VZCZCXRO8759
RR RUEHAST RUEHBI RUEHCI RUEHDBU RUEHFL RUEHLA RUEHLH RUEHLN RUEHMRE
RUEHPOD RUEHPW RUEHROV RUEHSR RUEHVK RUEHYG
DE RUEHAH #1196/01 3100524
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 060524Z NOV 07
FM AMEMBASSY ASHGABAT
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 9655
INFO RUCNCIS/CIS COLLECTIVE
RUCNOSC/OSCE POST COLLECTIVE
RUCNCLS/SOUTH & CENTRAL ASIA COLLECTIVE
RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING 0763
RUEHKO/AMEMBASSY TOKYO 0639
RUEHAK/AMEMBASSY ANKARA 2943
RUEHIT/AMCONSUL ISTANBUL 1216
RHEBAAA/DEPT OF ENERGY WASHDC
RUCPDOC/DEPT OF COMMERCE WASHDC
RHMFIUU/CDR USCENTCOM MACDILL AFB FL
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC
RHEFDIA/DIA WASHDC
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC
RUEHVEN/USMISSION USOSCE 1866
RUEKJCS/JOINT STAFF WASHDC
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ASHGABAT 001196 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
STATE FOR SCA/CEN, SCA/PPD, ECA, DRL 
DOE FOR LANA EKIMOFF/KAY THOMPSON 
 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL PGOV PHUM SCUL KPAO TX
SUBJECT:  ALBUQUERQUE-ASHGABAT SISTER CITY PROGRAM ILLUSTRATES 
"TURNED PAGE" 
 
 
ASHGABAT 00001196  001.2 OF 002 
 
 
¶1.  (U) SUMMARY:  Representatives of Albuquerque's Sister City 
Foundation found their visit to be productive, and more 
significantly a major step forward in their relationship with the 
Ashgabat Mayor's office.  The delegation attended multiple 
Independence Day events and conducted successful outreach, both 
through interviews on state TV and through their home stays and 
charitable activity.  Overall, this trip proved to be more 
successful than in years past.  The group's access to a school for 
the disabled, meetings with city officials, and the positive media 
coverage it received are all signs that Turkmenistan is continuing 
to become more comfortable in its relationship with the United 
States and other countries.   END SUMMARY. 
 
¶2.  (U) The October 25-30 visit of seven members of the Albuquerque 
Sister Cities Foundation to Ashgabat included several veteran 
members of the city's overall sister city program, as well as 
members of the Albuquerque-Ashgabat committee.  Host government 
authorities, particularly city of Ashgabat officials, 
enthusiastically endorsed the delegation's request to attend 
Independence Day events and took a much more active role in 
supporting the sister city relationship. 
 
POSITIVE STEPS IN THE OFFICIAL CITY GOVERNMENT RELATIONSHIP 
 
¶3.  (SBU) The major highlight of the trip was a lengthy and 
successful meeting with Ashgabat Mayor Deryageldy Orazov on October 
29, which included two recent International Visitors Leadership 
Program alumni:  the first deputy mayor who is the mayor's 
international relations department head, as well as the deputy mayor 
for economic issues  (NOTE: All four participants of the recent IVLP 
program were enthusiastic about urban issues upon their return and 
looked forward to expanding their contact with U.S. cities.  END 
NOTE.)  Both sides offered multiple suggestions for expanding the 
relationship between the two cities, with Ashgabat officials 
focusing on gaining Albuquerque's support for construction projects 
and cultural and sports exchanges between the cities.  Albuquerque 
focused on some specifics, including exchanges with a growing 
Albuquerque film industry or the University of New Mexico.  They 
also suggested dedicating a park in each city to the sister 
relationship.  Although the two sides made no concrete agreements, 
the overall attitude and optimism of the meeting was in strong 
contrast to previous attempts by Albuquerque to develop the 
relationship. 
 
POSITIVE OUTREACH ON TV 
 
¶4.  (U) At many of the Independence Day events, state news media 
highlighted the presence of the Albuquerque delegation.  Several 
members gave interviews about their hopes for a closer relationship 
between the two cities and for the future. 
 
OPTIMISTIC VISIT TO A NON-SHOWCASE LOCALE 
 
¶5.  (SBU) In addition, local authorities permitted the delegation to 
visit an Ashgabat school for visually and hearing-impaired children 
to donate school supplies.  In the past, the government was 
reluctant to allow access to such a facility for official visitors 
or allow a donation. 
 
HOST FAMILIES AS THE ONLY CONTINUITY 
 
¶6.  (SBU) Although the overall sister city relationship appeared to 
have expanded with this visit, the many families who have hosted 
each other during visits to both cities make up the core of the 
relationship.  Many families that have been hosts since the early 
1990s were able to reconnect with their exchange visitors during 
this visit.  Most felt strongly that this visit by the Albuquerque 
delegation represented a concrete and positive step in moving the 
program forward. 
 
ASHGABAT 00001196  002.2 OF 002 
 
 
 
SURPRISING QUESTIONS FROM STUDENTS AT TURKMEN STATE 
 
¶7. (U) Turkmenistan State University Students in the English and 
International Relations Department hosted the delegation for rather 
frank and open discussions.  The trend of students becoming bolder 
in their questions locally reached a new peak.  Some students asked 
the Albuquerque delegation how Americans defend their human rights 
and how could people in Turkmenistan defend theirs.  Another asked 
what the delegation members do when they disagree with their 
government's policies.  The delegation members' varied replies to 
the same questions demonstrated tolerance and diversity in 
approaching sensitive issues. 
 
¶8.  (U) COMMENT: The Albuquerque delegation's official meeting with 
the Mayor of Ashgabat and deputies who participated in a recent IVLP 
program was the clearest sign yet of official support for the sister 
city relationship.  The group's access to a school for the disabled, 
along with the positive media coverage are signs that Turkmenistan 
is continuing to become more comfortable in its relationship with 
the United States and other countries.   END COMMENT. 
 
HOAGLAND