Embassy News
Ambassador Hoagland's Fourth of July Comments
Ashgabat, Turkmenistan
July 2, 2008
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| Ambassador Hoagland, Chargé d’Affaires a.i. |
I know it’s traditional at these events to read lists of trade figures and quote GDP statistics; but, quite honestly, everyone knows that’s boring and no one ever listens very closely anyway. And so, no statistics this evening.
This year we celebrate the 232nd anniversary of the Declaration of Independence by 13 British colonies on the east coast of North America. The 1776 Declaration of Independence contained these words:
“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness; that to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed….”
“The consent of the governed” is the most fundamental definition of democracy. We in the United States will exercise this fundamental right once again on November 4, our next presidential election, which I am sure many of you are watching very closely.
If you look around today, and as you watch some of the entertainment, even as we offer some of our traditional Tex-Mex food from the American Southwest, you will see that our theme is “The American West.” I think this is especially appropriate because we see so many similarities between the American West and Turkmenistan: great open spaces, deserts and mountains; gas and oil wealth; a love of horses – there’s even a surprising similarity between our Native American and Turkmenistan’s traditional carpet and textile designs, hinting at the possibility of common ancestors thousands of years ago.
There are two other anniversaries to mention this evening.
This year marks the 15th anniversary of cooperation between the U.S. Agency for International Development and the government and people of Turkmenistan. During that time, we have seen fruitful cooperation in health care, especially for women and children, and in agriculture, as well as in other sectors. We are especially grateful for the new cooperation that will provide electricity to Afghanistan. I would also like to add that since Turkmenistan’s independence, nearly 2,000 citizens of this country have taken part in professional and academic exchanges to the United States.
I said there were two other anniversaries to mention. The other one is the end of my year of diplomatic service in Ashgabat as President George W. Bush’s representative to the Government of Turkmenistan. As I prepare to depart within the next few days for my next diplomatic assignment as U.S. Ambassador to Kazakhstan, I want to note that Turkmenistan is a country at peace with its neighbors, in the process of reform, and claiming its rightful place in the family of nations.
When I look back a year and a half when Mr. Berdymuhamedov assumed his presidency, I see significant progress. If I look forward into the future this is what I would like to see. I would like to see a Turkmen nation that:
- continues to be at peace with its neighbors and plays an increasingly strong and positive leadership role for regional development and global integration;
- uses wisely its independence and sovereignty and becomes an increasingly strong and confident player the with other states that are willing to cooperate in an international vision for Caspian Sea affairs;
- listens closely to its citizens, trusts them, and empowers them to collaborate in their own governance and nation-building;
- meets its international human rights obligations as it promised, in theory and practice, for the benefit of all the citizens of Turkmenistan and, ultimately, for the greater strength of the Turkmen nation;
- respects fully, in theory and in practice, the rule of law that provides equal and fair justice for all; and
- uses its increasing hydrocarbon wealth, in full cooperation with international energy corporations from various countries, for the benefit of its own citizens and for those who are less fortunate in the region, especially in Afghanistan.
I am very sincere in that It has been an honor and a privilege for me to serve as U.S. ambassador during this historic period. I thank President Berdimuhamedov for his hospitality – and patience – with more than 40 U.S. delegations during the past year. I especially thank my colleague Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Meredov, and his colleagues, and Mr. Deputy Prime Minister Saparlyev for their candor and cooperation – and, yes, I would like especially thank Mr. Meredov, for his patience, too. And I especially thank the talented and hospitable people of Turkmenistan for giving me a temporary home I will never forget.
Thank you.
