VZCZCXRO6765
PP RUEHAG RUEHAST RUEHBI RUEHCI RUEHDBU RUEHDF RUEHIK RUEHLH RUEHLN
RUEHLZ RUEHNEH RUEHPW RUEHROV RUEHSK RUEHSL RUEHSR RUEHVK RUEHYG
DE RUEHAH #0788/01 1741239
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 231239Z JUN 09
FM AMEMBASSY ASHGABAT
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 3030
INFO RUCNCLS/ALL SOUTH AND CENTRAL ASIA COLLECTIVE
RUCNCIS/CIS COLLECTIVE
RUCNMEM/EU MEMBER STATES COLLECTIVE
RUEHAK/AMEMBASSY ANKARA 5350
RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING 3078
RUEHKO/AMEMBASSY TOKYO 2943
RUEHIT/AMCONSUL ISTANBUL 3594
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 3648

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ASHGABAT 000788 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR SCA/CEN, EEB, OES 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV EAGR SENV TX
SUBJECT: TURKMENISTAN CONTINUES WORK ON FIRST STAGE OF 
TURKMEN LAKE 
 
REF: A. 08 ASHGABAT 694 
     ¶B. ASHGABAT 767 
     ¶C. ASHGABAT 872 
 
¶1.  (U) Sensitive but unclassified.  Not for public Internet. 
 
¶2.  (SBU) SUMMARY:  According to the Deputy Chairman for 
Agriculture and Water Management, the first stage of the 
man-made, mid-desert Turkmen Lake will be complete in a month 
or two.  He claimed that Turkmenistan grows enough wheat to 
fulfill the country's consumption needs and that it could 
grow more if needed.  The government still believes that a 
lease-based system for agricultural land is best for farmers 
and production.  Contrary to the Deputy Chairman's views, 
independent scientists and ecologists do not think that 
Turkmen Lake will be useful or healthy for the ecosystem, and 
the government consistently over-reports its wheat harvest. 
And, Post's sources have indicated in the past that many 
farmers throughout Turkmenistan would prefer to own their 
farmland.  END SUMMARY. 
 
UPDATE ON TURKME LAKE 
 
¶3.  (SBU) In a June 22 meeting with Charge, Deputy Chairman 
for Agriculture and Water Management, Myratgeldi Akmammedov, 
said that Turkmenistan is continuing consruction on Turkmen 
Lake (Ref A), with the full support of President 
Berdimuhamedov.  Akmammedov said that subterranean water will 
gather in collectors, which will drain into the lake through 
pipes.  Workers will complete the first stage which consists 
of 720 kilometers of pipe in July or August.  The second 
stage will consist of 420 kilometers of pipe, and the 
Ministry of Agriculture and Water Management plans to build a 
total pipe length of 2,760 kilometers reaching all corners of 
Turkmenistan.  He added that scientists are currently working 
on a water desalinization technique.  After desalinization, 
the pipes will carry the water to areas throughout 
Turkmenistan.  The lake's projected volume is 15 billion 
cubic meters.  Akmammedov does not anticipate great losses of 
water due to evaporation "because the lake will be deep -- 
15-17 meters -- and evaporation occurs more in shallow 
waters."  Commencement of construction on a third stage will 
depend on the amount of subsoil water that construction 
engineers find during the second stage of construction.  If 
it is sufficient to fill the lake, construction will stop 
after the second stage.  Akmammedov was unwilling to predict 
when construction of the second stage would be completed. 
 
WATER AND IRRIGATION PRACTICES AND POLICY 
 
¶4.  (SBU) The Deputy Chairman explained that Turkmenistan's 
farms are beginning to experiment with sprinkler irrigation, 
which is efficient for growing grain, wheat, corn, and 
alfalfa.  Drip irrigation works efficiently and is 
appropriate for the Turkmen climate and soil, especially for 
growing grapes and other fruit.  The country is also working 
on stopping the leaching of minerals from the soil. 
Akmammedov said that the government discourages farmers from 
over-irrigation because this practice is detrimental to the 
land, so farmers are using about half of the usual amount of 
irrigation water. 
 
TURKMENISTAN'S WHEAT HARVEST 
 
¶5.  (SBU) Deputy Chairman Akmammedov said, "We (Turkmen 
people) don't have any problem with this (wheat supply) -- we 
are 100 percent independent" because of the use of efficient 
fertilizers, technology, and modern scientific methods, 
adding that "we could produce more, if the market demanded 
it.  In the future we can export fruit and vegetables." 
(NOTE:  Akmammedov did not explain why Turkmenistan was 
missing out on an opportunity to export this alleged excess 
wheat abroad.  END NOTE.) 
 
ASHGABAT 00000788  002 OF 002 
 
 
 
STEPS FORWARD IN SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY, AND MANUFACTURING 
 
¶6.  (SBU) The Deputy Chairman mentioned the recent reopening 
of the Academy of Sciences (Ref B) and that Academy 
scientists are working on improving Turkmenistan's water 
management and agriculture methods.  A new factory in Ruhabat 
is making enough irrigation pipe to satisfy Turkmenistan's 
needs.  He also said that the country's small farms are doing 
well because all land is state-owned, water is free, and the 
government pays 50 percent of the cost of equipment. 
Akmammedov said that leasing farmland is a convenient 
arrangement for farmers, especially "long-term leases which 
support free enterprise."  Currently there are 3,000 pieces 
of Case New Holland equipment and 2,500 pieces of John Deere 
equipment in Turkmenistan, which are largely very dependable 
and which the Deputy Chairman said Turkmenistan plans to 
continue to buy.  He gave particular praise to Caterpillar 
equipment, which moves sand at the Turkmen Lake site. 
 
¶7.  (SBU) COMMENT:  Moving sand at the construction site of 
Turkmen Lake is just one of the challenges associated with 
this project (Ref A).  Although Post reported previously that 
there was doubt whether Berdimuhamedov would follow through 
with his predecessor's ambitious plan, it now appears certain 
that the lake will be built.  While the Deputy Chairman sings 
the praises of Turkmenistan's scientific community, outside 
scientists do not agree that Turkmen Lake is a good idea.  In 
addition to being physically difficult to construct with 
little or no real agricultural value, the end product will 
damage the environment.  Post's earlier reporting also 
differs with Akmammedov's claims about Turkmenistan's wheat 
independence (Ref C) and the advantages of leasing farmland 
to farmers versus ownership.  END COMMENT. 
MILES