Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
09ASHGABAT627
2009-05-15 12:56:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Ashgabat
Cable title:
ONE PERSON ALLEGES TURKMENISTAN IS READY TO LOOK
how-toVZCZCXRO5470 PP RUEHAG RUEHBI RUEHCI RUEHDBU RUEHLH RUEHNEH RUEHPW RUEHROV RUEHSR DE RUEHAH #0627 1351256 ZNY CCCCC ZZH P 151256Z MAY 09 FM AMEMBASSY ASHGABAT TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 2834 INFO RUCNCLS/ALL SOUTH AND CENTRAL ASIA COLLECTIVE RUCNCIS/CIS COLLECTIVE RUCNMEM/EU MEMBER STATES COLLECTIVE RUEHAK/AMEMBASSY ANKARA 5204 RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING 2945 RUEHKO/AMEMBASSY TOKYO 2810 RUEHIT/AMCONSUL ISTANBUL 3448 RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC RHMFISS/CDR USCENTCOM MACDILL AFB FL RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC RHEFDIA/DIA WASHDC RUEKJCS/JOINT STAFF WASHDC RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHINGTON DC RUEHVEN/USMISSION USOSCE 3561
C O N F I D E N T I A L ASHGABAT 000627
SIPDIS
STATE FOR SCA/CEN, EEB
E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/15/2019
TAGS: PGOV EPET EU SOCI TX RU XG
SUBJECT: ONE PERSON ALLEGES TURKMENISTAN IS READY TO LOOK
WESTWARD FOLLOWING GAS PIPELINE EXPLOSION
REF: ASHGABAT 624
Classified By: Charge Richard Miles, reasons 1.4 (B) and (D).
C O N F I D E N T I A L ASHGABAT 000627
SIPDIS
STATE FOR SCA/CEN, EEB
E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/15/2019
TAGS: PGOV EPET EU SOCI TX RU XG
SUBJECT: ONE PERSON ALLEGES TURKMENISTAN IS READY TO LOOK
WESTWARD FOLLOWING GAS PIPELINE EXPLOSION
REF: ASHGABAT 624
Classified By: Charge Richard Miles, reasons 1.4 (B) and (D).
1. (C) In a meeting on May 13, Europa House Co-Coordinator,
Theo Hensels (please protect),said that in addition to
Turkmenistan's search for political support following the gas
pipeline explosion on April 9 (reftel),the Turkmens' "eyes
are opened and they now have a strong will to go for
diversification (of gas pipelines),whatever it takes." He
thinks that the situation is "also dangerous -- by the end of
the year, there could be signs of a shortage of cash and the
government could be forced to implement unpopular policies."
Hensels, who worked for many years in Georgia and Moscow,
said that he believes -- based on his many years of
experience in the former U.S.S.R. -- Russia could have the
intention to destabilize the country to provoke regime
change, and stated that "Putin has the intention to
reestablish the Soviet Union at any cost," adding that "they
want to get Turkmenistan down on its knees." Hensels noted
that Russian companies are involved in construction of the
new Turkmen pipelines going to China and felt that
Turkmenistan could not be sure that the gas would start
flowing to China at the end of the year because of potential
sabotage to this pipeline.
2. (C) Hensels sees a role for the International Monetary
Fund and the World Bank in supporting Turkmenistan's reforms
and in offering the country financial support if the
financial crisis he envisages takes place later in 2009. He
sees this moment as an opportunity for Europe to try to gain
time and solve the problem of alternative energy routes for
Europe.
3. (SBU) COMMENT: Post has heard rumors quite often
recently about the Turkmenistan Government's shortage of
cash, but in this opaque environment this is impossible to
confirm or deny. The opinions expressed above about Russia
and its aims and methods of achieving them belong to one
person, which some would wholeheartedly agree with. While
Russia may be wary of Western influence in Turkmenistan, we
doubt that it would want to see this country destabilized.
END COMMENT.
MILES
SIPDIS
STATE FOR SCA/CEN, EEB
E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/15/2019
TAGS: PGOV EPET EU SOCI TX RU XG
SUBJECT: ONE PERSON ALLEGES TURKMENISTAN IS READY TO LOOK
WESTWARD FOLLOWING GAS PIPELINE EXPLOSION
REF: ASHGABAT 624
Classified By: Charge Richard Miles, reasons 1.4 (B) and (D).
1. (C) In a meeting on May 13, Europa House Co-Coordinator,
Theo Hensels (please protect),said that in addition to
Turkmenistan's search for political support following the gas
pipeline explosion on April 9 (reftel),the Turkmens' "eyes
are opened and they now have a strong will to go for
diversification (of gas pipelines),whatever it takes." He
thinks that the situation is "also dangerous -- by the end of
the year, there could be signs of a shortage of cash and the
government could be forced to implement unpopular policies."
Hensels, who worked for many years in Georgia and Moscow,
said that he believes -- based on his many years of
experience in the former U.S.S.R. -- Russia could have the
intention to destabilize the country to provoke regime
change, and stated that "Putin has the intention to
reestablish the Soviet Union at any cost," adding that "they
want to get Turkmenistan down on its knees." Hensels noted
that Russian companies are involved in construction of the
new Turkmen pipelines going to China and felt that
Turkmenistan could not be sure that the gas would start
flowing to China at the end of the year because of potential
sabotage to this pipeline.
2. (C) Hensels sees a role for the International Monetary
Fund and the World Bank in supporting Turkmenistan's reforms
and in offering the country financial support if the
financial crisis he envisages takes place later in 2009. He
sees this moment as an opportunity for Europe to try to gain
time and solve the problem of alternative energy routes for
Europe.
3. (SBU) COMMENT: Post has heard rumors quite often
recently about the Turkmenistan Government's shortage of
cash, but in this opaque environment this is impossible to
confirm or deny. The opinions expressed above about Russia
and its aims and methods of achieving them belong to one
person, which some would wholeheartedly agree with. While
Russia may be wary of Western influence in Turkmenistan, we
doubt that it would want to see this country destabilized.
END COMMENT.
MILES