VZCZCXRO6372
RR RUEHAG RUEHAST RUEHBI RUEHCI RUEHDF RUEHIK RUEHLH RUEHLN RUEHLZ
RUEHPW RUEHROV RUEHVK RUEHYG
DE RUEHAH #0509 1150358
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 240358Z APR 08
FM AMEMBASSY ASHGABAT
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 0658
INFO RUCNCLS/ALL SOUTH AND CENTRAL ASIA COLLECTIVE
RUCNCIS/CIS COLLECTIVE
RUCNMEM/EU MEMBER STATES COLLECTIVE
RUEHAK/AMEMBASSY ANKARA 3670
RUEHAD/AMEMBASSY ABU DHABI 0309
RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING 1488
RUEHKL/AMEMBASSY KUALA LUMPUR 0113
RUEHKO/AMEMBASSY TOKYO 1355
RUEHIT/AMCONSUL ISTANBUL 1924
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC
RUCPDOC/DEPT OF COMMERCE WASHDC
RHMFIUU/CDR USCENTCOM MACDILL AFB FL
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC
RHEFDIA/DIA WASHDC
RUEKJCS/JOINT STAFF WASHDC
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC
RUEHVEN/USMISSION USOSCE 2443

UNCLAS ASHGABAT 000509 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR SCA/CEN, INL/AAE, EEB 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL ETRD SNAR IR TX
SUBJECT: IRANIAN DIPLOMAT PUBLICLY HARANGUES TURKMENISTAN FOR POOR 
CROSS-BORDER TRADE MANAGEMENT 
 
REF:  ASHGABAT 401 
 
¶1.  (U) Sensitive but unclassified.  Not for public Internet. 
 
¶2.  (SBU) SUMMARY:  During an April 22 Trade Facilitation workshop 
held in Ashgabat for Central Asian agencies involved in border 
control and trade, an Iranian diplomat made a 5-minute harangue 
criticizing the Government of Turkmenistan's handling of its trade 
with Iran.  He specifically referred to recent cases where Iranian 
truck drivers were arrested for possession of opium for personal use 
and actions by Turkmen authorities that led to huge losses for the 
Iranian transportation company involved.  The very public way the 
diplomat raised his government's concerns were clearly directed 
toward creating maximum embarrassment for Turkmenistan.  This 
strategy will do little to resolve the two countries' on-going 
dispute over Iran's desire to continue paying rock-bottom prices for 
Turkmenistan's natural gas.  END SUMMARY. 
 
WHY AN IRANIAN DIPLOMAT IS NOT HAPPY 
 
¶2.  (SBU) On April 21-22 the United Nations Economic Commission for 
Europe, Czech Republic Technical Cooperation Project and EU-UNDP 
Border Management and Drug Actions Programs in Central Asia 
(BOMCA/CADAP) held a Trade Facilitation Workshop in Ashgabat.  The 
workshop included officials from Customs, Border Guards, Sanitary 
Epidemiological and Veterinary agencies from throughout Central 
Asia, as well as representatives from diplomatic missions and 
international organizations in Ashgabat.  In general, the atmosphere 
of the workshop was friendly and positive -- until Iranian Embassy 
Second Secretary Abulhassan Mobasher stood up and launched into a 
5-minute tirade criticizing Turkmenistan for its actions related to 
Iran-Turkmenistan cross-border trade. 
 
¶3.  (SBU) Specifically, Mobasher claimed Turkmen authorities had 
jailed Iranian truck drivers who were in possession of 1.5 grams of 
opium intended for their personal use.  The authorities also seized 
their cargo.  The diplomat complained that Turkmenistan authorities 
confiscated commodities without notifying the drivers where and how 
long they were going to hold them.  As a result, Mobasher said, the 
Iranian transportation company suffered huge losses and had to pay 
large demurrage fees.  Mobasher referred to the Turkmenistan-Iranian 
commission on border issues established in August 2007, stating that 
it would be more efficient if the commission could deal with such 
cases.  While none of the Turkmenistan officials attending the 
workshop responded to these comments, they looked visibly 
embarrassed by the public nature of Mobasher's outburst. 
 
IRAN WANTS TO PLAY A BIGGER ROLE IN THE REGION 
 
¶4.  (U) Mobasher complained that BOMCA didn't invite Iranian 
officials to the meeting, despite Iran's important role in regional 
trade.  A BOMCA representative responded that the current BOMCA 
program is designed only for Central Asian countries but they will 
consider Iranian participation in future meetings. 
 
¶5.  (SBU) COMMENT:  We applaud the fact that Turkmenistan's 
officials are interdicting and holding individuals -- including 
Iranian truck drivers -- carrying small amounts of opium.  The fact 
that the Iranian diplomat made his accusations in an open forum in 
front of government representatives from other Central Asian 
countries will not help a bilateral relationship already strained by 
on-going arguments over Turkmenistan's efforts to renegotiate the 
rock-bottom price it receives from Iran for its natural gas. 
However, Mobasher's outburst does seem to be consistent, with other, 
similar efforts by the Iranian embassy in Ashgabat recently to 
embarrass the host government (see reftel).  END COMMENT. 
 
CURRAN