VZCZCXRO8508
PP RUEHAG RUEHAST RUEHBI RUEHCI RUEHDF RUEHIK RUEHLH RUEHLN RUEHLZ
RUEHPW RUEHROV RUEHVK RUEHYG
DE RUEHAH #0280/01 0581244
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 271244Z FEB 08
FM AMEMBASSY ASHGABAT
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 0340
INFO RUCNCLS/ALL SOUTH AND CENTRAL ASIA COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUCNCIS/CIS COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUCNMEM/EU MEMBER STATES COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUEHAK/AMEMBASSY ANKARA PRIORITY 3432
RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING PRIORITY 1250
RUEHKO/AMEMBASSY TOKYO PRIORITY 1117
RUEHIT/AMCONSUL ISTANBUL PRIORITY 1686
RHEBAAA/DEPT OF ENERGY WASHDC PRIORITY
RHMFIUU/CDR USCENTCOM MACDILL AFB FL PRIORITY
RUCPDOC/DEPT OF COMMERCE WASHDC PRIORITY
RUEHVEN/USMISSION USOSCE PRIORITY 2264
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC PRIORITY
RHEFDIA/DIA WASHDC PRIORITY
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC PRIORITY
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC PRIORITY
RUEKJCS/JOINT STAFF WASHDC PRIORITY

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ASHGABAT 000280 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR SCA/CEN 
ENERGY FOR EKIMOFF/THOMPSON 
COMMERCE FOR HEUPER 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV PREL EPET ETRD RS TX
SUBJECT:  TURKMENISTAN:  BERDIMUHAMEDOV PRIORITIZES 
BILATERAL ISSUES AT MULTILATERAL CIS SUMMIT 
 
 
¶1.  (U)  Sensitive but unclassified.  Not for public Internet. 
 
¶2.  (SBU)  SUMMARY:  President Berdimuhamedov was in Moscow 
February 22 for the CIS Informal Summit, where Putin said 
goodbye, the Turkmen president defined neutrality, and they 
both watered and nourished the Russian-Turkmen economic 
relationship.  As an self-confirming "associated member," 
Berdimuhamedov appeared to play a role similar to that of the 
regular members.  Later, Putin invited him for a private 
discussion, where the two reviewed progress on the Caspian 
littoral pipeline, construction that will soon begin on the 
Turkmenistan-China pipeline, and the planned refurbishment of 
the Central Asia-Center pipeline.  All indicators point to 
Berdimuhamedov continuing to mold his country's role in the 
CIS as he sees fit, but it is also clear that he views Russia 
as an important trade and investment partner.  END SUMMARY. 
 
¶3.  (U)  President Berdimuhamedov flew to Moscow on February 
22 to attend the CIS Informal Summit, where Putin bade 
farewell to the gathering of CIS presidents and introduced 
Russian presidential candidate and heir presumptive Dmitry 
Medvedev to them.  While at the summit, Berdimuhamedov took 
special pains to underscore Turkmenistan's role in the CIS as 
an "associated member" and noted that Turkmenistan views the 
CIS as "a consultative body."  He explained that this status 
affords Turkmenistan special opportunities to advance 
bilateral and multilateral partnerships. 
 
¶4.  (U)  The state-controlled Turkmen press provided a primer 
on how Turkmenistan can maintain its "permanent neutrality" 
while enjoying the benefits of participation.  While 
acknowledging that Turkmenistan's participation in the CIS 
has expanded in recent years, the press explained that it 
also advances the president's foreign policy strategy, which 
is "aimed at expanding international contacts for peace and 
progress." 
 
¶5.  (U)  When given his chance to address the other summit 
attendees, Berdimuhamedov focused primarily on the bilateral 
partnership, crediting Putin with deepening trade and the 
economic relationship between Turkmenistan and Russia, and 
said that his country had increased its trade turnover with 
Russia in 2007 by nearly 30% compared to previous years.  He 
also expressed his general support for several transportation 
projects discussed during the Dushanbe CIS meeting in late 
2007, to include construction of a rail line from Kazakhstan 
south through Iran and development of an international ferry 
system on the Caspian Sea. 
 
¶6.  (SBU)  Without going into detail, he also recommended 
that the CIS consider revising its framework documentation to 
enable member states to operate under the auspices of the 
organization more easily without having to put sovereign 
interests at risk for the benefit of the organization. 
(NOTE:  He may have been simply asking that the organization 
provide more of a documentary fig leaf for Turkmenistan's 
participation as a neutral state, if he foresees Turkmenistan 
playing a more significant role in the group.  END NOTE.) 
 
¶7.  (U)  During a separate bilateral meeting between Putin 
and Berdimuhamedov, the Turkmen press reported that they 
discussed the Caspian littoral pipeline and refurbishment of 
the existing gas pipeline "in the European direction," 
referring to the Central Asia-Center line.  Berdimuhamedov 
expressed his satisfaction with the increasing amount of 
Russian business activity in Turkmenistan and the joint 
ventures that are developing.  He also highlighted 
Turkmenistan's recent agreement with the Russian 
Stroytransgaz Joint Stock Company, which will be doing some 
of the construction on the future Turkmenistan-China gas 
 
ASHGABAT 00000280  002 OF 002 
 
 
pipeline.  The initial contract for facilities that will 
support the pipeline's operations was reportedly worth about 
$590 million. 
 
¶8.  (SBU)  COMMENT:  The Turkmen president's primary mission 
appeared to be an effort to promote the further expansion of 
Russian trade and investment in Turkmenistan.   Despite 
Berdimuhamedov having faithfully attended all of the CIS 
summit events over the past year and becoming more of an 
active participant, he still remains interested asserting and 
strengthening Turkmenistan's neutrality stance.  Apparently, 
increased activity in regional groupings is a means to 
promote trade or good will with a variety of partners and not 
a signal that Turkmenistan wants to form alliances with any 
other state.  END COMMENT. 
HOAGLAND