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UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 08 ASHGABAT 001043 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR SCA/CEN; IO 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL PGOV EAGR PARM SENV UNGA UNHCR FAO TX
SUBJECT:  TURKMENISTAN'S AGENDA FOR THE 64TH UN GENERAL ASSEMBLY 
 
¶1. (U) Sensitive but Unclassified.  Not for Internet distribution 
 
¶2. (SBU) SUMMARY:  On July 31, Post received a circular 
diplomatic note from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of 
Turkmenistan containing an explanation of the Turkmenistan 
Government's positions on issues to be considered during the 
64th United Nations General Assembly.  The Ministry's 
circular called for the establishment of an expert group to 
prepare recommendations on development of an international 
legal document on energy transit.  It called for an 
international conference on disarmament in Central Asia and 
the Caspian Basin.  It informed about the country's 
intention to join the International Monitoring System (IMS) 
of the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty Organization 
(CNTBT) and establish jointly with CNTBT a station in 
Turkmenistan to monitor earth crust vibration at 
seismically active zones.  Factoring in the country's 
successful cooperation with the UNHCR, it also informed about 
Turkmenistan's intention to be nominated to the UNHCR 
Executive Committee.  In the document, Turkmenistan proposed 
the opening of regional centers for the United Nations 
Environment Program (UNEP) and Food and Agriculture 
Organization (FAO) in Ashgabat.  Finally, the document 
announced Turkmenistan's intention to expand its 
participation in the implementation of projects and 
programs within the framework of the UN and 
its agencies, first of all, the United Nations Development 
Program (UNDP), the United Nations Economic Commission for 
Europe (UNECE) and the United Nations Economic and Social 
Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP).  This 
year, for the second time, Turkmenistan was elected as a 
Vice Chairman of the UN General Assembly.  END SUMMARY. 
 
¶3. (SBU) The following is the text of the document 
(informal Embassy translation): 
 
Maintaining and strengthening global peace and security. 
 
The principal goal of the foreign policy of Turkmenistan was 
and continues to be to offer every possible assistance to the world 
 
community in its efforts to maintain and strengthen the 
global security system, prevent and neutralize the threat of 
regional conflicts, provide conditions for stable and 
sustainable development of states and people and for broad 
and constructive international cooperation.  An important 
component in achieving this goal is the neutral status of 
Turkmenistan, recognized by the world community.  We believe 
that the permanent neutrality of Turkmenistan and related 
specifics of its location in the region open for the 
Community of Nations represented by the UN, OSCE and other 
authoritative universal organizations very good practical 
opportunities to influence positively the progress and 
nature of processes in Central Asia and in the area of the 
Caspian Basin by setting up permanently functioning 
mechanisms of international communication to discuss various 
aspects of regional problems and to work out mutually 
acceptable and consensus solutions. 
 
Based on its past positive experience of non-military, 
political and diplomatic peacekeeping under the aegis of the 
UN, Turkmenistan declares its readiness to provide the world 
community with the necessary political and logistical 
conditions for this work.  In this context, we consider 
exceptionally important and promising the United Nations 
decision to open the UN Regional Center for Preventive 
Diplomacy in Central Asia with headquarters in Ashgabat 
adopted in 2007 with the support of all the states of the 
region.  Currently, the Regional Center works actively on 
monitoring and analyzing regional problems, takes an active 
part in various events on significant issues of development 
of Central Asia, including at head-of-state levels, and 
assists in working out approaches to their solutions. 
 
ASHGABAT 00001043  002 OF 008 
 
 
Activity of the Regional Center won it authority and respect 
by the leadership of Central Asian states, and was highly 
commended by the UN Secretary General.  We are convinced 
that the activity of this international agency corresponds 
to the interests of the region and all world community.  In 
this context, Turkmenistan welcomes engagement of states, 
international organizations, financial and economic 
institutions, and experts with the efforts of the UN and its 
Regional Center to work out constructive models of 
development of the regional processes. 
 
In forming our approaches to the problem of providing global 
security, our basis is the integrity and inseparability of 
this concept - both in its geopolitical meaning, and from 
the point of view of the interrelation of its specific 
aspects.  We are convinced that security of a country cannot 
be provided without security in the region, on the 
continent, and in the world.  Likewise, political or 
military security will not be long-lasting and complete 
without providing economic, energy, and food security, 
without the prevention and neutralizing of risks and threats 
of an ecological, techno-genetic nature, without effective 
combat against international terrorism, organized crime, 
proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and other 
global challenges. 
 
From this point of view, the current system of international 
energy deliveries, we have to admit, is one of the most 
vulnerable links in the global economy.  Such vulnerability 
is caused by several reasons - political instability, lack 
of commonly-accepted international legal regulation 
mechanisms, infrastructure shortcomings, and the lopsided 
geography of pipeline routes.  All this puts its mark on the 
general atmosphere of energy deliveries on the world market. 
To change this situation, to overcome the inertia of 
stereotypes, to enter a new level of thinking, corresponding 
to contemporary demands is an objective necessity.  Today, 
we do not speak about taking preventive measures, not about 
reaching local agreements on certain aspects of fuel 
transportation, but rather about the creation of a 
fundamentally new, universal model of relations in the world 
energy arena - of a model based on a multi-sided balance of 
interests, a concurrence of visions and notions about the 
global architecture of energy security, recognition of long- 
term benefits and advantage of cooperation. 
 
As a first step towards in this direction, it is logical 
to start broad international contact on the issue of 
energy deliveries.  It is necessary to find lines of 
common interest, determine initial positions, work out 
common language for dialogue.  In other words, to create 
a basis for cooperation among interested parties on this 
subject.  Based on this, Turkmenistan introduced a 
proposal at the UN to begin working on universal 
mechanisms that would ensure the reliable and secure 
functioning of the infrastructure of international energy 
delivery, access to it and its effective use.  The first 
step was the UN draft resolution "Reliable and Stable 
Energy Transit and its Role in Ensuring Sustainable 
Development and International Cooperation" proposed by 
Turkmenistan.  The resolution draft attracted the 
attention of the UN member states, many of which actively 
participated in broad consultations prior to its official 
review by General Assembly.  As is known, the resolution 
was supported by all the UN member states without 
exception, 57 of which were co-authors, including 5 
permanent members of the Security Council, and was 
adopted by General Assembly in consensus on December 19, 
¶2008. 
 
Following the letter and spirit of the resolution, 
Turkmenistan proposed to host the international high- 
level conference "Reliable and Stable Energy Transit and 
 
ASHGABAT 00001043  003 OF 008 
 
 
its role in Ensuring Sustainable Development and 
International Cooperation" that was held in Ashgabat on 
April 23-24, 2009.  Representatives of governments, 
international organizations, international financial 
institutions, scientists, diplomats, as well as top 
national and transnational companies engaged in energy 
resource development and transportation participated at 
this conference. 
 
One of the conference results was a proposal to request 
the UN to review the issue of establishing an expert 
group to prepare recommendations on development of a 
future international legal document on energy transit, 
taking into account suggestions of interested states and 
international organizations.  Turkmenistan is entirely 
ready to assist in the establishment of such a structure 
within the UN framework and calls on all interested 
states to formulate proposals on its work.  We believe 
that the establishment of the group could be the first step 
in the process of the preparation of a complex UN 
document, aimed at ensuring the effective functioning of 
international energy delivery system, including issues of 
the protection of the energy transport system. 
 
¶4. (SBU) Disarmament processes. 
 
In the opinion of Turkmenistan, assistance to processes 
of disarmament, reduction of weapon arsenals, first of 
all, weapons of mass destruction and their proliferation, 
remains one of the key topics on global agenda.  We 
believe that there is no place in the modern system of 
international relations for the legacy of the cold war 
and recidivism to confrontation between blocks, when the 
quantity and quality of weapons were nearly the primary 
criteria of influence and authority of states.  We are 
convinced - the fewer weapons there are in the world, the 
more stable and peaceful will be its development, and 
much more trust and understanding there will be between 
countries and people. 
 
With its neutral status, based on peacefulness and good 
neighborliness, Turkmenistan on the national level 
adopted several important pieces of legislation 
pertaining to weapons of mass destruction.  Thus, the 
legislation of Turkmenistan proclaims the refusal by our 
country of the possession, production, storage, and 
transport of nuclear, chemical, bacteriologic and other 
types of weapons of mass destruction, as well as from new 
ways and technologies for their production.  In 2005, a 
statement to support initiatives of international 
organizations to combat the proliferation of weapons of 
mass destruction was adopted by a resolution of the 
People's Council of Turkmenistan.  In 2006, Turkmenistan 
together with other states of the region, signed at the 
city of Semipalatinsk an agreement on the creation of a 
nuclear weapons free zone in Central Asia.  This, to a 
large extent, is a unique document because, for the first 
time since World War II, it proclaims the emergence of a 
vast region on the map of the Northern Hemisphere free of 
nuclear weapons.  It is illustrative that our joint 
initiative is in harmony with the aspiration of the 
majority of countries of the world, it was highly praised 
by the international community and approved by the UN 
General Assembly.  In this regard, we believe that it is 
of high priority to conduct under the aegis of the UN a 
representative international conference dedicated to the 
disarmament problems in the region of Central Asia and 
Caspian basin in the first half of the year.  Our country 
is ready to act as an organizer of this event. 
Turkmenistan is a participant of important international 
disarmament conventions and agreements, in particular, 
such as: 
 
 
ASHGABAT 00001043  004 OF 008 
 
 
- Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty; 
- Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty; 
- Convention on the Prohibition of the Development, 
Production, Stockpiling and Use of Chemical Weapons 
and on their Destruction; 
- Convention on the Prohibition of the Development, 
Production and Stockpiling of Bacteriological 
(Biological) and Toxin Weapons and on their 
Destruction; 
- Convention on the Prohibition on the Use, 
Stockpiling, Production and Transfer of 
Antipersonnel Mines and on their Destruction; 
- Several other important international documents on 
this issue. 
 
Our country would welcome constructive proposals of 
the international community and individual states aimed 
at assistance to global disarmament processes, and 
review with interest the issues of its participation in 
their realization. 
 
Within the context of fulfilling its commitments in this 
sphere, Turkmenistan will continue to work to include our 
country in the International Monitoring System (IMS) of 
the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty Organization 
(CNTBT).  In this regard, work will be completed, jointly 
with the CNTBT, on the creation of a station in 
Turkmenistan to monitor earth crust vibration at 
seismically active zones. 
 
¶5. (SBU) Role of the United Nations. 
 
Cooperation with the United Nations will remain a 
definite vector of our foreign policy.  Despite the 
changes taking place in the world, Turkmenistan is 
convinced that the great humanistic ideals of the United 
Nations and the principles of the UN Charter must remain 
the moral and legal pillars of the international order. 
Only on that basis is it possible to review issues of UN 
reform. 
 
The reform of the organization must be thoughtful, 
targeted and corresponding to the objective imperatives 
of our times.  In this regard, Turkmenistan supports 
efforts by UN member states and the Secretary General 
aimed at making the organization's activity more dynamic, 
effective, open and democratic. 
 
In this context, Turkmenistan shares the opinion on the 
need for further improvement of the structure of the 
Security Council, building closer and more effective 
interaction between the Security Council and the General 
Assembly.  We are in favor of UN reform to further 
strengthen and increase the effectiveness of its work, 
expanding the role and function of the Community of 
Nations as a guarantee of international peace and 
stability. 
 
¶6. (SBU) Countering modern challenges and threats. 
 
One of the most serious demands of a global scale today 
is the effective combat against international terrorism, 
drug trafficking, and trans-border organized crime.  As a 
result of a number of historical, geographic and other 
reasons, this problem is especially relevant for our 
region.  We are convinced that only joint efforts of 
states, through close interaction with international 
structures, can successfully oppose these threats.  In 
this context, Turkmenistan gives a special role to the 
activity of the United Nations, and first of all, the 
Regional Center for Preventive Diplomacy in Central Asia. 
We believe that the participation of the Center is 
necessary and timely in the development and coordination 
 
ASHGABAT 00001043  005 OF 008 
 
 
of effective models of international cooperation with the 
goal to neutralize these threats, involving mechanisms of 
preventive diplomacy and creating conditions for post- 
conflict recovery of economic and social infrastructure. 
 
In this regard, it necessary to emphasize the particular 
importance that Turkmenistan attaches to the rebuilding of 
Afghanistan and the establishment of stable peace on 
Afghan land.  Our country assists Afghanistan in the 
restoration of its economy and in the construction of 
social and humanitarian facilities.  We wish to see 
Afghanistan as a peaceful and prosperous country, good 
neighbor and partner of all the states in the region.  At 
the same time, we believe that the United Nations is 
called to play an important, if not decisive, role in 
Afghan reconciliation.  We are convinced that the UN with 
its huge peacekeeping experience and highest moral 
authority is capable of proposing new forms and models in 
the context of political and diplomatic efforts to solve 
the problems of Afghanistan and establish peace and 
conciliation in the country.  Today, this work can be 
activated and become more effective taking into account 
the opportunities of the UN Regional Center for 
Preventive Diplomacy in Central Asia.  We advocate 
expanded and targeted involvement of the Regional Center 
in the efforts of the international community in the 
reconciliation of the situation in Afghanistan. 
 
¶7. (SBU) Human rights protection and encouragement. 
 
Strenuous protection and encouragement of human rights, 
creating conditions for maximum realization of individual 
creative potential and providing an opportunity for a 
citizen to participate actively in the life of the 
community and the state are a priority policy of 
Turkmenistan, the primary meaning of which is contained 
in the brief phrase - "The State for the person." 
 
The positive dynamic here is obvious and is accepted 
today by the international community and UN 
specialized agencies.  Recently, important steps were made 
to improve the legislative base - a new edition of the 
Constitution of Turkmenistan, where new historical 
conditions and tasks for the future are taken into 
account, as well as a series of laws of Turkmenistan 
aimed at further improvement of country's political 
system and strengthening of democratic institutions in 
society, were adopted. 
 
Elections of Mejlis (Parliament) deputies of the fourth 
convocation were held on December 14, 2008.  The world 
community paid close attention to this event.  Nearly 60 
international observers and experts, including 
representatives of European countries and authoritative 
international organizations - the UN, OSCE, CIS, were 
invited to Turkmenistan. 
 
We place special emphasis on international cooperation in 
terms of human rights protection and encouragement.  In 
this context, recent significant stepping up of the 
interaction between the UN and Turkmenistan, as well 
regular visits by the representatives of specialized 
institutions and UN humanitarian agencies is 
illustrative.  Promising areas for setting up close 
interaction with UN agencies are maternity and child 
welfare, protection of the rights of people with 
disabilities, of the rights of refugees, etc.  This work 
is of special interest in light of the recent 
participation of Turkmenistan in several relevant 
international protocols and conventions. 
 
One of the clear examples of Turkmenistan's effective 
activity in the human rights sphere is that, by the 
 
ASHGABAT 00001043  006 OF 008 
 
 
Presidential Decree of 2005, over fourteen thousand 
people received citizenship, and over three thousand 
received residence permits.  The majority of these people 
were refugees.  In cooperation with the United Nations 
High Commissioner for Refugees, these people were 
provided with all necessary conditions for a complete 
livelihood in Turkmenistan.  Cooperation of our country 
with the UNHCR has proved its effectiveness, and taking 
into account this fact, Turkmenistan announces its 
intention to be nominated to the UNHCR Executive 
Committee.  We think that Turkmenistan's participation in 
this important body could positively impact its work. 
 
While reviewing human rights issues, we believe that the 
activity of the UN Human Rights Council, in particular, 
cooperation in the framework of the Universal Periodic 
Review mechanism is significant.  In March this year, a 
Universal Periodic Review that earlier was forwarded by 
the Turkmen side was reviewed during the tenth session of the 
UN Human Rights Council with participation of the 
authorized representatives of Turkmenistan.  We intend to 
continue cooperation with this important international 
structure, and will review its recommendations with 
attention and respect. 
 
Regarding the delivery to the UN General Assembly of so 
called "country" resolutions on human rights, 
Turkmenistan believes that such practice does not 
contribute to the constructive international dialogue on 
human rights.  And of course, we are strongly against 
politicization of human rights and using it as a pretext 
to interfere to the internal affairs of sovereign states. 
International mechanisms in this sphere shall add to, but 
not replace, the work on the national level. 
 
¶8. (SBU) Ecology and environmental protection issues. 
 
Turkmenistan gives significant attention to the ecology 
and environmental protection issues and advocates closer 
international collaboration in this sphere.  In this 
context, our country draws attention to the need to 
engage actively with the specialized UN agencies on such 
a pressing issue as saving the Aral Sea which, today, 
falls outside the regional scope.  At the national level 
Turkmenistan conducts serious work to improve the 
ecological and social-economic situation in the basin of 
the Aral Sea.  Thus, in the last two years, the government 
made investments in the amount of 170 million USD to 
relevant projects in the Dashoguz region adjacent to the 
Aral.  However, national efforts cannot solve the entire 
complex of accumulated problems.  There is a need for a 
consolidated approach by all states in the region, 
international organizations and donors.  Based on this, 
our country made a concrete proposal at the recent summit 
of the founders of the International Fund to Save the 
Aral Sea - to create a special expert group which in 
cooperation with the UN and its agencies could prepare a 
complex international legal document to save the Aral. 
Turkmenistan believes that the most important component 
of the environmental activity in the Central Asian region 
is cooperation with the United Nations Environment 
Program (UNEP).  We are convinced that closer 
collaboration of the regional states with this agency can 
give positive results, facilitate modeling coherent 
approaches to solve serious ecological problems of 
Central Asia, including rational water resources 
management.  In this regard, Turkmenistan proposes to 
review the issue of opening the Regional Center for UNEP 
in Central Asia with headquarters in Ashgabat. 
 
¶9. (SBU) Global financial and economic crisis. 
 
Turkmenistan supports the provisions of the Final 
 
ASHGABAT 00001043  007 OF 008 
 
 
Document of the UN Conference on Global Financial and 
Economic Crisis and its Consequences for Development, and 
believes in the high priority of the specific proposals 
to promptly reform world financial institutions - the 
World Bank and International Monetary Fund. 
 
At the national level, our country will continue a 
balanced economic policy aimed at preserving the national 
economic growth rate focused on the priority development 
of the social sphere, further support of the vulnerable 
population, and providing a package of economic and 
social benefits to all citizens of the country.  In this 
context, Turkmenistan intends to expand its participation 
in project and program implementation in the framework of 
the UN and its agencies, first of all, UNDP, UNECE and 
ESCAP. 
 
¶10. (SBU) Food program. 
 
The food crisis and its impact on the general situation 
in the world cannot but cause concern in Turkmenistan. 
Our country views providing global food security as an 
important factor of sustainable and stable economic and 
social development of humanity.  Turkmenistan welcomes 
and supports the efforts by the UN and its primary 
specialized agency, the Food and Agriculture Organization 
(FAO), to stabilize the world food market, and believes 
that it is necessary to introduce significant corrective 
action to national and international agriculture programs 
of both developed and developing countries based on the 
reality that has developed. 
 
The Agricultural Forum of the CIS states scheduled for 
October 2009 in the capital of Turkmenistan, Ashgabat, 
will be an important contribution to coordination of 
international efforts to solve the food problem. 
 
We believe that Central Asia, being also an important 
agrarian region, can play a significant role in providing 
food security.  Based on this, Turkmenistan advocates 
closer interaction of the regional states with the FAO. 
A serious step towards this could be the opening of an 
FAO Regional Center in one of the Central Asian states. 
We are willing to propose Ashgabat for its office 
location. 
 
¶11. (SBU) Science, culture and education. 
 
Cultural development and the improvement of its 
scientific and educational system is a priority focus of 
Turkmenistan's state policy.  Educational reforms 
underway in our country envisage its participation in 
broad international interaction, scientific, educational 
and cultural exchanges. 
 
Turkmenistan gives an important place in this work in 
cooperation with the United Nations Educational, 
Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). 
 
We highly appreciate UNESCO assistance in preserving and 
publicizing the richest cultural and historical heritage 
of Turkmenistan and unique natural sites of our country. 
Presently, three cultural and historical sites located in 
Turkmenistan are included on the UNESCO World Heritage 
List:  Ancient Merv, Kone-Urgench and Nissa.  We proposed 
to include in that list one more cultural historical site 
"Missirian-Dekhistan Site," as well as six unique natural 
sites (Badhyz State Reserve, Syunt Khasardag State 
Reserve, Dinosaur footsteps and Koytendag caves, Repetek 
State Botanic Reserve, Amudarya State Reserve and Khazar 
State Reserve).  We will work actively and hard in that 
direction. 
 
 
ASHGABAT 00001043  008 OF 008 
 
 
Turkmenistan intends to further develop and expand 
interaction with UNESCO, including through the National 
Commission.  In this context, Turkmenistan is reviewing 
with interest the opportunity to join several UN 
Conventions concerning UNESCO. 
 
We believe there is a need to refer to the opportunities 
of UNESCO Cluster Office in Tehran.  We advocate its 
active engagement in project implementation in the 
region, strengthening its role as coordinator and 
moderator of interaction between the regional states and 
UNESCO headquarters. 
 
End text of document. 
 
¶12. (SBU) COMMENT:  Given the Turkmen Government's high 
regard for the United Nations and its agencies, it is no 
surprise that they support involvement of the UN in a number 
of regional issues such as the nuclear free zone and the 
Aral Sea.  Some of the proposals were predictable, such as 
follow-up to the Turkmen's energy transit security 
initiative last year.  Finally, offers by Ashgabat to host 
regional centers for the FAO and UNEP suggest the Turkmen 
are pleased with the profile and image of the Ashgabat-based 
UN Regional Diplomacy Center and would like to further 
burnish their credentials in the international community. 
END COMMENT. 
 
MILES