VZCZCXRO6157
PP RUEHBC RUEHDBU RUEHDE RUEHKUK
DE RUEHAH #0581/01 1531346
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
P 021346Z JUN 06
FM AMEMBASSY ASHGABAT
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 7397
INFO ALNED/ALNED COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUCNCIS/CIS COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUCNIRA/IRAN COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK PRIORITY 0354
RUEHUNV/USMISSION UNVIE VIENNA PRIORITY 0026

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 ASHGABAT 000581 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR NEA/IR AND SCA (FRESE) 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/02/2016 
TAGS: PREL AORC IAEA KNNP UNSC IR TX
SUBJECT: TURKMENISTAN'S FOREIGN MINISTER AGREES TO CONSIDER 
PUBLIC STATEMENT URGING IRAN TO FOREGO 
ENRICHMENT/REPROCESSING PROGRAMS 
 
REF: A. (A) STATE 87682 
 
     ¶B. (B) ASHGABAT 00579 
     ¶C. (C) STATE 089324 
 
Classified By: Charge d'Affaires Jennifer L. Brush, for reasons 1.4 (b) 
 and (d) 
 
Summary 
------- 
 
¶1.  (C) Charge met with Turkmenistan's Foreign Minister 
Rashit Meredov to thank him for Turkmenistan's public 
statement in support of the U.S. initiative on Iran and to 
urge him to issue an additional public statement requesting 
Iran to do the right thing and also to follow up with Iran 
through diplomatic channels.  Meredov congratulated the 
United States on the initiative and agreed that as a neighbor 
to Iran and a country with a spotless record on 
nonproliferation, Turkmenistan would do what it could to 
support the initiative.  End Summary. 
 
Public Support 
-------------- 
 
¶2.  (C) As reported ref B, Charge notified the MFA of the ref 
B initiative on May 31 and requested a meeting with Foreign 
Minister Meredov to discuss the initiative in greater detail 
on June 1.  Though unable to meet, the Ministry issued a 
press statement on June 1 supporting the U.S. initiative. 
 
Begin Text of Press Statement: 
 
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Turkmenistan, on behalf of 
the Government of Turkmenistan, is authorized to declare that 
Turkmenistan supports the offer of the United States of 
America to conduct negotiations with Iran concerning ceasing 
its nuclear program.  This offer can promote strenthening of 
regional and international stability and security, and help 
contain the crisis situation in the region. 
 
End Text of Press Statement. 
 
More Support Needed 
------------------- 
 
¶3.  (C) Charge thanked Meredov for the statement when they 
met on June 2, saying that was only the first of three steps 
the United States hoped Turkmenistan would undertake in 
support of the initiative.  Meredov wrote down word for word 
the additional two steps the United States proposed.  On the 
second point, to publicly encourage Iran to do the right 
thing, Meredov said Turkmenistan would consider an additional 
press release.  On the third point, to keep the spotlight on 
Iran's choice, Charge recommended that Turkmenistan use its 
well-established diplomatic channels with Iran to urge Iran 
directly to make the right choice and cease enrichment and 
reprocessing.  In this light, Charge noted that Meredov had 
regular contact with Iranian Foreign Minister Manouchehr 
Mottaki and that President Niyazov had had contact over the 
telephone with President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.  Charge also 
noted that both as a neighbor to Iran and as country with 
solid nonproliferation credentials, Turkmenistan had an 
important role to play in supporting this initiative. 
 
¶4.  (C) Meredov agreed with Charge's points and said that 
Turkmenistan would do what it could. 
 
No at Non-Aligned Ministerial 
----------------------------- 
 
¶5.  (C) In response to Charge's question about Turkmenistan's 
participation at the ref C Non-Aligned Movement Ministerial, 
Meredov said the Turkmenistan Ambassador to India had 
attended but did not/not sign the statement in support of 
Iran. 
 
Comment 
------- 
 
¶6.  (C) The Government of Turkmenistan's swift and positive 
response to the U.S. initiative is significant given 
Turkmenistan's position on Iran's border.  President Niyazov 
himself will decide on how much further Turkmenistan will go 
in support of the initiative.  Meredov told Charge that 
President Ahmanadinejad is scheduled to visit Turkmenistan 
 
ASHGABAT 00000581  002 OF 002 
 
 
July 24-25.  Turkmenistan's relations with Iran have been 
almost exclusively commercial - shuttle trade and gas. 
Turkmenistan also has a border dispute with Iran over Caspian 
delimitation.  Furthermore, in our collective memory, 
Turkmenistan has never publicly commented on the internal 
politics of another nation.  It would be an historic step, 
therefore, for Turkmenistan to go further than the June 1 
statement in encouraging Iran to cease its enrichment and 
reprocessing program.  End Comment. 
BRUSH