VZCZCXRO7096
PP RUEHNEH
DE RUEHAH #0564/01 1241209
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 041209Z MAY 09 ZDF
FM AMEMBASSY ASHGABAT
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 2761
INFO RUCNCLS/ALL SOUTH AND CENTRAL ASIA COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUCNCIS/CIS COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUCNMEM/EU MEMBER STATES COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUEHAK/AMEMBASSY ANKARA PRIORITY 5154
RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING PRIORITY 2898
RUEHKO/AMEMBASSY TOKYO PRIORITY 2763
RUEHIT/AMCONSUL ISTANBUL PRIORITY 3398
RHMFIUU/CDR USCENTCOM MACDILL AFB FL PRIORITY
RUCPDOC/DEPT OF COMMERCE WASHDC PRIORITY
RHEBAAA/DEPT OF ENERGY WASHDC PRIORITY
RUEATRS/DEPT OF TREASURY WASHDC PRIORITY
RUEHBS/USEU BRUSSELS PRIORITY
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC PRIORITY
RHEFDIA/DIA WASHDC PRIORITY
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC PRIORITY
RUEKJCS/JOINT STAFF WASHDC PRIORITY
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC PRIORITY

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ASHGABAT 000564 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
SCA/CEN; EEB 
PLEASE PASS TO USTDA DAN STEIN 
ENERGY FOR EKIMOFF/THOMPSON/BURPOE/COHEN 
COMMERCE FOR HUEPER 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV PREL EPET TX
SUBJECT: TURKMENISTAN:  OIL AND GAS SECTOR OFFICIALS SHOW 
UNQUESTIONED INTEREST TO U.S. DOE PIPELINE SEMINAR 
 
ASHGABAT 00000564  001.2 OF 002 
 
 
¶1.  (SBU)  SUMMARY:  U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) 
representatives met on April 30 with six top oil and gas 
officials to answer questions and get government commitment 
to a two-day seminar on pipeline management.  The appearance 
of the six officials in one meeting and their confirmation 
that they and their technical experts will participate in the 
June seminar was a sign that the timing of this meeting -- 
just weeks after the fallout with Russian authorities over an 
April 8 pipeline explosion -- was perfect.  DOE has clearly 
gotten their foot in the door at the right time, and Turkmen 
officials appear ready and willing to initiate a relationship 
with DOE to help the oil and gas sector with its human 
capacity issues.  END SUMMARY. 
 
¶2.  (SBU)  U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) representatives 
met with senior officials in Turkmenistan's oil and gas 
sector on April 30.  Although the representatives sought 
separate meetings with the five relevant oil and gas 
agencies/ministries to gauge interest in and get commitment 
to a proposed June 2009 two-day seminar on pipeline 
management, the Turkmen Government organized a single 
meeting.  Ministry of Oil and Gas Industry and Mineral 
Resources, Annaguly Deryayev, presided over the meeting, 
which also included State Agency for the Management and Use 
of Hydrocarbon Resources Director, Yagshygeldy Kakayev, 
Turkmen Gas State Concern Director, Baymurat Hojamuhammedov, 
Ministry of Oil and Gas Industry and Mineral Resources Deputy 
Minister, Bayramgeldy Nedirov, Turkmen Oil State Concern 
Director, Orazdurdy Hajymuradov, and Turkmen State Oil and 
Gas Construction Concern Director, Atamurat Durdyev. 
 
¶3.  (SBU)  The DOE representatives reiterated for the group 
the goals and parameters of the workshop, the details of 
which had been delivered under diplomatic note in mid-March. 
They also reiterated a request that a senior Turkmen 
government official deliver opening remarks at the beginning 
of the seminar.  Oil and Gas Minister Deryayev led the 
Turkmen side, and confirmed that technical experts from the 
agencies represented at the meeting would be attending the 
seminar.  He could not confirm who would deliver the opening 
remarks, but assessed that it would probably be Deputy 
Minister for Oil and Gas Nedirov.  The Turkmen side would 
notify the U.S. side formally, Deryayev said. 
 
¶4.  (SBU)  Deryayev asked what other technical training 
programs were being planned, and indicated that there would 
be interest in more detailed training opportunities from the 
DOE.  DOE representatives indicated that if the Turkmenistan 
Government has specific areas where they would like DOE 
training opportunities to focus upon, a training program 
could be organized to help.  The Turkmen side did not raise 
any specific areas of need, but indicated it was receptive to 
further DOE training proposals.  Deryayev said the government 
would notify the U.S. Embassy if there were any questions 
about the June seminar or other DOE proposals.  The DOE 
representatives also provided Turkmen officials with 
information on a new program entitled "Methane to Market," a 
joint DOE-EPA program that teaches national methane reduction 
strategies and benefit domestically and internationally from 
cleaner, more efficient energy usage. 
 
¶5.  (SBU)  COMMENT:  Although the meeting was short, it was 
clear that the Turkmen officials had either determined that 
this was a valuable opportunity or had been directed to take 
up the DOE on its seminar offer.  Although there were no 
questions about the content of the seminar, there did not 
appear to be any doubt that it would be a useful experience, 
and there was much private chatter among the officials 
 
ASHGABAT 00000564  002.2 OF 002 
 
 
regarding who would speak at the seminar.  DOE has clearly 
gotten their foot in the door at the right time, and Turkmen 
officials appear ready and willing to initiate a relationship 
with DOE to help the oil and gas sector with its human 
capacity issues.  Presuming that the June seminar goes well, 
DOE will certainly have the opportunity to develop further 
programs of benefit to the Turkmen Government.  END COMMENT. 
MILES