Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
09ASHGABAT973
2009-07-31 12:28:00
UNCLASSIFIED
Embassy Ashgabat
Cable title:
TURKMENISTAN: MFA-AUTHORED ARTICLE OUTLINES
how-toVZCZCXRO1195 PP RUEHAG RUEHAST RUEHBI RUEHCI RUEHDBU RUEHDF RUEHIK RUEHLH RUEHLN RUEHLZ RUEHNEH RUEHPW RUEHROV RUEHSK RUEHSL RUEHSR RUEHVK RUEHYG DE RUEHAH #0973 2121228 ZNR UUUUU ZZH P 311228Z JUL 09 FM AMEMBASSY ASHGABAT TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 3234 INFO RUCPDOC/DEPT OF COMMERCE WASHDC PRIORITY RUEATRS/DEPT OF TREASURY WASHDC PRIORITY RUCNCLS/ALL SOUTH AND CENTRAL ASIA COLLECTIVE RUCNCIS/CIS COLLECTIVE RUCNMEM/EU MEMBER STATES COLLECTIVE RUEHAK/AMEMBASSY ANKARA 5495 RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING 3218 RUEHKO/AMEMBASSY TOKYO 3083 RUEHIT/AMCONSUL ISTANBUL 3738 RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 1075 RHMCSUU/CDR USCENTCOM MACDILL AFB FL RUEHVEN/USMISSION USOSCE 3769 RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC RHEFDIA/DIA WASHDC RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC RUEKJCS/JOINT STAFF WASHDC
UNCLAS ASHGABAT 000973
SIPDIS
STATE FOR SCA/CEN; EEB
ENERGY FOR EKIMOFF/THOMPSON
COMMERCE FOR HUEPER
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: EPET PGOV EINV TX
SUBJECT: TURKMENISTAN: MFA-AUTHORED ARTICLE OUTLINES
GOVERNMENT ENERGY POLICY
REFS: A) ASHGABAT 908; B) ASHGABAT 886; C) ASHGABAT 947
UNCLAS ASHGABAT 000973
SIPDIS
STATE FOR SCA/CEN; EEB
ENERGY FOR EKIMOFF/THOMPSON
COMMERCE FOR HUEPER
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: EPET PGOV EINV TX
SUBJECT: TURKMENISTAN: MFA-AUTHORED ARTICLE OUTLINES
GOVERNMENT ENERGY POLICY
REFS: A) ASHGABAT 908; B) ASHGABAT 886; C) ASHGABAT 947
1. SUMMARY: On July 30, state-run Neutralniy
Turkmenistan newspaper published an article prepared by the
Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Turkmenistan outlining the
country's energy policy. The article also highlighted recent
gas-export developments in the country's energy sector and
speculated about using energy diplomacy as a tool for
promoting national interests and closer international
cooperation in the energy sector. Below is the summary of the
most noteworthy parts of the article. END SUMMARY.
2. The article, titled "The Energy Policy of
Turkmenistan: Many Geographic Alternatives, A Single
Approach," began with a statement of Turkmenistan's commitment
to diversification of its energy export routes, which is
considered "a factor contributing to the development of
regional economic cooperation." The article continued with a
description of Turkmenistan's efforts to promote the western
direction of gas exports. It praised the production sharing
agreement (PSA) recently signed by the Turkmen Government with
the German RWE Company (Ref A) and portrayed the PSA as the
beginning of practical implementation of a westbound gas
supply route. The article also praised the general
development of political and economic contacts between the EU
and Turkmenistan and emphasized that Turkmenistan welcomes
that development. The "European" focus occupied about half of
the article.
3. The article also reflected on the recent agreements
reached by Turkmenistan and Iran on increased gas supplies to
Iran and the new price formula for Turkmen gas, although
without any mention of the exact price (Ref B). (NOTE: Iranian
media reported this week that the new price is $170 per
thousand cubic meters. END NOTE.) The article then continued
with praise for Turkmen-China cooperation in the energy sector
and the construction of the Turkmenistan - Uzbekistan -
Kazakhstan - China gas pipeline. It also noted that the two
countries have very close positions regarding the issues
related to ensuring reliability and security of energy
supplies to the world market. (NOTE: The article failed to
mention both the existing pipeline routes leading to Russia
and the proposed Turkmenistan - Kazakhstan - Russia gas
pipeline project along the Caspian coast. END NOTE.)
4. COMMENT: The article appeared six days after
President Berdimuhammedov's statement regarding the Turkmen
Government's intention to take the Turkmen-Azeri Caspian
boundary dispute to an international court of arbitration (Ref
C). That statement triggered speculation in international
media that an escalation of the Turkmen-Azeri dispute could
jeopardize Western-backed projects aimed at transporting
Turkmen gas to Europe. The article might be a sign from the
Turkmen Government that its position regarding the Western-
backed pipeline projects has not changed because of the
Caspian dispute escalation and that the Turkmen Government
still considers a Western direction for gas exports as a viable
option. END COMMENT.
MILES
SIPDIS
STATE FOR SCA/CEN; EEB
ENERGY FOR EKIMOFF/THOMPSON
COMMERCE FOR HUEPER
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: EPET PGOV EINV TX
SUBJECT: TURKMENISTAN: MFA-AUTHORED ARTICLE OUTLINES
GOVERNMENT ENERGY POLICY
REFS: A) ASHGABAT 908; B) ASHGABAT 886; C) ASHGABAT 947
1. SUMMARY: On July 30, state-run Neutralniy
Turkmenistan newspaper published an article prepared by the
Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Turkmenistan outlining the
country's energy policy. The article also highlighted recent
gas-export developments in the country's energy sector and
speculated about using energy diplomacy as a tool for
promoting national interests and closer international
cooperation in the energy sector. Below is the summary of the
most noteworthy parts of the article. END SUMMARY.
2. The article, titled "The Energy Policy of
Turkmenistan: Many Geographic Alternatives, A Single
Approach," began with a statement of Turkmenistan's commitment
to diversification of its energy export routes, which is
considered "a factor contributing to the development of
regional economic cooperation." The article continued with a
description of Turkmenistan's efforts to promote the western
direction of gas exports. It praised the production sharing
agreement (PSA) recently signed by the Turkmen Government with
the German RWE Company (Ref A) and portrayed the PSA as the
beginning of practical implementation of a westbound gas
supply route. The article also praised the general
development of political and economic contacts between the EU
and Turkmenistan and emphasized that Turkmenistan welcomes
that development. The "European" focus occupied about half of
the article.
3. The article also reflected on the recent agreements
reached by Turkmenistan and Iran on increased gas supplies to
Iran and the new price formula for Turkmen gas, although
without any mention of the exact price (Ref B). (NOTE: Iranian
media reported this week that the new price is $170 per
thousand cubic meters. END NOTE.) The article then continued
with praise for Turkmen-China cooperation in the energy sector
and the construction of the Turkmenistan - Uzbekistan -
Kazakhstan - China gas pipeline. It also noted that the two
countries have very close positions regarding the issues
related to ensuring reliability and security of energy
supplies to the world market. (NOTE: The article failed to
mention both the existing pipeline routes leading to Russia
and the proposed Turkmenistan - Kazakhstan - Russia gas
pipeline project along the Caspian coast. END NOTE.)
4. COMMENT: The article appeared six days after
President Berdimuhammedov's statement regarding the Turkmen
Government's intention to take the Turkmen-Azeri Caspian
boundary dispute to an international court of arbitration (Ref
C). That statement triggered speculation in international
media that an escalation of the Turkmen-Azeri dispute could
jeopardize Western-backed projects aimed at transporting
Turkmen gas to Europe. The article might be a sign from the
Turkmen Government that its position regarding the Western-
backed pipeline projects has not changed because of the
Caspian dispute escalation and that the Turkmen Government
still considers a Western direction for gas exports as a viable
option. END COMMENT.
MILES