TURKMENISTAN SEES NEUTRALITY AS PART OF ENERGY DIPLOMACY

UNCLAS ASHGABAT 000666

SENSITIVE

SIPDIS

STATE FOR SCA/CEN; EEB
ENERGY FOR EKIMOFF/THOMPSON
COMMERCE FOR HUEPER

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: EPET PREL PGOV EINV TX
SUBJECT: TURKMENISTAN SEES NEUTRALITY AS PART OF ENERGY DIPLOMACY


1. (U) Sensitive but unclassified. Not for public Internet.


2. (SBU) SUMMARY: On May 21, state-controlled newspaper "Neytralny
Turkmenistan" published an op-ed by a Turkmen MFA official outlining
the main objectives, directions, and energy diplomacy component of
Turkmenistan's foreign policy. A number of international media
outlets reported on this article, speculating that it might
represent a change in Turkmenistan's priorities in international
affairs. While the article does not describe a significant course
change for Turkmen foreign policy, it does outline the manner in
which the country's neutrality will allow it to balance its energy
export partnerships while deciding future export routes from a
commercial, rather than political viewpoint. END SUMMARY.


3. (SBU) The article starts with a long-winded discourse about how
the foreign policy of a state increasingly serves as a tool for
achieving economic, social, scientific, cultural and humanitarian
goals. The author urges Turkmenistan to make use of its sovereign
strengths such as neutrality, hydrocarbon resources, geographic
location, and peacemaking experience in its foreign policy. The
article states that Turkmenistan has decided to engage in full-scale
cooperation with the world community and to "integrate into the
global development process based on a thorough analysis of current
trends in the international arena." The article added that
President Berdimuhamedov's speech at the 2007 UNGA session became
the starting point in Turkmenistan's new foreign policy strategy.


4. (SBU) The article emphasized that Turkmenistan would continue to
base its foreign policy on the country's neutrality, but more
attention will be directed in the near term to the economic and
geo-economic elements of neutrality. Turkmenistan will continue to
promote the development of an internationally-recognized approach to
energy security, according to the author, because "various factors"
can make bilateral agreements "very vulnerable."


5. (SBU) The article also stated that Turkmenistan will remain
committed to the principle of energy route diversification and
asserted that neutrality will protect the country's efforts to
diversify its export options against political pressure. The author
noted that Turkmenistan considers its energy wealth and geographic
location to be positive factors that help "maintain a balance of
interests" in the Eurasian energy market, by giving a variety of
partners equal access to Turkmen energy resources and
infrastructure. This policy position, added the author, influences
Turkmenistan's foreign policy decision making and initiatives on
energy issues.


6. (SBU) COMMENT: The article was certainly reviewed at the
highest levels of government before appearing in Neytralny
Turkmenistan, and should be considered an official government
statement. It was worded carefully, using sophisticated political
and diplomatic terminology, and was likely intended for foreign
analysts as well as the Turkmen audience. It does not, however,
contain indications of any sharp change in Turkmenistan's foreign
policy, nor does it suggest that Turkmenistan prefers a Western
direction for energy exports over others. The new twist in policy
that this article explains is the idea that neutrality is a key
element of Turkmenistan's energy diplomacy. This may, then,
indicate that Turkmenistan will lean on its neutrality when
considering the various options and directions for its gas exports,
and will not consider previous gas agreements with Russia as a
sufficient reason to give Russia the priority when deciding on new
routes. END COMMENT.

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