VZCZCXYZ0002
PP RUEHWEB

DE RUEHAH #0753/01 1631318
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 121318Z JUN 09
FM AMEMBASSY ASHGABAT
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 2970
INFO RUCNCLS/ALL SOUTH AND CENTRAL ASIA COLLECTIVE
RUCNCIS/CIS COLLECTIVE
RUCNMEM/EU MEMBER STATES COLLECTIVE
RUEHAK/AMEMBASSY ANKARA 5311
RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING 3041
RUEHKO/AMEMBASSY TOKYO 2906
RUEHIT/AMCONSUL ISTANBUL 3555
RUCPDOC/DEPT OF COMMERCE WASHDC
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC
RHMCSUU/CDR USCENTCOM MACDILL AFB FL
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC
RHEFDIA/DIA WASHDC
RUEKJCS/JOINT STAFF WASHDC
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHINGTON DC
RUEHVEN/USMISSION USOSCE 3618

UNCLAS ASHGABAT 000753 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR SCA/CEN, EEB 
COMMERCE FOR ROLLINS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV PREL EAGR EAID ECON EFIN EIND EPET SOCI
TX 
SUBJECT: SABIT COORDINATOR BUILDS RELATIONSHIPS WITH 
TURKMEN MINISTRIES 
 
REF: ASHGABAT 139 
 
¶1.  (U) Sensitive but unclassified.  Not for public Internet. 
 
¶2.  (SBU) SUMMARY:  The coordinator of the Central Asia 
office of the U.S. Department of Commerce Special American 
Business Internship Training (SABIT) program met with Turkmen 
government officials to promote the program.  She focused on 
building one-on-one relationships that would bridge the gap 
created by the overly bureaucratic system of informing the 
government about SABIT programs almost exclusively via 
diplomatic note.  The coordinator's request to government 
officials for e-mail addresses -- with the explanation that 
she would e-mail the application forms while concurrently 
sending the forms via diplomatic note to the ministries -- 
was met with general enthusiasm.  The atmosphere of 
cooperation and exchange that the coordinator created set the 
stage for many new insights about how to present study tour 
opportunities and the frequent difficulty finding any Turkmen 
participants for programs.  In addition, several 
interlocutors mentioned the upcoming visit of Foreign 
Minister Rashid Meredov to Washington, an indication that 
they see this official trip as a signal to increase 
engagement with the United States.  END SUMMARY. 
 
¶3.  (SBU) During a visit to Ashgabat on June 9-12, SABIT 
Coordinator for Central Banat Ashkenova promoted the program 
with government officials, focusing on building one-on-one 
relationships that would bridge the gap created by the 
Turkmen government's overly bureaucratic system of informing 
the government of programs via diplomatic note.  As a result 
of this cumbersome and restrictive process, at times no 
Turkmen have attended SABIT sessions, even in key sectors 
such as oil and gas. 
 
MINISTRY OF ECONOMY AND DEVELOPMENT 
 
¶4.  (SBU) Deputy Head of the Ministry of Economy and 
Development, Foreign Economic Affairs Department Atajan 
Atayev and his colleagues Deputy Head of Welfare and Labor 
Relations Selbi Sysoyeva and Head Specialist of the Social 
Development Department Jennet Kepbanova showed great interest 
in SABIT, especially in sessions that would assist in growing 
Turkmenistan's small and medium enterprise sector, and agreed 
that Ashkenova could e-mail applications directly to the 
Ministry.  They suggested that Post indicate on the 
diplomatic note which Turkmen ministries and agencies should 
receive the SABIT calendar, and that Post also mention on the 
diplomatic note that Post is concurrently sending the 
calendar directly to these particular ministries and 
agencies.  They were also agreed that interaction between 
participants from all over the former Soviet Union was 
beneficial and were impressed with program content, which 
comprises hands-on experience and content, not only lectures. 
 They said that they would start on the application process 
as soon as they received the applications, and said that they 
would also think about sessions to suggest for future years. 
These officials suggested that Ashkenova meet with the Union 
of Entrepreneurs and Industrialists, which was already on the 
meeting schedule. 
 
MINISTRY OF OIL AND GAS INDUSTRY AND MINERAL RESOURCES 
 
¶5.  (SBU) The Minister of Oil and Gas Industry and Mineral 
Resources Annaguly Deryaev met with Ashkenova because, as he 
explained, all of his appropriate subordinates were busy at 
the U.S. Department of Energy-sponsored "Pipeline Integrity 
and Management Workshop" that was taking place at that time. 
The Minister explained that various U.S. companies, such as 
ExxonMobil and Halliburton, had worked in Turkmenistan in the 
past, and others, such as Cudd Exploration and Baker Hughes, 
 
are currently active in the country.  He stated that 
President Berdimuhamedov had instructed ministries to hold 
talks with U.S. companies.  Regarding future SABIT sessions, 
Deryaev said the Ministry would begin preparing a list of 
participants as soon as the Cabinet of Ministers approves the 
SABIT calendar.  The Head of International Relations 
suggested after the meeting that Post send a diplomatic note 
requesting topics of interest to the Ministry.  The Head of 
the Human Resources Department Shagul Nepesova somewhat 
reluctantly agreed to receive the applications via an e-mail 
address indicated on her business card. 
 
MINISTRY OF CONSTRUCTION 
 
¶6.  (SBU) Director of the Ministry of Construction Department 
for Investment and Large Construction Projects Shamuhammet 
Amanov said that his Ministry would be interested in SABIT 
sessions on Construction Industry Standards.  He added that 
his Ministry's priorities include modern construction 
materials, computer programs, developing industry-specific 
education institutions, seismology, safety and quality of 
construction methods and materials, and administration of 
licensing and permits.  Amanov mentioned that it can be 
difficult for department heads -- generally the target 
participant for SABIT -- to arrange time away because of 
their workloads, and that this requires significant time in 
order to obtain approval from the Cabinet of Ministers. 
 
MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE 
 
¶7.  (SBU) Head of Financial-Economic Services at the Ministry 
of Agriculture Agageldy Chariyev and new Head of 
International Relations Hudayberdy Hajiyev were familiar with 
the U.S. Department of Agriculture Cochran Farmer-to-Farmer 
program and showed great interest in SABIT.  They suggested 
that Post indicate on the diplomatic note which Deputy 
Chairmen should receive and approve the calendar.  Hajiyev 
welcomed Ashkenova's suggestion of e-mailing the calendar and 
application directly to him.  Hajiyev said that he visited 
the U.S. and Mexico when he taught at the Agriculture 
University.  (NOTE:  The locally-engaged Agriculture 
Specialist believes that Hajiyev is an alumnus of a World 
Bank program.  END NOTE.) 
 
MINISTRY OF HEALTHCARE AND MEDICAL INDUSTRY 
 
¶8.  (SBU) SABIT alumnus Begklich Ovezklychev arranged a 
meeting with Deputy Minister Nury Ananepesov, who recommended 
that Ashkenova send Ovezklychev a copy of the calendar and 
application directly, concurrent with notification via 
diplomatic note.  He said that he was sorry that no one from 
his Ministry took part in the recent hospital administration 
session, and that "We really want to participate.  This is 
exactly what we need.  Thank you for wanting to help us and 
cooperate with us, it's a very good thing." 
 
FOOD INDUSTRY ASSOCIATION 
 
¶9.  (SBU) Food Industry Association Deputy Chairman Oraz 
Rejepov mentioned to Ashkenova that he attended a training 
program in Israel.  His experience with that program seemed 
to positively affect his reaction to SABIT.  Rejepov said 
that the Association is no longer under the Ministry of 
Agriculture and often information about training programs 
does not reach the Association, if someone in the chain 
decided that these programs are not relevant to the 
Association.  Head of the Association's Foreign Relations 
Department Ilmurad Hojakuliyev agreed that Ashkenova could 
send him the new SABIT calendar directly when it is released. 
 
STATE COMMODITY AND RAW MATERIALS EXCHANGE 
 
 
¶10.  (SBU) Five young and well-educated staff members of the 
State Commodity and Raw Materials Exchange, led by the 
Exchange's Deputy Chairman Tahir Berdimuradov, told Ashkenova 
that their clients would be appropriate candidates for the 
SABIT sessions.  Berdimuradov suggested that SABIT or another 
U.S. Government entity organize a special training program 
for the Exchange to visit the New York Stock Exchange and 
other financial institutions.  Some of these staff members 
also attended the reception for SABIT alumni on June 11 at 
Ashkenova's invitation. 
 
CHAMBER OF TRADE AND INDUSTRY 
 
¶11.  (SBU) Head of the Foreign Relations Department of the 
Chamber of Trade and Industry Elmira Rahmanova said that the 
Chamber's status as a state body -- although 60 percent of 
the membership is comprised of private companies -- limits 
the staff's ability to travel abroad and to implement new 
concepts in their work.  Rahmanova said that she already 
received e-mails from Ashkenova about SABIT programs and 
promised to share them with private sector clients. 
 
UNION OF ENTREPRENEURS AND INDUSTRIALISTS 
 
¶12.  (SBU) Two very enthusiastic officials who accompanied 
Deputy Chairman of the Union of Entrepreneurs and 
Industrialists Hojamyrat Toyliyev at his meeting with 
Ashkenova were so enthusiastic that they didn't let her 
finish her introduction to the program before they began to 
ask questions.  Toyliyev added that "Our entrepreneurs really 
need these programs."  The two junior officials explained at 
the SABIT alumni reception on June 11 that their children 
have left for Russia and Belarus for higher education, and 
that developing educational programs in Turkmenistan is a 
priority so that the country does not loose its population. 
She enthusiastically described the successful cooperation 
between the Union and Post that resulted in a business 
education program supported by PAS funds (reftel), and a 
separate program staffed by Peace Corps volunteers. 
 
MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS 
 
¶13.  (SBU) Head of the Americas Desk at the Ministry of 
Foreign Affairs Serdar Bashimov said that education is one of 
Turkmenistan's main priorities, and SABIT is a part of this: 
"We value the program and what it brings."  Bashimov did not 
have concrete suggestions on increasing Turkmen participation 
in the program but admitted that Turkmenistan had 
bureaucratic challenges, saying that "we don't always have 
the wherewithal...to obtain approvals within the necessary 
time period.  Some ministers don't want their employees to 
miss work time."  He suggested that it would be helpful if 
Ashkenova could inform the Ministry of the approximate number 
of participants for each session in advance.  When Ashkenova 
explained that applicant quality is more important than 
quantity and that the program is competitive, he replied that 
Turkmen ministers may have trouble understanding this concept 
but that the Ministry would try to help them understand it. 
Bashimov said that Ashkenova was welcome to contact him 
directly at any time to inquire about the status of 
applications. 
 
¶14.  (SBU) COMMENT:  Ashkenova brought a fresh perspective to 
Turkmenistan.  The atmosphere of cooperation and interchange 
that she created set the stage for many new insights about 
presenting study tour opportunities and why Post often has 
difficulty finding Turkmen participants for programs. 
However, the simple change of one individual within a 
ministry can significantly affect our programs' prospects: 
it appears that Post's current programs with the Ministry of 
 
Agriculture will proceed with even more momentum with the 
addition of Hajiyev who has been to the U.S. and is very 
supportive of U.S. programs.  Several interlocutors mentioned 
the upcoming visit of Foreign Minister Rashid Meredov to 
Washington, planned for June 22-24, an indication that they 
see this official trip as a signal to increase engagement 
with the U.S.  END COMMENT. 
CURRAN