Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
09ASHGABAT1506
2009-11-25 10:16:00
UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
Embassy Ashgabat
Cable title:
TURKMENISTAN: BOUNDARIES OF PRESIDENTIAL
how-toVZCZCXRO8249 RR RUEHIK DE RUEHAH #1506 3291016 ZNR UUUUU ZZH R 251016Z NOV 09 FM AMEMBASSY ASHGABAT TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 3799 INFO RUCNCLS/ALL SOUTH AND CENTRAL ASIA COLLECTIVE RUCNCIS/CIS COLLECTIVE RUCNMEM/EU MEMBER STATES COLLECTIVE RUEHAK/AMEMBASSY ANKARA 5923 RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING 3626 RUEHKO/AMEMBASSY TOKYO 3485 RUEHIT/AMCONSUL ISTANBUL 4165 RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 1266 RHMCSUU/CDR USCENTCOM MACDILL AFB FL RUEHVEN/USMISSION USOSCE 4118 RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC RHEFDIA/DIA WASHDC RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC RUEKJCS/JOINT STAFF WASHDC RUCPDOC/DEPT OF COMMERCE WASHDC RUEATRS/DEPT OF TREASURY WASHDC
UNCLAS ASHGABAT 001506
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
STATE FOR SCA/CEN
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV SENV SOCI TX
SUBJECT: TURKMENISTAN: BOUNDARIES OF PRESIDENTIAL
ESTATE TO BE EXTENDED
UNCLAS ASHGABAT 001506
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
STATE FOR SCA/CEN
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV SENV SOCI TX
SUBJECT: TURKMENISTAN: BOUNDARIES OF PRESIDENTIAL
ESTATE TO BE EXTENDED
1. (U) Sensitive but Unclassified. Not for Public
Internet.
2. (SBU) According to a local environmental activist
who works for the Kopetdag nature preserve, there is a
government plan to make the entire Archabil nature
site off-limits to the public. The Archabil nature
site is on the southern edge of Ashgabat and extends
into the mountains that border Iran. Currently, only
the Archabil settlement, where ONE of President
Berdimuhamedov's residences is located, is a
restricted area. Under the new plan, the Archabil
settlement, the adjacent Archabil Gorge, and the late
President Niyazov's residence in southern Archabil
(known as the Pink Palace) will be part of the new
presidential estate. The expanded restricted area
would be triple the size of current one.
3. (SBU) In the past, the Archabil settlement, with
several sanatoriums and children's summer camps, and
the Archabil Gorge, with many picnic and camping
sites, were very popular among residents and guests
of Ashgabat. Former President Niyazov closed the
Archabil settlement to the public in the early
nineties, when he made it the location of his summer
residence. The planned expansion of the presidential
estate will leave much less land for public
recreation. The public will now have access only to
the HEALTH Walk, the cable car that goes up into the
mountains to give a view of Ashgabat, Gok Dere
(formerly Chuly) where the government has built a
new camping site, and eastern parts of Ahal province.
The source said that, according to President
Berdimuhamedov's wish, gazelles from the Badhyz
nature preserve, which is a strictly protected area
in the southeastern part of the country about 450
kilometers from Ashgabat, will be released in the
presidential estate.
4. (SBU) COMMENT: The expansion of the strictly
protected nature preserve area appears to have little
to do with protecting endangered animals or plants.
Instead, it may have to do with security, providing a
larger buffer area around Berdimuhamedov's estate, or
just a presidential whim. In any case, the public
will lose access to a popular place to escape the
summer heat. END COMMENT.
CURRAN
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
STATE FOR SCA/CEN
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV SENV SOCI TX
SUBJECT: TURKMENISTAN: BOUNDARIES OF PRESIDENTIAL
ESTATE TO BE EXTENDED
1. (U) Sensitive but Unclassified. Not for Public
Internet.
2. (SBU) According to a local environmental activist
who works for the Kopetdag nature preserve, there is a
government plan to make the entire Archabil nature
site off-limits to the public. The Archabil nature
site is on the southern edge of Ashgabat and extends
into the mountains that border Iran. Currently, only
the Archabil settlement, where ONE of President
Berdimuhamedov's residences is located, is a
restricted area. Under the new plan, the Archabil
settlement, the adjacent Archabil Gorge, and the late
President Niyazov's residence in southern Archabil
(known as the Pink Palace) will be part of the new
presidential estate. The expanded restricted area
would be triple the size of current one.
3. (SBU) In the past, the Archabil settlement, with
several sanatoriums and children's summer camps, and
the Archabil Gorge, with many picnic and camping
sites, were very popular among residents and guests
of Ashgabat. Former President Niyazov closed the
Archabil settlement to the public in the early
nineties, when he made it the location of his summer
residence. The planned expansion of the presidential
estate will leave much less land for public
recreation. The public will now have access only to
the HEALTH Walk, the cable car that goes up into the
mountains to give a view of Ashgabat, Gok Dere
(formerly Chuly) where the government has built a
new camping site, and eastern parts of Ahal province.
The source said that, according to President
Berdimuhamedov's wish, gazelles from the Badhyz
nature preserve, which is a strictly protected area
in the southeastern part of the country about 450
kilometers from Ashgabat, will be released in the
presidential estate.
4. (SBU) COMMENT: The expansion of the strictly
protected nature preserve area appears to have little
to do with protecting endangered animals or plants.
Instead, it may have to do with security, providing a
larger buffer area around Berdimuhamedov's estate, or
just a presidential whim. In any case, the public
will lose access to a popular place to escape the
summer heat. END COMMENT.
CURRAN