VZCZCXRO0611
PP RUEHAG RUEHAST RUEHBI RUEHCI RUEHDF RUEHIK RUEHLH RUEHLN RUEHLZ
RUEHPW RUEHROV RUEHVK RUEHYG
DE RUEHAH #0538 1201123
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 291123Z APR 08
FM AMEMBASSY ASHGABAT
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 0703
INFO RUCNCLS/ALL SOUTH AND CENTRAL ASIA COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUCNCIS/CIS COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUCNMEM/EU MEMBER STATES COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUEHAK/AMEMBASSY ANKARA PRIORITY 3703
RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING PRIORITY 1521
RUEHKO/AMEMBASSY TOKYO PRIORITY 1388
RUEHIT/AMCONSUL ISTANBUL PRIORITY 1957
RHMFIUU/CDR USCENTCOM MACDILL AFB FL PRIORITY
RUEHVEN/USMISSION USOSCE PRIORITY 2469
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC PRIORITY
RHEFDIA/DIA WASHDC PRIORITY
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC PRIORITY
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC PRIORITY
RUEKJCS/JOINT STAFF WASHDC PRIORITY

UNCLAS ASHGABAT 000538 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR SCA/CEN 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PINR PREL ECON ENRG EPET AF TX
SUBJECT: TURKMENISTAN:  BERDIMUHAMEDOV VISIT TO KABUL A 
DEMONSTRATION OF GOOD INTENTIONS 
 
 
¶1.  (U)  Sensitive but unclassified.  Not for public Internet. 
 
¶2.  (SBU)  SUMMARY:  Turkmenistan's president arrived April 
28 for a one-day visit in Kabul.  Although the two presidents 
see opportunities in an expanded relationship, the projects 
they are most interested in will require further commitment, 
cooperation, and funding.  The first two elements are 
advancing, but funding remains an issue.  END SUMMARY. 
 
¶3.  (U)  President Berdimuhamedov traveled to Kabul on April 
28 for a one-day official visit, the first such visit by a 
Turkmen president to Afghanistan.  He met with Afghanistan's 
Minister of Foreign Affairs, President Karzai, and with 
representatives of an Afghan-based Association of Turkmen, 
according to Afghan Charge Haji Rooz Noor.  (NOTE: Noor said 
he had served as a governor in northern Afghanistan before 
this diplomatic assignment.  As governor, he said, he had 
enjoyed a close and productive relationship with U.S. 
diplomats.  END NOTE.) 
 
FOCUS ON EXPANDING COOPERATION 
 
¶4.  (SBU)  Noor, who met with Charge and PolOff on April 28, 
said the two presidents would sign a memorandum during the 
visit intended to expand the bilateral relationship in the 
energy, transportation, fuel, and agriculture sectors. 
According to press reports, two memoranda on transportation 
and energy cooperation were to be signed, as well as an 
agreement on scientific and cultural cooperation and a joint 
communiqu.  Berdimuhamedov and Karzai were also slated to 
discuss water issues. 
 
NO MOVEMENT ON TAPI EXPECTED 
 
¶5.  (SBU)  Noor said he did not expect any new developments 
during Berdimuhamedov's visit regarding the 
Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan-India pipeline (TAPI), 
although Turkmenistan's and Afghanistan's governments are 
both working hard to advance the project.  The construction 
of a railroad from the Turkmen border that would transit 
Afghanistan and continue to neighboring countries, as well as 
regional security issues were also expected to top the agenda. 
 
BERDIMUHAMEDOV PLAYS UP TURKMENISTAN ASSISTANCE 
 
¶6.  (U)  During a public statement, President Berdimuhamedov 
took the opportunity to describe humanitarian assistance 
Turkmenistan's government delivered to its neighbor during 
the harsh winter, and added that Turkmen electricity and gas 
was continuing to be sold to Afghanistan at reduced prices. 
He also mentioned joint reconstruction projects that are 
underway to extend Afghanistan's electricity infrastructure 
further into its provinces. 
 
¶7.  (SBU)  COMMENT:  The visit represented a desire on the 
part of both governments to try to advance several priority 
projects such as TAPI, the railroad and electricity 
initiatives.  TAPI has its own impediments, such as pipeline 
security, that will need to be overcome.  The other two 
projects, however, have fewer issues to resolve.  However, it 
remains unlikely that TAPI or the other two projects will 
advance at a modest pace unless he decides it is in 
Turkmenistan's interest to finance at least some portion of 
the costs.  Turkmenistan's president may be hoping that 
international assistance to Afghanistan will pay most -- if 
not all -- of the costs of these projects, limiting 
Turkmenistan's role to that of a neighboring supplier.  END 
COMMENT. 
CURRAN