VZCZCXRO5545
PP RUEHAG RUEHAST RUEHBI RUEHCI RUEHDF RUEHIK RUEHLH RUEHLN RUEHLZ
RUEHNEH RUEHPW RUEHROV RUEHSK RUEHSR RUEHVK RUEHYG
DE RUEHAH #0046/01 0131157
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 131157Z JAN 09
FM AMEMBASSY ASHGABAT
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 2109
INFO RUCNCLS/ALL SOUTH AND CENTRAL ASIA COLLECTIVE
RUCNCIS/CIS COLLECTIVE
RUCNMEM/EU MEMBER STATES COLLECTIVE
RUEHAK/AMEMBASSY ANKARA 4668
RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING 2471
RUEHKO/AMEMBASSY TOKYO 2336
RUEHIT/AMCONSUL ISTANBUL 2916
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC
RHMFIUU/CDR USCENTCOM MACDILL AFB FL
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC
RHEFDIA/DIA WASHDC
RUEKJCS/JOINT STAFF WASHDC
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHINGTON DC
RUEHVEN/USMISSION USOSCE 3212

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ASHGABAT 000046 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR SCA/CEN, EEB 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV PREL ENRG TRGY TBIO TX
SUBJECT: TURKMENISTAN'S SUPREME COUNCIL FOR SCIENCE AND 
TECHNOLOGY WANTS TO LEARN FROM U.S. EXPERIENCE 
 
REF: 08 ASHGABAT 1642 
 
¶1.  (U) Sensitive but unclassified.  Not for public Internet. 
 
¶2.  (SBU) SUMMARY:  Supreme Council on Science and Technology 
officials said at a meeting with Dan Stein of the U.S. Trade 
Development Agency that they would welcome ideas on how to 
expand the national Internet network for educational 
institutions and improve its efficiency, during the proposed 
orientation visit for Information and Communication 
Technology specialists in March.  They are also interested in 
how the United States undertakes telemedicine, monitors oil 
and gas pipelines, and renewable energy technologies.  One of 
the officials invited U.S. specialists to come to 
Turkmenistan so that more scientists could benefit from this 
educational opportunity.  Finding ways of showing the Turkmen 
what they ask for, even when it is not what U.S. agencies 
originally conceived of, could be a productive method of 
fostering the relationship.  Bringing U.S. specialists to 
Turkmenistan for seminars is also an idea that is well worth 
exploring, to build the relationship and gain more trust, as 
well as impact more individuals.  END SUMMARY. 
 
UPCOMING TRIP FOR ICT SPECIALISTS 
 
¶3.  (SBU) On January 7, U.S. Trade and Development Agency 
(USTDA) Europe and Eurasia Director, Daniel Stein, met with 
the Deputy Chairwoman of the Supreme Council on Science and 
Technology (SCST), Akjeren Allanurova, and Department Head on 
State Science Policy, Orazmamed Vasov, to discuss the 
upcoming orientation visit to the United States for 
government Information and Communication Technology (ICT) 
specialists (reftel).  Stein advised that the diplomatic note 
for the visit, scheduled for March 2009, had been submitted 
to Ministry of Foreign Affairs.  Two SCST participants would 
be invited to join six other representatives from the 
Ministry of Communications, Turkmen Telecom, and other 
government structures for the trip to Washington, DC, and 
Silicon Valley.  Turkmenistan's representatives would be 
expected to deliver a presentation on ICT developments in 
Turkmenistan and the Supreme Council could help collect the 
necessary additional details. 
 
SCST TO EXPAND ITS IT NETWORK 
 
¶4.  (SBU) In response to Stein's inquiry regarding specific 
meetings or interests during the trip, Allanurova and Vasov 
both cited Cisco Systems' existing presence in Turkmenistan. 
Additionally, Vasov highlighted the SCST's role in spreading 
new technologies to other ministries (e.g., Oil and Gas, 
Energy and Industry), through its national internet network, 
which connects 62 educational and scientific institutions, 
via distance learning and other methods.  In response to 
President Berdimuhamedov's initiatives, the SCST plans to 
expand the network and improve its efficiency, so would 
welcome ideas on how to accomplish this.  Meetings that build 
better understanding of how the United States undertakes 
telemedicine and monitors oil and gas pipelines were other 
specific interests.  (NOTE:  The latter was framed in the 
context of the recent Turkmenistan-authored UN resolution 
regarding pipeline security.  END NOTE.) 
 
RENEWABLE ENERGY A PRIORITY 
 
¶5.  (SBU) Allanurova said its "Gun" (Sun) Research Institute 
is tasked with developing technologies for renewable energy 
sources, like solar and wind.  The SCST is very interested in 
renewable energy technologies due to the high costs 
associated with building infrastructure for Turkmenistan's 
many isolated communities.  She would appreciate the 
opportunity for participants to visit a solar project while 
in the United States.  Stein suggested that meetings with 
Department of Energy specialists could be arranged in 
Washington, and would look into possible visits to solar 
 
ASHGABAT 00000046  002 OF 002 
 
 
projects in California.  Noting that a relatively limited 
number of specialists would benefit from the exchange trip, 
Allanurova invited U.S. specialists to come to Turkmenistan 
so that more scientists could learn about the most recent 
developments in this field. 
 
¶6.  (SBU) COMMENT:  Meeting the Turkmen halfway by finding 
ways of showing them what they ask for, even when it is not 
what U.S. agencies originally conceived of -- such as 
telemedicine and monitoring of oil and gas pipelines -- could 
be a productive method of fostering the relationship. 
Bringing U.S. specialists to Turkmenistan for seminars is 
also an idea that is well worth exploring, to build the 
relationship and gain more trust, as well as impact more 
individuals.  END COMMENT. 
MILES