Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
09ASHGABAT267
2009-02-27 12:13:00
UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
Embassy Ashgabat
Cable title:
TURKMENISTAN: CAUTIOUS OPTIMISM ABOUT A
how-toVZCZCXRO4760 PP RUEHAG RUEHAST RUEHBI RUEHCI RUEHDBU RUEHDF RUEHIK RUEHLH RUEHLN RUEHLZ RUEHNEH RUEHPW RUEHROV RUEHSK RUEHSR RUEHVK RUEHYG DE RUEHAH #0267 0581213 ZNR UUUUU ZZH P 271213Z FEB 09 FM AMEMBASSY ASHGABAT TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 2370 INFO RUCNCLS/ALL SOUTH AND CENTRAL ASIA COLLECTIVE RUCNCIS/CIS COLLECTIVE RUCNMEM/EU MEMBER STATES COLLECTIVE RUEHAK/AMEMBASSY ANKARA 4865 RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING 2635 RUEHKO/AMEMBASSY TOKYO 2500 RUEHIT/AMCONSUL ISTANBUL 3109 RUCPDOC/DEPT OF COMMERCE WASHDC RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC RHMFIUU/CDR USCENTCOM MACDILL AFB FL RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC RHEFDIA/DIA WASHDC RUEKJCS/JOINT STAFF WASHDC RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHINGTON DC RUEHVEN/USMISSION USOSCE 3345
UNCLAS ASHGABAT 000267
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
STATE FOR SCA/CEN, EEB
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV TBIO TX GG
SUBJECT: TURKMENISTAN: CAUTIOUS OPTIMISM ABOUT A
TRANSCASPIAN FIBER OPTIC CABLE
UNCLAS ASHGABAT 000267
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
STATE FOR SCA/CEN, EEB
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV TBIO TX GG
SUBJECT: TURKMENISTAN: CAUTIOUS OPTIMISM ABOUT A
TRANSCASPIAN FIBER OPTIC CABLE
1. (SBU) Sensitive but unclassified. Not for public
Internet.
2. (SBU) The Amcit Managing Director for Global Solutions of
U.S. company, Tyco Telecommunications, and Mamia Sanadiradze,
CEO of Georgian partner Caucasus Online, said in a meeting
with Economic Officer on February 22 that they were in
Turkmenistan to discuss with the Turkmen Government their
proposal to lay fiber optic cable underneath the Caspian Sea.
This cable would provide Turkmenistan an option for linking
to international communications networks that would be
cheaper and potentially more secure than what the country
currently uses, which goes through Moscow. The European Bank
for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD),also a partner of
Tyco and Caucasus Online in this project, organized the
schedule of meetings held with Deputy Chairman for
Transportation and Communications, Nazarguly Shagulyev, the
head of Turkmen Telecom, and Minister of Communications,
Owlyaguly Jumagulyev.
3. (SBU) On February 26, they said that Shagulyev appeared
to show significant interest about halfway through the
hour-long meeting. They were less sure about the meeting
with Turkmen Telecom, which has a long-standing relationship
with Russian cellular service provider MTS. (NOTE: In fact,
the Tyco Managing Director and Sanadiradze observed very
friendly interaction between Turkmen Telecom officials and a
representative of MTS who happened to arrive at the building
just after the meeting. END NOTE.) Their meeting with the
Minister of Communications turned out to be an informal
five-minute meeting in a hallway because he was busy
preparing for his trip as part of President Berdimuhamedov's
delegation to Uzbekistan. Nevertheless, he was "interested
and receptive." They observed that "officials further down
the food chain" were significantly more defensive than
higher-ranked officials. In a few weeks they will present a
document outlining the business proposition that will clarify
the financial plan to the Turkmen. They felt that the
participation of EBRD gave needed credibility to the project.
They are also considering proposing some capacity building
or other goodwill projects, such as creating a fiber optic
structure in Ashgabat for Turkmen Telecom.
4. (SBU) COMMENT: The Tyco and Caucasus Online
representatives said that they were "cautiously optimistic"
about the potential of the project and said that they would
keep us informed. Many people on both sides of the Caspian
-- and Atlantic, and probably Pacific -- have an interest in
the success of this venture, but the ball is in the Turkmens'
court. It will have to get through the onerous interagency
process before anything happens. END COMMENT.
MILES
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
STATE FOR SCA/CEN, EEB
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV TBIO TX GG
SUBJECT: TURKMENISTAN: CAUTIOUS OPTIMISM ABOUT A
TRANSCASPIAN FIBER OPTIC CABLE
1. (SBU) Sensitive but unclassified. Not for public
Internet.
2. (SBU) The Amcit Managing Director for Global Solutions of
U.S. company, Tyco Telecommunications, and Mamia Sanadiradze,
CEO of Georgian partner Caucasus Online, said in a meeting
with Economic Officer on February 22 that they were in
Turkmenistan to discuss with the Turkmen Government their
proposal to lay fiber optic cable underneath the Caspian Sea.
This cable would provide Turkmenistan an option for linking
to international communications networks that would be
cheaper and potentially more secure than what the country
currently uses, which goes through Moscow. The European Bank
for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD),also a partner of
Tyco and Caucasus Online in this project, organized the
schedule of meetings held with Deputy Chairman for
Transportation and Communications, Nazarguly Shagulyev, the
head of Turkmen Telecom, and Minister of Communications,
Owlyaguly Jumagulyev.
3. (SBU) On February 26, they said that Shagulyev appeared
to show significant interest about halfway through the
hour-long meeting. They were less sure about the meeting
with Turkmen Telecom, which has a long-standing relationship
with Russian cellular service provider MTS. (NOTE: In fact,
the Tyco Managing Director and Sanadiradze observed very
friendly interaction between Turkmen Telecom officials and a
representative of MTS who happened to arrive at the building
just after the meeting. END NOTE.) Their meeting with the
Minister of Communications turned out to be an informal
five-minute meeting in a hallway because he was busy
preparing for his trip as part of President Berdimuhamedov's
delegation to Uzbekistan. Nevertheless, he was "interested
and receptive." They observed that "officials further down
the food chain" were significantly more defensive than
higher-ranked officials. In a few weeks they will present a
document outlining the business proposition that will clarify
the financial plan to the Turkmen. They felt that the
participation of EBRD gave needed credibility to the project.
They are also considering proposing some capacity building
or other goodwill projects, such as creating a fiber optic
structure in Ashgabat for Turkmen Telecom.
4. (SBU) COMMENT: The Tyco and Caucasus Online
representatives said that they were "cautiously optimistic"
about the potential of the project and said that they would
keep us informed. Many people on both sides of the Caspian
-- and Atlantic, and probably Pacific -- have an interest in
the success of this venture, but the ball is in the Turkmens'
court. It will have to get through the onerous interagency
process before anything happens. END COMMENT.
MILES