Tag Archives: Turkmenistan

Comment: Iran deal will give Central Asia an economic boost

JULY 23 2015 (The Conway Bulletin) – Many Central Asian countries have pledged their support for a deal between Iran and Western countries over its nuclear programme that will allow sanctions to be lifted. The positive feeling is mutual. In April 2015, Iran’s Foreign Minister noted that there is “no ceiling for the expansion of relations with regional countries, whether in the Caucasus or in Central Asia”.

Central Asia and Iran have already been cooperating for some time.

December 2014 saw Europe via Iran the inauguration of the new Iran-Turkmenistan-Kazakhstan railroad, linking Central Asia to Iran’s southern ports. Iran has oil swap deals with both countries.

Turkmenistan also has gas pipelines running to Iran and in 2010 Iran sent equipment to Tajikistan for the construction of the Sangtuda-2 hydro- power plant.

Increased formal, and more flexible, cooperation will certainly benefit Central Asia. Iran will give Central Asia greater access to Middle Eastern and European markets. The energy export potential is attractive, particularly given that last year Russia said it would stop buying Central Asian gas, and Turkmenistan recently accused Gazprom of failing to pay debts. Supplying Europe with gas via Iran may be more feasible for Turkmenistan. The opening up of Iran also provides another legitimate partner in the region to counterbalance Russian and Chinese dominance, as is a key aim of the region’s “multi-vector foreign policy”.

However, it will also produce new competition in the region. In August 2014, before any nuclear deal was signed, Iran announced it would no longer import gas from Turkmenistan, instead building up domestic production. Having been excluded from markets for so long, Iran will want to build up its own trade partners rather than act as a transit country for Central Asia. Moreover, more Iranian oil on the market may cause a drop in oil prices, impacting Kazakhstan at already difficult times.

One thing is certain — new transport and energy infrastructure will need to be built for any Iranian reintegration to take place. China will no doubt be looking with interest at the opportunities this presents.

By Sarah Lain, Research Fellow at the Royal United Services Institute in London

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(News report from Issue No. 241, published on July 23 2015)

Turkmen minister visits Afghanistan

JULY 23 2015 (The Conway Bulletin) – Turkmenistan’s foreign minister Rashid Meredov will travel to Afghanistan for talks with his Uzbek counterpart, media reported. Turkmenistan has become increasingly worried about the build up of Taliban forces on its borders. It also has an interest in stability in Afghanistan because of the proposed TAPI pipeline that will pump gas to Pakistan and India.

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(News report from Issue No. 241, published on July 23 2015)

Turkmenistan hopes to finish East-West pipeline

JULY 23 2015 (The Conway Bulletin) – Turkmenistan hopes to complete construction of is 300km East- West gas pipeline by the end of the year, local media reported quoting government officials. The pipeline is important because it will pump gas from Turkmenistan’s fields in the east to the Caspian Sea for shipment to Europe.

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(News report from Issue No. 241, published on July 23 2015)

Turkmen port receives investment from Japan

JULY 22 2015 (The Conway Bulletin) – Japanese officials said they want to invest in the Caspian port of Turkmenbashi on the western shores of Turkmenistan. The port is currently being expanded and could become a major hub.

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(News report from Issue No. 241, published on July 23 2015)

Turkmenistan has lowest smoker rate

JULY 21 2015 (The Conway Bulletin) – Turkmenistan has the lowest number of smokers per capita in the world, according to World Health Organisation’s director general, Margaret Chan, during a trip to Ashgabat.

Ms Chan was visiting Turkmenistan to attend a health conference.

“Recently a WHO overview showed that in Turkmenistan only 8% of the population smokes,” the AFP news agency quoted Ms Chan telling Turkmen President Kurbanguly Berdymukhamedov.

“This is the lowest national indicator in the world. I congratulate you on this achievement.”

But not only is it an achievement for the country, it is also an accolade of sorts for Turkmenistan’s authoritarian tendencies.

It was Mr Berdymukhamedhov’s predecessor Saparmurat Niyazov who pushed for a strict mass anti-smoking campaign.

He was a reformed heavy smoker who grew to hate the habit and pushed several campaigns to eradicate it. These were effective, much like his other, rather eccentric mass campaigns, such as outlawing ballet and banning men from having long hair.

Mr Berdymukhamedov is perhaps more restrained in his public campaigns but he too is considered an authoritarian leader.

Earlier this year officials in Ashgabat unveiled a golden statue of Mr Berdymukhamedov riding a horse. They said it symbolised his role as the protector and leader of the nation.

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(News report from Issue No. 241, published on July 23 2015)

Salaries raise in Turkmenistan

JULY 13 2015 (The Conway Bulletin) – Ever the populist, Turkmen leader Kurbanguly Berydmukhamedov increased salaries and pensions for people working in government funded companies by 10%, official media reported. In May, Mr Berdymukhamedov increased salaries of state officials by 9.5%. The Central Bank devalued the Turkmen manat by 30% on Jan. 1

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(News report from Issue No. 240, published on July 16 2015)

India’s Modi gives a clear message in Turkmenistan

Indian PM Narendra Modi travelled to Turkmenistan as part of this grand tour of Central Asia and urged for progress on a gas pipeline that will pump Turkmen gas to India to be accelerated.

TAPI, the name of the pipeline, is due to select its consortium leader on Sept. 1 and Mr Modi told Turkmen leader Kurbanguly Berdymukhamedov that he wanted the construction phase to begin soon.

“The most significant initiative in our relationship is the TAPI Gas Pipeline,” he said in a statement released to the media. “This could transform regional economic cooperation and bring prosperity along the route. We welcomed the agreements between the four countries for the pipeline. We underlined the need to implement the project quickly.”

The TAPI project is ambitious. It envisions a route across Afghanistan and Pakistan to India.

And Mr Modi appeared aware of the potential problems this route could encounter.

He also suggested that, if there were problems, a land-sea route via Iran could be used to ship gas to India from Turkmenistan.

TAPI is slated to cost around $10b and to run for 1,800km.

Turkmen president sacks officials

JULY 10 2015 (The Conway Bulletin) – Turkmenistan’s President Kurbanguly Berdymukhamedov sacked deputy PM Annamukhamed Gochyev “for serious drawbacks in his work” and several other government officials on allegations of corruption. Mr Berdymukhamedov rotates ministers to reduce their power.

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(News report from Issue No. 240, published on July 16 2015)

Turkmen president pardons convicts

JULY 15 2015 (The Conway Bulletin) – Turkmen president Kurbanguly Berdymukhamedov signed a decree to pardon over 1,300 prisoners on the eve of a religious holiday. Mr Berdymukhamedov regularly issues presidential amnesties to celebrate official holidays.

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(News report from Issue No. 240, published on July 16 2015)

Huawei wins contract in Turkmenistan

JULY 3 2015 (The Conway Bulletin) – Korea’s Huawei has won a contract to fit out a 265km section of railway running across Turkmenistan from the border with Kazakhstan to Iran, media reported. Korean companies are winning a number of contracts in Turkmenistan.

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(News report from Issue No. 239, published on July 9 2015)