VZCZCXRO5105
PP RUEHAG RUEHAST RUEHBI RUEHCI RUEHDF RUEHIK RUEHLH RUEHLN RUEHLZ
RUEHPW RUEHROV RUEHVK RUEHYG
DE RUEHAH #0435/01 0981230
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 071230Z APR 08
FM AMEMBASSY ASHGABAT
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 0565
INFO RUCNCLS/ALL SOUTH AND CENTRAL ASIA COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUCNCIS/CIS COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUCNMEM/EU MEMBER STATES COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUEHAK/AMEMBASSY ANKARA PRIORITY 3600
RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING PRIORITY 1418
RUEHKO/AMEMBASSY TOKYO PRIORITY 1285
RUEHIT/AMCONSUL ISTANBUL PRIORITY 1854
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC PRIORITY
RUEHBS/USEU BRUSSELS PRIORITY
RHMFIUU/CDR USCENTCOM MACDILL AFB FL PRIORITY
RUEHNO/USMISSION USNATO PRIORITY 1341
RUEHVEN/USMISSION USOSCE PRIORITY 2395
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC PRIORITY
RHEFDIA/DIA WASHDC PRIORITY
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC PRIORITY
RUEKJCS/JOINT STAFF WASHDC PRIORITY

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ASHGABAT 000435 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR SCA/CEN 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV PREL ECON MARR NATO TX
SUBJECT:  TURKMENISTAN'S PRESIDENT BERDIMUHAMEDOV MAKES THE 
MOST OF THE NATO SUMMIT IN BUCAREST 
 
 
¶1.  (U)  Sensitive but unclassified.  Not for public Internet. 
 
¶2.  (SBU)  SUMMARY:  President Berdimuhamedov's trip to 
Bucharest April 2-3 for the NATO summit appears to have been 
a success, both in terms of promoting Turkmenistan's image as 
an engaged player on the world stage, and in confirming 
Turkmenistan's likely continued role in NATO's Partnership 
for Peace program and in helping assistance get to 
Afghanistan.  The president took every opportunity to 
underscore that Turkmenistan has an important role to play in 
promoting regional peace and stability, and wants to work 
more closely with NATO.  The brief Bush-Berdimuhamedov 
meeting provided an important opportunity to draw 
Turkmenistan more fully back into the international 
mainstream.  We look forward to seeing if it will pay 
bilateral dividends.  END SUMMARY. 
 
¶3.  (U)  On April 2, President Berdimuhamedov arrived in 
Bucharest, Romania, and became the first Turkmen president to 
attend a NATO meeting.  Although Turkmenistan has been 
cooperating with NATO's Partnership for Peace (PfP) program 
since 1994, Turkmen contact with the organization had been 
limited. 
 
¶4.  (U)  Just prior to departing for the summit, 
Berdimuhamedov publicly said that he wanted Turkmenistan to 
participate in NATO peacekeeping initiatives, and suggested 
that Turkmenistan, with its newly-established UN Center for 
Preventive Diplomacy, be a neutral venue for peace talks. 
Turkmen press laid the groundwork for his trip, noting that 
"Turkmenistan, as a state loyal to the status of neutrality 
it received from the international community, is going to 
confirm its readiness to use its peacekeeping potential to 
maintain peace, stability, and common security, including 
within the framework of cooperation with NATO." 
 
¶5.  (SBU)  Romanian DCM in Ashgabat Laurentiu Coican said 
that when his government requested a delegation list from the 
Turkmen to attend the summit, they refused to provide one, 
saying that they provide a delegation list only when 
attending bilateral meetings.  Further problems arose when 
journalists from state-controlled Turkmen media outlets 
sought visas for Romania without acquiring the needed press 
accreditation first (a process easily handled online).  The 
MFA insisted this was not necessary, because they were the 
president's journalists, and indicated that they would 
acquire accreditation when they arrived at the airport in 
Bucharest.  The Romanian government refused, and the Turkmen 
journalists ended up filling out their accreditation requests 
online two days before departure, so that they could get 
their visas. 
 
¶6.  (SBU)  While at the summit, President Berdimuhamedov met 
with Afghan President Hamid Karzai to discuss fuel and energy 
cooperation, transportation projects, and developments 
regarding the implementation of the 
Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan-India natural gas pipeline 
(TAPI).  The two presidents discussed the progress of the 
north-south railway and communication project underway in 
Turkmenistan, and Karzai expressed his appreciation for the 
project.  Berdimuhamedov also met with Croatian President 
Stjepan Mesic to discuss the development of new bilateral 
economic ties.  The Turkmen president extended an invitation 
for Mesic to visit Turkmenistan, and Mesic reportedly 
accepted the invitation.  Ciocan said that Berdimuhamedov 
also sought a meeting with the Romanian president, but it was 
not possible to arrange one, due to the Turkmen delegation's 
short stay.  (NOTE: The Romanian president, according to 
Ciocan, only had two bilateral meetings -- with Presidents 
Bush and Putin.  END NOTE.) 
 
¶7.  (SBU)  On April 3, Berdimuhamedov met briefly with 
 
ASHGABAT 00000435  002 OF 002 
 
 
President Bush.   Turkmen press reports indicated that the 
Turkmen president reaffirmed Turkmenistan's intention to 
stick with a strategy of pipeline diversification.  They also 
discussed expanding contact in the areas of education, 
science, and voiced their agreement, in particular, to 
increasing the number of Turkmen participating in U.S. 
educational programs.  Turkmen press claimed (although Ciocan 
disputes) that the conversation with Berdimuhamedov was the 
only bilateral discussion Bush held while attending the 
summit. 
 
¶8.  (U)  In a short speech during the summit, Berdimuhamedov 
affirmed Turkmenistan's continued cooperation with PfP, 
naming emergency preparedness, personnel training, science, 
ecology, combating narcotics and terrorism, border control 
projects, and combating international crime as examples of 
constructive joint work that has been done in the framework 
of PfP.  He mentioned the success of the NATO Committee on 
Science-sponsored Silk Road Project, which is bringing 
Internet access to academic institutions throughout 
Turkmenistan. 
 
 ¶9.  (U)  He underscored also Turkmenistan's continued 
willingness to assist with any assistance operations for 
Afghanistan.  He noted his country's past role in supporting 
the transit of humanitarian aid to Afghanistan, and noted 
Turkmenistan's bilateral assistance to Afghanistan.  He also 
mentioned Turkmenistan's potential role in addressing 
political, social and economic problems or crises that 
threaten peace and security, citing the UN Centre for 
Preventive Diplomacy in Ashgabat as the perfect vehicle for 
addressing such crises. 
 
¶10.  (SBU)  COMMENT:  The brief Bush-Berdimuhamedov meeting 
in Bucharest provided an important opportnity to draw 
Turkmenistan more fully back in the international mainstream. 
 Turkmen Media coverage was straightforward without 
distortions or gross exaggerations.  As we have often 
reported, "respect" plays a fundamental role in Turkmen 
political culture.  We look forward to seeing if the 
Bush-Berdimuhamedov meeting will pay bilateral dividends. 
END COMMENT. 
HOAGLAND