Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
10ASHGABAT47
2010-01-13 12:40:00
UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
Embassy Ashgabat
Cable title:
TURKMEN GOVERNMENT ANNOUNCES ALTERNATIVE ENERGY
how-toVZCZCXRO6766 PP RUEHIK DE RUEHAH #0047 0131240 ZNR UUUUU ZZH P 131240Z JAN 10 FM AMEMBASSY ASHGABAT TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 4062 INFO RUCNCLS/ALL SOUTH AND CENTRAL ASIA COLLECTIVE RUCNCIS/CIS COLLECTIVE RUCNMEM/EU MEMBER STATES COLLECTIVE RUEHAK/AMEMBASSY ANKARA 6121 RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING 3811 RUEHKO/AMEMBASSY TOKYO 3670 RUEHIT/AMCONSUL ISTANBUL 4363 RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC RHMCSUU/CDR USCENTCOM MACDILL AFB FL RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC RHEFDIA/DIA WASHDC RUEKJCS/JOINT STAFF WASHDC RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHINGTON DC RUEHVEN/USMISSION USOSCE 4295 RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 1410 RUCPDOC/DEPT OF COMMERCE WASHDC RHEBAAA/DEPT OF ENERGY WASHDC RUEATRS/DEPT OF TREASURY WASHDC
UNCLAS ASHGABAT 000047
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
STATE FOR SCA/CEN AND FOR OES (SCHENA),ASTANA FOR
HUDSPETH, ENERGY FOR EKIMOFF/BURPOE/COHEN
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: TRGY ENRG BTIO PGOV SENV TX
SUBJECT: TURKMEN GOVERNMENT ANNOUNCES ALTERNATIVE ENERGY
CONFERENCE
REF: A. 09 ASHGABAT 1676
B. 09 ASHGABAT 1600
UNCLAS ASHGABAT 000047
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
STATE FOR SCA/CEN AND FOR OES (SCHENA),ASTANA FOR
HUDSPETH, ENERGY FOR EKIMOFF/BURPOE/COHEN
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: TRGY ENRG BTIO PGOV SENV TX
SUBJECT: TURKMEN GOVERNMENT ANNOUNCES ALTERNATIVE ENERGY
CONFERENCE
REF: A. 09 ASHGABAT 1676
B. 09 ASHGABAT 1600
1. (U) Sensitive but unclassified. Not for public internet.
2. (U) On January 11, the Turkmenistan Ministry of Foreign
Affairs sent an announcement to all diplomatic missions about
a conference, "Problems of Use of Alternative Energy in
Turkmenistan," that is being organized by the Academy of
Sciences on February 24-25. This notice included a brief
description of the topics for the conference and detailed
instructions for registration. According to the
announcement, the conference will focus on the technical,
ecological, and economic aspects of the development of
alternative energy sources. In addition, conference topics
will include new research, new technologies, and maintenance
of existing systems. The conference organizers stated that
their goals for the conference are to compare foreign and
domestic experience in using alternative energy, and to
attract partners to assist in increasing the use of
alternative energy and in the introduction of new
technologies.
3. (U) The remainder of the material submitted with the
diplomatic note was a solicitation for conference
participants. The organizers requested potential participants
to submit a summary and abstract of the report that they
would present. The working languages of the conference will
be Turkmen, English, and Russian. The announcement added
that applicants invited by the organizing committee will be
fully reimbursed for all travel and lodging expenses. The
announcement did not discuss registration procedures for
conference participants who will not make a presentation.
Additional information about the conference is available on
the Academy of Sciences' website at
www.science.gov.tm/en/events/conf sun energ/
4. (SBU) COMMENT: The Turkmen Government appears to be
putting a lot of effort into this alternative energy
conference, probably because Turkmenistan President
Berdimuhamedov announced in 2009 that the Academy of Sciences
needed to bolster research on alternative energy (Ref A).
Unfortunately, the formal announcement arrived at Post only
four days before the participant application deadline,
leaving little time to spread the word. The delay was more
likely caused by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs bureaucracy
than by the conference organizers. When Poloff met with the
Academy of Sciences at the end of November 2009, they
mentioned the conference (Ref B). One positive is how
accessible the Academy of Sciences has made information. The
registration information included in the dip note has been on
the Academy's website since November 2009. The organizers
gave an email address to submit registration documents, and
they provided phone numbers for additional information, both
in English and Russian. In addition, the fact that the
conference title contains the word "problems" indicates that
a more open discussion of the current situation might occur
than the Turkmen Government usually allows. END COMMENT.
CURRAN
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
STATE FOR SCA/CEN AND FOR OES (SCHENA),ASTANA FOR
HUDSPETH, ENERGY FOR EKIMOFF/BURPOE/COHEN
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: TRGY ENRG BTIO PGOV SENV TX
SUBJECT: TURKMEN GOVERNMENT ANNOUNCES ALTERNATIVE ENERGY
CONFERENCE
REF: A. 09 ASHGABAT 1676
B. 09 ASHGABAT 1600
1. (U) Sensitive but unclassified. Not for public internet.
2. (U) On January 11, the Turkmenistan Ministry of Foreign
Affairs sent an announcement to all diplomatic missions about
a conference, "Problems of Use of Alternative Energy in
Turkmenistan," that is being organized by the Academy of
Sciences on February 24-25. This notice included a brief
description of the topics for the conference and detailed
instructions for registration. According to the
announcement, the conference will focus on the technical,
ecological, and economic aspects of the development of
alternative energy sources. In addition, conference topics
will include new research, new technologies, and maintenance
of existing systems. The conference organizers stated that
their goals for the conference are to compare foreign and
domestic experience in using alternative energy, and to
attract partners to assist in increasing the use of
alternative energy and in the introduction of new
technologies.
3. (U) The remainder of the material submitted with the
diplomatic note was a solicitation for conference
participants. The organizers requested potential participants
to submit a summary and abstract of the report that they
would present. The working languages of the conference will
be Turkmen, English, and Russian. The announcement added
that applicants invited by the organizing committee will be
fully reimbursed for all travel and lodging expenses. The
announcement did not discuss registration procedures for
conference participants who will not make a presentation.
Additional information about the conference is available on
the Academy of Sciences' website at
www.science.gov.tm/en/events/conf sun energ/
4. (SBU) COMMENT: The Turkmen Government appears to be
putting a lot of effort into this alternative energy
conference, probably because Turkmenistan President
Berdimuhamedov announced in 2009 that the Academy of Sciences
needed to bolster research on alternative energy (Ref A).
Unfortunately, the formal announcement arrived at Post only
four days before the participant application deadline,
leaving little time to spread the word. The delay was more
likely caused by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs bureaucracy
than by the conference organizers. When Poloff met with the
Academy of Sciences at the end of November 2009, they
mentioned the conference (Ref B). One positive is how
accessible the Academy of Sciences has made information. The
registration information included in the dip note has been on
the Academy's website since November 2009. The organizers
gave an email address to submit registration documents, and
they provided phone numbers for additional information, both
in English and Russian. In addition, the fact that the
conference title contains the word "problems" indicates that
a more open discussion of the current situation might occur
than the Turkmen Government usually allows. END COMMENT.
CURRAN