Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
09ASHGABAT940
2009-07-28 13:24:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Ashgabat
Cable title:  

IRAN/TURKMENISTAN: HOW TURKMEN VIEW RECENT EVENTS

Tags:  IR PHUM PREL TX 
pdf how-to read a cable
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C O N F I D E N T I A L ASHGABAT 000940 

SIPDIS

STATE FOR NEA/IR AND SCA/CEN

E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/28/2019
TAGS: IR PHUM PREL TX
SUBJECT: IRAN/TURKMENISTAN: HOW TURKMEN VIEW RECENT EVENTS
IN IRAN

Classified By: Charge d'Affaires Sylvia R. Curran. Reasons 1.4(b) and (
d).

C O N F I D E N T I A L ASHGABAT 000940

SIPDIS

STATE FOR NEA/IR AND SCA/CEN

E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/28/2019
TAGS: IR PHUM PREL TX
SUBJECT: IRAN/TURKMENISTAN: HOW TURKMEN VIEW RECENT EVENTS
IN IRAN

Classified By: Charge d'Affaires Sylvia R. Curran. Reasons 1.4(b) and (
d).


1. (C) Decreased travel to and from Iran in the last decade
and the lack of independent media and internet access in
Turkmenistan have all contributed to a general lack of
knowledge or understanding among Turkmen about their neighbor
to the south, despite the presence of over a million ethnic
Turkmen in northern Iran. In conversations in the weeks
following the June 12th presidential election, most Turkmen
have shown trademark reticence about discussing foreign
affairs, not least the disputed election in neighboring Iran.
Comments by several young Turkmen professionals, however --
acquaintances of Iran Watcher who are more comfortable
discussing the issue -- reveal a mixture of curiosity,
surprise and admiration at recent events there.

THEY WOULD NEVER ALLOW THAT HERE

2, (C) A local UN staff member in his early 30's who has been
to Iran said he was amazed when he saw Russian television
news coverage of the protests there, particularly the rally
in Tehran on June 15th. "Iranians have put up with so much,"
he said. "I just assumed people accepted the way things are
there without question. Why else would women agree to be
veiled all the time and for so long?" After seeing the
protests, however, his view of Iranians has changed
completely, and he no longer sees them as passive. He added
that he cannot help but admire the courage of the protesters,
and their willingness to "stand up" to the authorities to
contest the outcome of the election. Likewise, a young
economist we spoke with said that he was watching coverage of
the protests in Iran with a group of friends, who commented
that, "Iran is at least much more of a democracy than
Turkmenistan. Something like that would never be allowed
here."

"IRANIANS HAVE HAD ENOUGH"


3. (C) The local head of an international organization, also
in his thirties, who speaks Farsi and attended a course at
the Iranian diplomatic academy in the early 90s, said the
protests show that "it is only a matter of time" before the
regime in Iran will be forced to make major changes in the
country or "face another revolution." In his view, "People
can only be squeezed so long before they revolt. Iranians
have had enough."


4. (C) COMMENT: Many Turkmen profess a lack of knowledge or
interest in events in Iran, and even those who are following
events there closely say that people here have too many other
problems to take notice of anything but their own
preoccupations. As one politically savvy ethnic Armenian in
Ashgabat noted, "When you have no job, no money, and a sick
child for whom you can't afford medical attention, how can
you be interested in what's happening anywhere else?" END
COMMENT.
CURRAN