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FM AMEMBASSY ASHGABAT
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RUCNCIS/CIS COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
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C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 05 ASHGABAT 000062 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR SCA/CEN, SCA/PPD, EUR/ACE, EUR/CARC, EEB (AMB. 
STEVE MANN) 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/14/2018 
TAGS: PGOV PREL EAGR EPET EU AZ GG RS TX
SUBJECT:  TURKMENISTAN:  SFRC MINORITY CHAIRMAN SENATOR 
RICHARD LUGAR AND PRESIDENT BERDIMUHAMEDOV, JANUARY 11, 
2008:  BUILDING TRUST AND RESPECT 
 
REF: A. ASHGABAT 0049 
     ¶B. ASHGABAT 0034 
     ¶C. 07 ASHGABAT 1258 
 
Classified By: CHARGE RICHARD E. HOAGLAND FOR REASONS 1.4 (B), (D) 
 
¶1.  (C) PARTICIPANTS: 
 
UNITED STATES: 
     Senator Richard Lugar 
     Kenneth A. Meyers III, Republican Senior Professional 
Staff 
     Charge d'affaires (note-taker) 
 
TURKMENISTAN: 
     President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov 
     Deputy Chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers for Foreign 
Affairs Rashit Meredov 
     Two unidentified presidential staff note-takers 
 
PLACE:  President of Turkmenistan's personal reception room 
adjacent to his office complex in the New Presidential 
Palace.  (NOTE:  This meeting took place in armchairs, rather 
than across a conference table, as a Turkmen mark of intimacy 
and respect.  END NOTE.) 
 
¶2.  (C) SUMMARY:  During a significant visit to Turkmenistan 
by U.S. Senator Richard Lugar, President Gurbanguly 
Berdimuhamedov 
 
-- averred his respect for and desire to cooperate with 
Georgian President Mikhail Saakashvili; 
 
-- requested long-term senior-level U.S. agricultural reform 
advisers; 
 
-- asserted he wants the United States to facilitate a 
trans-Caspian gas pipeline; 
 
-- criticized the EU for treating Turkmenistan as a "country 
cousin"; 
 
-- insisted he wants much more U.S.-Turkmenistan educational 
exchanges; 
 
-- responded with eagerness to a suggestion he visit 
Washington; and 
 
-- through his senior Foreign Ministry officials, expressed 
sincere gratitude that Senator Lugar chose to attend 
Turkmenistan's Memorial Day ceremony.  END SUMMARY. 
 
¶3.  (C) Senate Foreign Relations Committee Minority Chairman 
Senator Richard Lugar (R-IN) met with Turkmenistan's 
President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov for 75 minutes on January 
¶11.  The meeting was open, frank, and cordial. 
Berdimuhamedov was well-briefed, fully engaged, and eagerly 
participated in a real give-and-take conversation. 
 
"MY GOOD FRIEND SAAKASHVILI" 
 
¶4.  (C) Senator Lugar briefed President Berdimuhamedov on his 
meeting during this current trip with Georgian 
President-elect Mikhail Saakashvili in Tbilisi, and passed 
Saakashvili's warm greetings to Berdimuhamedov, who confirmed 
he will attend Saakashvili's January 20 inauguration.  "Of 
course, we've very good friends.  Maybe (Kazakhstan's 
 
ASHGABAT 00000062  002 OF 005 
 
 
Nursultan) Nazerbayev can afford to take vacations now, but 
Misha (Saakashvili) and I are young and have to work hard all 
the time.  We get along very well together.  I like him." 
 
¶5.  (C) Berdimuhamedov also praised Georgian Speaker of 
Parliament and Acting President Nino Burjanadze as a most 
effective politician who cares first and foremost about her 
country and who is a "remarkable woman."  Berdimuhamedov 
commented on the coincidence that both Turkmenistan's and 
Georgia's speakers of parliament are female, which had 
immediately broken the ice when Burjanadze visited Ashgabat 
earlier in 2007. 
 
AGRICULTURAL REFORM:  "I WANT SENIOR U.S. EXPERTS" 
 
¶6.  (SBU) Senator Lugar noted he is one of three active 
farmers in the U.S. Senate, and commented rising food prices 
are becoming a challenge for some countries.  He asked the 
president about the status of agriculture and food security 
in Turkmenistan. 
 
¶7.  (C) Berdimuhamedov responded he had just told his cabinet 
that Turkmenistan must strive for domestic food sufficiency, 
especially in wheat.  He explained the reforms he is 
promoting in the agricultural sector that will nudge farmers 
closer toward a market economy, even though the government 
still provides mostly subsidized inputs.  Related to inputs, 
he noted Turkmenistan has on order 500 Case-New Holland 
tractors and combines.  He also praised John Deere 
agricultural machinery because it doesn't tend to catch on 
fire, unlike Polish and Russian machinery, during the wheat 
harvest when the temperature can be well above 40 degrees 
centigrade. 
 
¶8.  (C) The president said he has created an Agricultural 
Institute at Dashoguz (capital of Turkmenistan's northern 
province) that he intends will soon achieve the status of a 
full faculty of Turkmen State University.  He said he has 
decreed the institute will report directly to him "to cut our 
the middle-men who don't always tell me the truth." 
(COMMENT:  A remarkable statement, indicating Berdimuhamedov 
is aware that the permanent bureaucracy tends to work against 
his reforms to protect their vested interests.  END COMMENT.) 
 Berdimuhamedov added he wants "long-term senior-level U.S. 
expert-advisors" to work in the agriculture sector.  "They 
have to be here long enough so that we understand each 
other."  Senator Lugar strongly agreed, and noted Purdue 
University in Indiana has one of the best concentrations of 
agricultural specialists in the United States. 
 
Berdimuhamedov said salinization of Turkmenistan's limited 
arable land is an increasing problem, and his government 
seeks foreign cooperation on this issue.  Charge interjected 
the University of Nevada has submitted an important proposal 
in this field, but vested interests have stalled it. 
Berdimuhamedov replied, "Really?  I want the details!"  The 
president added he had discussed this issue with U.S. 
businessmen during his September visit to New York to 
participate in the UN General Assembly.  He insisted, "We 
want much, more senior expert-level contact with you.  Just 
think -- we are like a 16-year-old kid still learning our way 
in the world.  The USSR did nothing for us for 70 years but 
pump out our gas and oil." 
 
ENERGY:  "MY GOAL IS A TRANS-CASPIAN PIPELINE" 
 
¶9.  (C) Senator Lugar told Berdimuhamedov he had just asked 
 
ASHGABAT 00000062  003 OF 005 
 
 
President Saakashvili about Georgia's natural gas security, 
and Saakashvili had replied Georgia is OK for now but needs 
Turkmenistan's gas.  Senator Lugar said, "I hope you'll be 
able to come together on that issue." 
 
¶10.  (C) Sitting forward in his chair, Berdimuhamedov said, 
"You know, we really want this kind of cooperation with 
Georgia.  The Almighty has given us great hydrocarbon wealth, 
and we definitely want to diversify our sales.  But we 
currently have laws and regulations by which we sell our 
resources at our border."  Berdimuhamedov added, "Some doubt 
we have the resources to sell to all, and so I have ordered 
an international audit of hydrocarbon resources (reftel A). 
The other issue is price.  I have said repeatedly we will 
sell our natural gas by international standards and at 
international prices starting in 2009, but no one seems to 
have picked up on that yet.  I am most serious about this." 
 
¶11.  (C) Berdimuhamedov said, "I want a trans-Caspian gas 
pipeline, but I can't do it alone.  Five countries border the 
Caspian Sea.  During the Caspian Summit in October in Tehran, 
I said I wanted transparent use of the Caspian for transport 
of energy resources.  They all jumped on me.  One (Russian 
President Vladimir Putin) insisted on five-country consensus 
for any project.  I resisted, but no one supported me.  I 
think we have the right to insist on that."  Senator Lugar 
said he strongly encouraged Turkmenistan to exercise that 
right.  Berdimuhamedov replied, "Certainly!  Why not!"  He 
added that many voices are talking, but few are doing 
anything positive and concrete because they are 
self-interested. 
 
¶12.  (C) Senator Lugar asked what kind of approaches by U.S. 
energy companies would be of most interest to Turkmenistan. 
Berdimuhamedov replied his government has met repeatedly with 
U.S. companies.  He explained, "Our strong policy is to favor 
service contracts and joint ventures on-shore, but we 
encourage production sharing agreements off-shore in the 
Caspian, because we understand that will lead to a 
trans-Caspian pipeline, which is our goal."  Significantly, 
Berdimuhamedov added for the first time, "Start working 
within our current laws, and then we can see what will 
develop." 
 
¶13.  (C) Berdimuhamedov said, "Of course we will be vigilant 
about ecological issues, but I am a little tired of one power 
(Russia) that is sloganeering about ecology to hold back 
Caspian development."  With that comment, Berdimuhamedov 
waved his hand and rolled his eyes. 
 
¶14.  (C) Berdimuhamedov told Senator Lugar, "I am pushing my 
people to ask the United States to facilitate more meetings 
with Azerbaijan so we can develop a trans-Caspian pipeline. 
That is my goal."  Senator Lugar replied, "We understand the 
pressure on you.  We need to know how to be constructively 
helpful.  We want to be able to support you properly.  (NOTE: 
 After nearly four months of considering a U.S. facilitation 
offer the Charge has been pressing, Foreign Minister Meredov 
has just said (reftel B) he would welcome such discussions as 
soon as possible with EEB Ambassador Steven Mann.  END NOTE.) 
 
¶15.  (C) Berdimuhamedov said, "Please understand I am serious 
about this.  I just told (Deputy Chairman of the Cabinet of 
Ministers for Oil and Gas Tachberdi) Tagiyev I am most 
serious about U.S. help on the trans-Caspian pipeline." 
Berdimuhamedov added, "There are some Russian rumors that the 
Prikaspiskyy pipeline will kill the trans-Caspian, but the 
 
ASHGABAT 00000062  004 OF 005 
 
 
sources of gas will be different for each.  I assure you we 
have enough, and the international audit will prove it." 
Berdimuhamedov concluded, "I want to be clear -- we are 
strongly for a trans-Caspian pipeline, and we are working out 
our structural approach.  But we can't do it alone.  We need 
your help." 
 
¶16.  (C) Senator Lugar thanked the president for his 
unequivocal statement.  He said, "I will conveyyour views to 
those who are interested.  We very much want to be a 
constructive partner on this issue." 
 
EUROPE:  "WE AREN'T THE COUNTRY COUSIN" 
 
¶17.  (C) Shifting gears, Berdimuhamedov said he was frankly 
surprised how well he had been received in the United States 
during his September visit for UNGA in New York.  As he had 
told Ambassador Steven Mann in October (reftel C), the 
difference between his reception in the United States and in 
Brussels in November was "the difference between heaven and 
earth."  Berdimuhamedov elaborated, "The European leaders 
just don't seem to understand us as you do.  Brussels thought 
I had come to beg.  They say they want our energy resources, 
but they shouldn't arrogantly treat us like the country 
cousin.  I like Europe, but I don't feel the same about the 
EU leaders.  Frankly, they were rude.  The United States is 
the United States, and I like that.  You are transparent. 
You treat us as an equal.  Thank you for that respect." 
 
STUDENT EXCHANGES:  "I WANT MORE" 
 
¶18.  (C) Senator Lugar said he is grateful that 
U.S.-Turkmenistan relations are growing in such a positive 
direction.  He said the United States wants to support 
Turkmenistan's goals to improve education and health care. 
Berdimuhamedov reminisced how impressed he had been in New 
York by his meeting with students at Columbia University.  He 
said, "I wish our students would be so energetic and 
outspoken.  I can work with people like that!  We need much 
more educational exchanges so our students learn to feel 
responsibility for their nation." 
 
VISIT TO THE UNITED STATES?  "YES, YES, YES, WE MUST WORK ON 
THAT!" 
 
¶19.  (C) Senator Lugar told President Berdimuhamedov, "I 
would hope you could come to Washington.  I will mention to 
my friends how important that would be."  Leaning forward in 
his chair, Berdimuhamedov responded energetically, "Yes, yes, 
yes!  I really need to do that.  Let's work on it!" 
(COMMENT:  In a subsequent conversation, Foreign Ministry 
America's Director Serdar Bashimov told the Charge, "This was 
a terribly significant moment.  You can help us move forward 
in the right direction to make this happen."  END COMMENT.) 
 
MEMORIAL DAY:  A SIGNAL MARK OF RESPECT 
 
¶20.  (C) During their warm closing comments, President 
Berdimuhamedov urged Senator Lugar to attend the next-day 
(January 12) solemn Memorial Day ceremony at Gok-Depe (one 
hour west of Ashgabat), at which Turkmenistan pays tribute to 
those Turkmen who lost their lives in the 1881 massacre by 
Imperial Russia that led to 110 years of Russian-Soviet 
subjugation of Turkmenistan. 
 
¶21.  (C) The event was not on the senator's schedule. 
Senator Lugar thanked the president for his gracious 
 
ASHGABAT 00000062  005 OF 005 
 
 
invitation, but made no commitment.  Late that evening, 
Deputy Foreign Minister Hajiyev called in the Charge to press 
the invitation.  He said explicitly, "You understand, we 
would never ask the Russians to attend this."  Charge 
undertook to pass the renewed invitation to Senator Lugar, 
who agreed to attend. 
 
¶22.  (C) On January 12, Senator Lugar stood for nearly one 
hour before the Gok-Depe Memorial Mosque in subfreezing 
temperatures with a light snow falling to show U.S. respect 
for Turkmenistan's history and its independent and sovereign 
people.  Later the same day, Deputy Chairman/Foreign Minister 
Meredov warmly thanked the senator for his unforgettable mark 
ofrespect, especially given the inclement weather.  The next 
day, Foreign Ministry Americas Director Bashimov told the 
Charge that President Berdimuhamedov "would never forget this 
significant gesture by the patriarch of American foreign 
policy." 
 
¶23.  (C) COMMENT:  By tradition, Turkmenistanis pay highest 
respect to elders, and nothing could have been better at this 
moment in the new bilateral relationship than Senator Lugar's 
visit.  It unlocked long-equivocal lips and made clear 
President Berdimuhamedov himself is open to new cooperation 
with the United States, most significantly on a trans-Caspian 
pipeline, even though he will continue to have a strong 
up-hill battle against the vested interests and those in the 
entrenched bureaucracy who are pro-Russia.  Charge strongly 
recommends follow-up on the new openings Berdimuhamedov 
offered, including the possibility of a visit this year to 
Washington, which would help cement his reform-agenda 
leadership and Caspian energy vision.  END COMMENT. 
 
¶24.  (U) CODEL Lugar did not have an opportunity to clear 
this cable but authorized its transmission. 
HOAGLAND