US embassy cable - 01STATE126951

UNCLAS STATE 126951 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: OPDC, PREL, TX 
SUBJECT: SECRETARY'S LETTER TO NEW FOREIGN MINISTER 
 
1. CHARGE IS REQUESTED TO DELIVER THE LETTER IN PARA TWO 
BELOW TO NEW FOREIGN MINISTER RASHID MEREDOV AT THE 
EARLIEST APPROPRIATE OPPORTUNITY. NO SIGNED ORIGINAL WILL 
FOLLOW. 
 
2. BEGIN TEXT: 
 
DEAR MR. MINISTER: 
 
MY SINCEREST CONGRATULATIONS ON YOUR APPOINTMENT AS 
TURKMENISTAN'S NEW FOREIGN MINISTER. 
 
THE UNITED STATES WAS AN EARLY AND FIRM SUPPORTER OF 
TURKMENISTAN'S INDEPENDENCE AND SOVEREIGNTY, AND WE REMAIN 
COMMITTED TO BUILDING A STRONG RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN OUR TWO 
COUNTRIES. WE SHARE MANY INTERESTS, ESPECIALLY BUILDING 
PROSPEROUS, STABLE SOCIETIES IN CENTRAL ASIA, COMBATING 
NARCOTICS AND TERRORISM, AND DEVELOPING THE HYDROCARBON 
RESOURCES OF THE CASPIAN REGION. IT HAD BEEN OUR BELIEF 
THAT TURKMENISTAN WAS ONE OF THE FORMER SOVIET REPUBLICS 
BEST PLACED TO MAKE THE TRANSITION TO DEMOCRACY AND TO A 
MARKET ECONOMY, WHICH WE BELIEVE IS THE BEST GUARANTOR OF 
STABILITY. YOUR COUNTRY IS BLESSED WITH BOTH ABUNDANT 
NATURAL RESOURCES, AND HARD-WORKING, WELL-EDUCATED, 
TALENTED PEOPLE. WE HAD HOPED TO HELP THAT TRANSITION AND 
TO SEE OUR BILATERAL RELATIONS BECOME EVER CLOSER. WE 
REGRET THAT THIS HAS NOT BEEN THE CASE. FOR OUR PART, WE 
WOULD LIKE TO TURN THIS SITUATION AROUND. 
 
WE BELIEVE THAT THE UNITED STATES AND TURKMENISTAN CAN FIND 
SPECIFIC AREAS OF COOPERATION THAT CAN HELP TURKMENISTAN 
ACHIEVE ITS GOALS AND THAT WILL LEAD TO PRODUCTIVE 
RELATIONS. AS ONE EXAMPLE, WE VIEW PEOPLE-TO-PEOPLE TIES 
AS A NECESSARY AND POWERFUL PRELUDE TO BROADER GOVERNMENT- 
TO-GOVERNMENT TIES. OUR CULTURAL AND EDUCATIONAL EXCHANGE 
PROGRAMS SERVE TO INCREASE THE TURKMEN PEOPLE'S 
UNDERSTANDING OF THE UNITED STATES, AND THE AMERICAN 
PEOPLE'S UNDERSTANDING OF TURKMENISTAN. WE CAN ALSO 
CONTRIBUTE TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF YOUR ECONOMY AND YOUR 
POLITICAL INSTITUTIONS BY PROVIDING NEEDED LANGUAGE AND 
ECONOMIC SKILLS. 
 
IT IS CRITICAL TO THE SUCCESS OF THESE PROGRAMS THAT 
PARTICIPANTS RECEIVE EXIT VISAS IN A TIMELY AND IMPARTIAL 
MANNER. MORE TO THE POINT, WE WOULD LIKE TO SEE THE 
GOVERNMENT OF TURKMENISTAN DO AWAY WITH EXIT VISAS 
ALTOGETHER. THEY ARE A LEGACY OF THE SOVIET PAST THAT 
PRESENT AN IMPEDIMENT TO OUR TIES. THERE ARE MANY OTHER 
MEASURES BEYOND THESE IMMEDIATE ISSUES THAT WE CAN 
UNDERTAKE. I WOULD WELCOME YOUR THOUGHTS. 
 
IN CLOSING, I WISH YOU EVERY SUCCESS IN YOUR NEW 
POSITION AND TO REITERATE UNITED STATES SUPPORT FOR 
TURKMENISTAN'S INDEPENDENCE AND FOR ITS FUTURE PROSPERITY. 
 
SINCERELY, 
 
COLIN L. POWELL 
 
END TEXT. 
 
POWELL