TURKMENISTAN: IMF ARTICLE IV REVIEW CAPTURES HALF

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 ASHGABAT 000617 SENSITIVE SIPDIS STATE FOR SCA/CEN, EEB E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PGOV EAGR EFIN EIND EINV EPET ETRD SOCI TX AORC SUBJECT: TURKMENISTAN: IMF ARTICLE IV REVIEW CAPTURES HALF OF THE ECONOMIC PICTURE REF: A. 08 ASHGABAT 1493 ¶B. ASHGABAT 462 ¶C. 08 ASHGABAT 1394 ¶D. ASHGABAT 423 ¶1. (SBU) Sensitive but unclassified. Not for public Internet. ¶2. (SBU) SUMMARY: A team from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) confirmed that the international financial crisis has not affected Turkmenistan because of the country's limited integration in international financial markets. Declining oil and gas prices and a reduction in demand for these products on the world market have so far only had a slight affect on Turkmenistan's economy. Increased efficiency due to infrastructure improvements in Turkmenistan's petrochemicals sector have made up for some losses. Turkmenistan's textile sector will likely feel the effects at some point in the future, and Turkmenistan is committed to supporting this industry. The team was complementary about the progress of currency reform, both unification of the exchange rate and redenomination, and recommends maintaining a fixed exchange rate for at least a year to build up public confidence in the redenominated currency. Turkmenistan may need to appreciate its currency in the future due to the strength of its oil and gas sector. However, the exclusion of a macroeconomic point of view limits the value of the International Monetary Fund Article IV Review report because it offers an incomplete picture of Turkmenistan's economic climate, particularly for private sector companies considering entering the market. END SUMMARY. ¶3. (SBU) International Monetary Fund Article IV Consultation Mission team members, Middle East and Central Asia Department Deputy Division Chief, Valeria Fichera, and Economist, Anna Bordon, briefed donors on May 12 regarding their consultations with the Government of Turkmenistan. As part of the Fund's annual Article IV review process, this team reviewed development and progress of reforms and public finance management with the Central Bank, Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Economy and Development, and the State Statistics Committee over two weeks. This review also focused on the impact of the global financial crisis in Turkmenistan, and looked at progress on exchange rate unification and redenomination. IMF CONFIRMS MINIMAL EFFECTS OF GLOBAL FINANCIAL CRISIS ¶4. (SBU) The IMF team agreed with Post's previous reporting on minimal local effects of the global financial crisis (Ref. A) due to Turkmenistan's limited integration in international financial markets. Fichera said that the recession has had only some moderate impact, in spite of sharply declining oil and gas prices, because price reductions have not yet caught up to Turkmenistan. (NOTE: The price that customers are now paying for Turkmenistan's oil and gas exports will change in accordance with the terms of pricing section of the contract. For gas going to Russia, this should happen in June. END NOTE.) Turkmenistan is feeling some effects due to the dropping demand for oil and gas on the world market, but oil and gas sector infrastructure improvements as well as the very high income from the first quarter of 2009 which will help compensate for income loss during this period. The Rural Development Program is stimulating the local economy, which is growing at a rate of 11 percent, and the government is accelerating program projects in order to take advantage of low international construction material and equipment costs. Turkmenistan expects further economic growth in 2010 -- estimated at 8.5 percent -- because of the commencement of gas exports to China which should begin at the end of 2009. Turkmenistan is aware that the global financial crisis will ASHGABAT 00000617 002 OF 003 affect the textile sector, but is committed to supporting its industry throughout this period. The IMF recommended that the private sector implement reforms in the agricultural sector which the government envisaged implementing itself. EXCHANGE RATE AND FINANCIAL SECTOR REFORM ¶5. (SBU) The team took a positive view of exchange rate reform, noting that the government was successful at keeping a steady supply of money in the marketplace, mounting a broad public information campaign, and enforcing continuation of acceptance of both currencies as the redenominated currency continues to circulate. The new currency has impacted positively on inflation: as a point of comparison, inflation was 10 percent in June and July of 2008, 8 percent during the rest of 2008, and has been gradually declining each month of ¶2009. Fichera said that the government has the means to survive shocks greater than those envisaged for the medium term as well as in 2010 and 2011. Fichera also said that the government intends to implement any reforms in the financial sector gradually, and the IMF believes that the new currency will encourage deposit mobilization. The IMF recommends maintaining a fixed exchange rate for at least one year in order to build trust in the new currency, Fichera said, adding that the authorities would like to maintain a fixed rate longer. Turkmenistan is at risk for needing to appreciate the manat because of the strong oil and gas sector. As a first step towards modernizing interbank money transfers, the IMF discussed the possibility of using certificates for transfers, which would also ensure liquidity. PUBLIC ACCOUNTS REFORM ¶6. (SBU) According to the team, Turkmenistan's budget surplus came from increased revenues due to higher prices on the world oil and gas market that occurred after the budget was written, as well as an increase of tax revenues from the official sector in the post-exchange rate unification period. The team confirmed that the Stabilization Fund will initially use budget surpluses to finance public works projects (Ref. C) -- such as Rural Development Plan construction projects -- and therefore, the IMF told Turkmen officials that the Fund should be referred to as a Development Fund. Fichera said that the government is actively working to learn about the experience of the IMF and European countries in setting up traditional Wealth Stabilization Funds and will pursue these avenues, especially in the next year as gas revenues increase with the opening of the pipeline to China. Fichera mentioned that she criticized the lack of transparency of budgets. She said that the country's financial situation is solid, aided by increased efficiency due to upgrades in the oil and gas infrastructure. The government is not keeping any savings in foreign (hard) currency, and is looking at other countries' systems with the intention of improving its own. STATISTICAL METHODS WILL BE IMPROVED, BUT WHO WILL SEE THEM? ¶7. (SBU) Fichera said that Turkmenistan will run a consumer price index in the provinces beginning in 2010, but could not confirm if this information would be shared with donors. ANTI-MONEY LAUNDERING LEGISLATION ¶8. (SBU) Fichera said that Turkmenistan expects to pass anti-money laundering legislation -- currently in draft form -- in spring 2010. The government told Fichera that it took IMF comments into account when reviewing the draft law, but the Fund has not seen the final version of the law and cannot confirm this fact or what changes have been made. ¶9. (SBU) COMMENT: Without participation of the World Bank ASHGABAT 00000617 003 OF 003 or another entity that could offer perspective on the macroeconomic level which would address the many challenges to private sector development -- Avaza (Ref. D),the banking system, poverty reduction, and lack of transparency and open sharing of statistics -- the IMF Article IV Review report gives an incomplete picture of Turkmenistan's economic climate and is of limited value, especially to private sector companies considering entering the market. END COMMENT. MILES