TURKMENISTAN: CHEVRON WEIGHS NEW PROPOSAL

C O N F I D E N T I A L ASHGABAT 001618 SIPDIS STATE FOR SCA/CEN; EEB; ENERGY FOR EKIMOFF/BURPOE/COHEN COMMERCE FOR DSTARKS/EHOUSE E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/15/2019 TAGS: ECON EPET PINR TX SUBJECT: TURKMENISTAN: CHEVRON WEIGHS NEW PROPOSAL REF: ASHGABAT 1494 AND PREVIOUS Classified By: Charge Sylvia Reed Curran for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d). ¶1. (C) On December 11, the local Chevron rep briefed us on a proposal recently made by the Turkmenistan government. Deputy Chairman Bayrammurat Hojamuhammedov had met with the Chevron rep on December 7 and had pitched the idea of Chevron working as part of a Joint Venture onshore (not Yoloten or Osman),helping to rehabilitate underperforming wells and starting work on new wells in that same area. (NOTE: The Chinese started work in the energy sector in Turkmenistan rehabilitating wells. END NOTE.) The Chevron rep told Hojamuhammedov that the MOU governing this project should also include the possibility of other projects in the future. ¶2. (C) The Chevron rep planned to run the proposal by his bosses in the United States and would get back to Hojamuhammedov with an answer. He believed this opportunity was much better than the one the Turkmen had offered regarding a petrochemical project. ¶3. (C) COMMENT: Chevron may have been offered this project, because it is a major company with an office in Ashgabat, its technological capabilities are world renown, and the Turkmen are really serious about expanding opportunities for American companies. All of that may be true, but an added piece is that the company is building relationships here. Specifically, it is offering an unpaid internship to the daughter of State Protocol Chief Berdy Matiev. Matiev is close to his boss, President Berdimuhamedov, and that, in turn, is good for Chevron. According to the Chevron rep (strictly protect),Ms. Matieva is studying Business and Logistics at a university in Texas and is reportedly a top student. Her internship will also be in Texas. Matiev approached the Chevron office in Ashgabat regarding this opportunity for his daughter, and after Chevron's lawyers gave the OK, the company was happy to oblige. COMMENT. CURRAN