TURKMENISTAN: BERDIMUHAMMEDOV STAYS IN THE

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 ASHGABAT 000477 SIPDIS SCA/CEN; EEB PLEASE PASS TO USTDA DAN STEIN ENERGY FOR EKIMOFF/THOMPSON COMMERCE FOR HUEPER E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/14/2019 TAGS: PGOV ECON ETRD AORC PREL TX SUBJECT: TURKMENISTAN: BERDIMUHAMMEDOV STAYS IN THE LIMELIGHT DURING CIS MINISTERIAL Classified By: Charge Richard Miles for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d). ¶1. (C) SUMMARY: Ashgabat's hosting of the CIS Council of Foreign Ministers meeting on April 10 was well-covered in regional press. Although a broad range of topics were on the agenda, it does not appear that the body came to any significant conclusions. Beginning with his opening remarks, President Berdimuhammedov's image and commentary dominated coverage of the event, even as he firmly underscored Turkmenistan's neutrality policy and intent to remain an observer of the group. He may have further undermined the meeting's planners when he held substantive bilateral meetings with almost all the participants throughout the course of the day, providing an image of bilateral cooperation that contradicted the multilateral goals of the CIS. The ease with which this occurred may be a sign of the CIS' continued fragility, raising the question of whether it will survive in the longer term. END SUMMARY. CIS FOCUSED ON BROAD RANGE OF TOPICS ¶2. (C) The agenda for April 10 CIS Council of Foreign Ministers meeting reportedly included 28 items for discussion. Representatives from member states Azerbaijan, Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Russia and Tajikistan were present, as were representatives from observer states Turkmenistan, Ukraine and Uzbekistan, according to regional press. The Council meeting was to have discussed the global financial crisis, but also included the organization and operation of the CIS body, the future of CIS election observance, transportation, energy, water use, food security, anti-crime measures, cooperation in investigation aircraft accidents, coordination of a CIS migration policy, termination of a CIS working group on Abkhazia and the Georgia conflict, and the improvement of social support mechanisms for Soviet veterans, according to regional press. During the day, the Council unanimously approved a joint statement condemning the recent violence in Moldova, describing events there as an "attempt to undermine democratic processes" and calling for a legal solution. UN Center for Preventive Diplomacy Political Affairs Officer, Armands Pupols, had predicted on April 7 that the meeting was unlikely to yield anything substantive, and opined that the organization was becoming "increasingly irrelevant." BERDIMUHAMMEDOV MAKES BILATERAL ROUNDS ¶3. (C) Although Turkmenistan hosted the event, President Berdimuhammedov's opening speech made clear that although Turkmenistan respects the CIS, it still views its relations through a bilateral policy lens. He indicated that Turkmenistan supported the organization's efforts to develop regional transportation, communications, and energy networks, because such projects bring global markets a little closer. The President also used the forum to link development of new energy pipeline routes to the economic and social development of countries that produce, consume, or transport energy. ¶4. (C) Berdimuhammedov took the opportunity to hold a range of bilateral meetings with the representatives from Armenia, Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, Russia, Tajikistan, and Belarus on the same day. The President and Kyrgyzstan's Foreign Minister, for example, discussed the establishment of an intergovernmental economic commission and the resumption of direct air flights between Turkmenistan and Kyrgyzstan. The President discussed the expansion of Turkmen purchases of agricultural machinery with the Belarusian Foreign Minister, and President Berdimuhammedov and Kazakhstan's Foreign Minister discussed plans for the Caspian Littoral pipeline ASHGABAT 00000477 002 OF 002 and the Kazakhstan-Turkmenistan-Iran rail line as well. Although the President met with the Russian Foreign Minister, none of the regional press coverage mentioned any substantive topics the two discussed. (NOTE: It is possible that Turkmenistan's fallout with Russia over an April 8 gas pipeline explosion here either dampened or consumed the bilateral discussion. END NOTE.) ¶5. (C) COMMENT: There were no indications that the ministerial yielded any significant conclusions, decisions or agreements. The CIS' future seems uncertain, given that after 16 years, its role continues to be hazy and it lacks leadership and cohesiveness. Further, its goals may have been overshadowed somewhat by President Berdimuhammedov's emphasis on bilateral cooperation and coverage of his separate meetings with almost all of the members. And perhaps that is what Turkmen officials wanted. END COMMENT. MILES