TURKMENISTAN AND AFGHANISTAN (VOA, FEB 23)

DATE=2/23/98 TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT NUMBER=2-227188 TITLE=TURKMENISTAN / FOREIGN POLICY (L-ONLY) BYLINE=MAXIM KNIAZKOV DATELINE=WASHINGTON CONTENT= VOICED AT:

INTRO: A TOP DIPLOMAT FROM TURKMENISTAN IS CALLING FOR AN INTERNATIONAL ARMS EMBARGO AGAINST WARRING PARTIES IN AFGHANISTAN. THE COUNTRY'S AMBASSADOR TO NORTH AMERICAN STATES, HAHL UGUR, ISSUED THE APPEAL AT A RARE PUBLIC APPEARANCE IN WASHINGTON. V-O-A'S MAXIM KNIAZKOV WAS ON HAND AND HAS THIS REPORT.

TEXT: WITH COMPETITION FOR CASPIAN SEA ENERGY RESOURCES HEATING UP, THE SEEMINGLY ENDLESS CONFLICT IN AFGHANISTAN IS BEING INCREASING FELT IN NEIGHBORING TURKMENISTAN.

THE FORMER SOVIET REPUBLIC WANTS TO BUILD A GAS PIPELINE TO THE PAKISTANI PORT CITY OF KARACHI, WHICH WOULD GIVE TURKMENISTAN ACCESS TO ASIAN MARKETS.

WHAT STANDS IN THE WAY OF THIS PLAN, SAYS AMBASSADOR UGUR, IS THE CONTINUING CONFLICT IN AFGHANISTAN, WHICH IS MAKING CONSTRUCTION WORK IMPOSSIBLE. SPEAKING MONDAY AT GEORGETOWN UNIVERSITY, MR. UGUR MADE IT CLEAR THE WAR AFFECTS TURKMENISTAN IN A STRATEGIC WAY.

// ACT ONE UGUR //

AFGHANISTAN AND PAKISTAN ARE THE MAIN ALTERNATIVE TRADING ROUTE TO THE SOUTH BESIDES IRAN. THE MORE THE TROUBLE GOES ON OVER THERE, THE MORE WE WILL BE DEPENDENT ON TRADE WITH IRAN, OR WITH RUSSIA, OR THROUGH CAUCASUS, WHICH ARE ALL TROUBLESOME.

// END ACT //

WITH THAT IN MIND, MR. UGUR CALLED FOR A MORE CONCERTED INTERNATIONAL EFFORT TO STOP AFGHAN FIGHTING. HE SAYS THE TURKMEN GOVERNMENT BELIEVES AN EMBARGO ON ARMS DELIVERIES TO WARRING AFGHAN FACTIONS WOULD BE HELPFUL.

// ACT TWO UGUR //

OUR APPROACH IS TO ADVISE GOVERNMENTS NOT TO GET INVOLVED IN THE WAR AND NOT TO SUPPLY ARMS. THAT IS THE MAJOR ISSUE. IF WE CAN CUT OFF THE SUPPLY OF ARMS, THAT WILL HAVE A TREMENDOUS INFLUENCE ON THE (OUTCOME) OF THE WAR.

// END ACT //

THE AMBASSADOR MADE IT CLEAR TURKMENISTAN HAS TO COPE WITH DIFFICULTIES ALL AROUND IT IN ORDER TO SECURE SUSTAINABLE EXPORT OF ITS OIL AND GAS. HE DESCRIBED THE WAR IN AFGHANISTAN AS A PROXY STRUGGLE BETWEEN IRAN AND PAKISTAN FOR CONTROL OF FUTURE EXPORT ROUTES TO CENTRAL ASIA. BUT HE EXPRESSED HIS GOVERNMENT'S INTEREST IN SOLID BUSINESS TIES WITH BOTH COUNTRIES.

THE AMBASSADOR PRAISED IRAN AS HIS COUNTRY'S LEADING TRADING PARTNER. BUT HIS REMARKS ALSO REFLECTED HIS GOVERNMENT'S CONCERN ABOUT IRANIAN RELIGIOUS INFLUENCES.

// ACT THREE UGUR //

EVERY IRANIAN TRAVELING TO TURKMENISTAN HAS TO SIGN A DOCUMENT THAT MAKES THEM SAY THAT THEY WILL NOT BE ENGAGED IN RELIGIOUS ACTIVITY.

// END ACT //

MR. UGUR COMPLAINED ABOUT THE INSTABILITY IN THE CAUCASUS AND PRESSURE TACTICS APPLIED BY THE RUSSIAN GAS MONOPOLY "GAZPROM," WHICH IS BLOCKING TURKMEN GAS EXPORTS THROUGH RUSSIAN TERRITORY.

// REST OPT //

THE AMBASSADOR'S PERSONAL BACKGROUND IS ITSELF AN EXAMPLE OF THE COMPLEX GEOPOLITICAL SHIFT HIS COUNTRY IS GOING THROUGH. BORN AND RAISED IN TURKEY IN AN EXILE FAMILY, HE WAS ABLE TO RETURN TO TURKMENISTAN IN THE WANING YEARS OF SOVIET POWER. NOT SURPRISINGLY, MR. UGUR DOES NOT SPEAK ANY RUSSIAN. BUT HE DOES HAVE A BUSINESS DEGREE FROM ONE OF AMERICA'S TOP INSTITUTIONS OF HIGHER LEARNING, HARVARD UNIVERSITY. (SIGNED)