VZCZCXRO7883
PP RUEHAG RUEHAST RUEHBI RUEHCI RUEHDBU RUEHDF RUEHIK RUEHLH RUEHLN
RUEHLZ RUEHNEH RUEHPW RUEHROV RUEHSK RUEHSR RUEHVK RUEHYG
DE RUEHAH #0374/01 0830834
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 240834Z MAR 09
FM AMEMBASSY ASHGABAT
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 2521
INFO RUCNCLS/ALL SOUTH AND CENTRAL ASIA COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
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RUCNMEM/EU MEMBER STATES COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUEHAK/AMEMBASSY ANKARA PRIORITY 4976
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RUEHKO/AMEMBASSY TOKYO PRIORITY 2599
RUEHBS/USEU BRUSSELS PRIORITY
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RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC PRIORITY
RUEAWJA/DEPT OF JUSTICE WASHDC PRIORITY
RUEHIT/AMCONSUL ISTANBUL 3220
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ASHGABAT 000374 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR SCA/CEN, INL 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV SOCI PBTS TX
SUBJECT:  TURKMENISTAN OFFICIALS INVITE COOPERATION IN CARTOGRAPHY 
 
¶1. (U) Sensitive but unclassified.  Not for public Internet. 
 
¶2. (SBU) SUMMARY:  On March 20, a geographic specialist with the 
Office of the Geographer met with officials of the State Enterprise 
for Caspian Sea Issues under the Ministry of Oil and Gas, and the 
Institute of Mapping and Cartography at the Ministry of Defense. 
The officials welcomed cooperation with the U.S. in the field of 
cartography, including training.  Map production is tightly 
controlled.  Topographic maps are produced only for the military and 
are considered classified.  The government mapping agency currently 
relies on commercial providers to upgrade equipment and methods. 
END SUMMARY. 
 
HANDLING CASPIAN SEA ISSUES 
 
¶3. (SBU) On March 20, Ryan Kelley, a geographic specialist with the 
Office of the Geographer, met with the Chairman of the State 
Enterprise for Caspian Sea Issues under the Ministry of Oil and Gas, 
Toyly Komekov, who is also a newly appointed Deputy Minister for 
Foreign Affairs.  The young-looking (under 30) Deputy Minister spent 
the first 20 minutes of the meeting describing the accomplishments 
of President Berdimuhammedov since coming into office, and the 
progress in development the country has seen during this time.  He 
then described the responsibilities of the Enterprise on Issues of 
the Caspian Sea:  coordinating the oil and gas policy of the 
President, as well as broader Caspian-related trade, environmental 
and other issues.  The Enterprise is Turkmenistan's government 
agency with responsibility for negotiating Caspian issues with 
neighboring states. 
 
WOULD WELCOME COOPERATION ON CARTOGRAPHY 
 
¶4. (SBU) Komekov expressed interest in cooperation with the Office 
of the Geographer on cartography matters in order to build and 
modernize the tools and expertise of those engaged in mapping 
activities in Turkmenistan.  He said the Turkmen side would be 
interested in training in Turkmenistan or in the U.S. on Geographic 
Information Systems (GIS) or other modern cartographic systems.  He 
said the Enterprise would be pleased to receive a letter proposing 
such training opportunities.  He repeated a Turkmen proverb, "I 
prefer the sister who teaches me to the one who does for me." 
 
¶5. (SBU) According to Komekov, the MFA has an information center 
that distributes information on Turkmenistan, including maps, as a 
way of promoting Turkmenistan abroad.  He said there is a range of 
maps now available in most bookshops, so that schoolchildren can 
acquire them.  This includes administrative, political, and natural 
science flora/fauna maps, and a historical map of Turkmenistan's 
ancient sites.  The Enterprise produces a few maps using specific 
data, but Komekov did not indicate what the maps showed or what they 
were used for, or what type of data was used to make them.  He noted 
that the Ministry of Defense's Enterprise No. 5 was the center of 
most cartographic work in Turkmenistan. 
 
MAP ENTERPRISE FILLS GOVERNMENT ORDERS 
 
¶6. (SBU) Kelley also met with the Director of the Institute of 
Mapping and Cartography (Enterprise No. 5) at the Ministry of 
Defense, Lieutenant Colonel Mammed Mammedov.  Since independence, 
the Institute has produced more than 30 thematic maps for different 
ministries and enterprises.  Speaking about the types of maps the 
Enterprise has produced, LTC Mammedov listed the general map of 
Turkmenistan, general administrative map of Turkmenistan, political 
world map, and city plans.  He admitted that although they have 
produced city plans for most of the big cities of Turkmenistan, only 
Ashgabat's city plan has been published so far and is available for 
purchase.  The Institute has produced different thematic maps for 
the ministries.  For instance, the Ministry of Education recently 
ordered a general geographic map for educational use at schools and 
universities.  The Enterprise has also produced and prepared for 
publication the Ashgabat City Plan ordered by the State Committee 
for Tourism and Sports of Turkmenistan.  The map will be available 
 
ASHGABAT 00000374  002 OF 002 
 
 
for purchase at bookstores and Ashgabat hotels.  No topographic maps 
for sale since they are classified and produced only for the 
Ministry of Defense. 
 
WOULD PREFER WORKING WITH U.S. PARTNERS 
 
¶7. (SBU) LTC Mammedov reported that they use all modern methods for 
mapping and producing maps, including aero-photo data as well as 
satellite photo data.  They now have computers and draw maps 
digitally.  The Institute's experts and specialists have 
participated in GIS system training.  He mentioned that he had 
participated in a National Geospatial Intelligence Agency (NGA) 
seminar in Romania, but the Institute does not have any 
collaborative efforts with Iran and Russia.  He said, "We do not 
need any support.  We do business ourselves.  We contact companies 
and learn about the new equipment, technologies and techniques."  He 
specifically mentioned that they have been experiencing difficulty 
in working with Russian partners as Russians are more conservative 
in data-sharing.  They would prefer to work with U.S. partners as 
the U.S. is more transparent in data-exchanges.  He said, "We want 
to work openly."  However, he pointed out that U.S. software is in 
English, which causes a problem for them, as they do not have 
English-speaking personnel.  Thus, they have to opt for Russian 
products. 
 
¶8. (SBU) COMMENT.  Both meetings were arranged with the heads of the 
organizations, which suggests that Turkmen mid-level managers are 
still uncomfortable meeting with foreign visitors.  As a result, 
even working-level foreign specialists are received by high ranking 
officials.  In its requests for cooperation in the field of 
cartography, the Turkmen side once again demonstrated the new 
tendency to invite international cooperation in areas that it 
considers a priority.  END COMMENT. 
 
MILES