijan. Such agreements can be
reached bilaterally, without involving all Caspian countries.
The Foreign Minister said demarcation of the boundary with
Azerbaijan and the exploitation of Caspian resources are
separate questions. The Turkmen will not approve any
unilateral activity for developing resources in disputed
areas as long as there is no agreement. Meredov added that
the Turkmen threat to submit the boundary dispute to
arbitration did not mean that Turkmen-Azeri relations were
wrecked. Not seeing progress in their negotiations, they
took a civilized path to resolving the issue. But the
Turkmen government would continue negotiations.


10. (C) COMMENT: Meredov's lack of comment on the Peace
Corps issue and especially the fate of the AUCA students,
combined with his suggestion that DAS Krol raise the issues
with Berdimuhamedov, indicates that these problems arose in
the education sector and are not in the purview of the
Foreign Minister to fix. The lack of specific feedback on
the bilateral consultation mechanism also indicates the
limits of the Foreign Minister. These issues are examples of
the extent of control wielded by Berdimunhamedov within the
Turkmen bureaucracy. In addition to signing off on all
significant matters under the purview of the various deputy
chairmen, he also serves as the sole recourse to resolve
issues that fall under the control of other parts of
government, but impact Turkmenistan's foreign relations. END
COMMENT.


11. (U) DAS Krol has cleared this cable.
CURRAN