Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
09ASHGABAT1657
2009-12-24 03:27:00
UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
Embassy Ashgabat
Cable title:
TURKMENISTAN TOUTS PARTICIPATION IN CIS SUMMIT
VZCZCXRO4725 RR RUEHIK DE RUEHAH #1657 3580327 ZNR UUUUU ZZH R 240327Z DEC 09 FM AMEMBASSY ASHGABAT TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 3960 INFO RUCNCLS/ALL SOUTH AND CENTRAL ASIA COLLECTIVE RUCNCIS/CIS COLLECTIVE RUCNMEM/EU MEMBER STATES COLLECTIVE RUEHAK/AMEMBASSY ANKARA 6045 RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING 3739 RUEHKO/AMEMBASSY TOKYO 3598 RUEHIT/AMCONSUL ISTANBUL 4287 RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 1349 RHMCSUU/CDR USCENTCOM MACDILL AFB FL RUEHVEN/USMISSION USOSCE 4224 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 001657
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
STATE FOR SCA/CEN
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL ZK TX
SUBJECT: TURKMENISTAN TOUTS PARTICIPATION IN CIS SUMMIT
UNCLAS ASHGABAT 001657
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
STATE FOR SCA/CEN
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL ZK TX
SUBJECT: TURKMENISTAN TOUTS PARTICIPATION IN CIS SUMMIT
1. (U) Sensitive but unclassified. Not for public Internet.
2. (SBU) President Berdimuhamedov on December 19 took part in a
Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) informal meeting in
Kazakhstan, at Kazakhstan President Nazarbayev's dacha in the
village of Akbulak. Turkmen media reported that the heads of state
discussed broad issues such as global warming and the need for
consolidated efforts to tackle consequences of the global economic
recession. Berdimuhamedov publicly said that Turkmenistan will
continue to develop bilateral and multilateral partnerships within
the CIS.
3. (SBU) The Kremlin coverage of the meeting differed from the
Turkmen media's. The Kremlin termed the meeting a gathering of the
presidents of Russia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Armenia, Kyrgyzstan,
Tajikistan and Turkmenistan, with no mention of the CIS, probably
because CIS members Azerbaijan, Moldova, and Uzbekistan did not
attend. In addition, Russian official sources also reported on
one-on-one talks between Medvedev and Berdimuhamedov, whereas
Turkmen media did not mention them.
4. (SBU) Turkmenistan is an associate member of the CIS, which means
that it has not ratified the CIS charter. Former President Niyazov
attended few of the CIS summits. However, Berdimuhamedov appears to
be paying more attention to these events than his predecessor. He
first participated in an informal CIS summit in June 2007, in Saint
Petersburg, Russia, and again in Moscow in February 2008. In
September 2009, he travelled to the informal meeting of CIS heads in
Aktau, Kazakhstan that focused on Caspian delimitation issues.
5. (SBU) COMMENT: Berdimuhamedov appears to view CIS events as a
good place to be seen and to maintain links with neighbors and
historical allies. However, the associate member status gives
Turkmenistan the flexibility to shape its economic ties
independently and to publicly continue to claim permanent
neutrality. END COMMENT.
CURRAN
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
STATE FOR SCA/CEN
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL ZK TX
SUBJECT: TURKMENISTAN TOUTS PARTICIPATION IN CIS SUMMIT
1. (U) Sensitive but unclassified. Not for public Internet.
2. (SBU) President Berdimuhamedov on December 19 took part in a
Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) informal meeting in
Kazakhstan, at Kazakhstan President Nazarbayev's dacha in the
village of Akbulak. Turkmen media reported that the heads of state
discussed broad issues such as global warming and the need for
consolidated efforts to tackle consequences of the global economic
recession. Berdimuhamedov publicly said that Turkmenistan will
continue to develop bilateral and multilateral partnerships within
the CIS.
3. (SBU) The Kremlin coverage of the meeting differed from the
Turkmen media's. The Kremlin termed the meeting a gathering of the
presidents of Russia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Armenia, Kyrgyzstan,
Tajikistan and Turkmenistan, with no mention of the CIS, probably
because CIS members Azerbaijan, Moldova, and Uzbekistan did not
attend. In addition, Russian official sources also reported on
one-on-one talks between Medvedev and Berdimuhamedov, whereas
Turkmen media did not mention them.
4. (SBU) Turkmenistan is an associate member of the CIS, which means
that it has not ratified the CIS charter. Former President Niyazov
attended few of the CIS summits. However, Berdimuhamedov appears to
be paying more attention to these events than his predecessor. He
first participated in an informal CIS summit in June 2007, in Saint
Petersburg, Russia, and again in Moscow in February 2008. In
September 2009, he travelled to the informal meeting of CIS heads in
Aktau, Kazakhstan that focused on Caspian delimitation issues.
5. (SBU) COMMENT: Berdimuhamedov appears to view CIS events as a
good place to be seen and to maintain links with neighbors and
historical allies. However, the associate member status gives
Turkmenistan the flexibility to shape its economic ties
independently and to publicly continue to claim permanent
neutrality. END COMMENT.
CURRAN