Embassy News

Interview of Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asian Affairs Richard A. Boucher by Nadia Badykova of Voice of America

January 5, 2007

QUESTION: Thank you very much for your time.

ASSISTANT SECRETARY BOUCHER: Thank you very much. It's a pleasure to be with you.

QUESTION: During your last -- recent visit to Ashgabat, you said that United States open for new relations with Turkmenistan. Can you elaborate on that?

ASSISTANT SECRETARY BOUCHER: We -- I wanted to go to the funeral to express our condolences, first of all, to the people of Turkmenistan, but also to signal -- to say clearly that we are ready for a new beginning if they're ready to start something new. And I'm not sure how far I can elaborate it at this point. We're certainly interested in a smooth and peaceful transition in Turkmenistan. We understand that people have lost their leader and they have hope for the future, but they also have some uncertainty about it, so we want to work with them as they move forward.

We've just actually seen in the last day or two some welcome remarks by the new leaders about reforming education, about expanding exchange programs, about expanding access to the internet, things like that. Those are positive signs. We'll see how quickly they want to implement them. And obviously, we've been partners in all those areas and we're quite willing to work with them to expand those areas. As we hope Turkmenistan will move forward to a new future, we're quite ready for a new relationship.

QUESTION: Okay. Talking about his union -- right now, you -- when you say about the political -- major economic reforms have already --

ASSISTANT SECRETARY BOUCHER: Yeah.

QUESTION: -- you mean that Berdimuhhamedov, the acting, president --

ASSISTANT SECRETARY BOUCHER: Berdimuhhamedov, yeah. He made a speech or a platform speech.

QUESTION: Yeah, but he didn't mention anything about the political reforms.

ASSISTANT SECRETARY BOUCHER: No, he didn't. Obviously, we think that needs to be part of the package, creating a more open society, a more dynamic society, more creative society, a better economic opportunity for everyone. Those things all go together, and so we do think that needs to be part of the package; but -- you know, where they need -- where they're ready to get started, we're ready to get started as well. Education, access to information, economic opportunity, entrepreneurship, these are things that are fundamental to creating a more open society and we'd obviously like to see it become a society where people of Turkmenistan get the kind of justice and openness that they deserve.

QUESTION: Almost all Turkmen opposition are currently abroad. Will the United States support Turkmen opposition?

ASSISTANT SECRETARY BOUCHER: What we have said, what we'll continue to make clear is that we look for a more open society where everyone can participate in the social life, the political life, the economic life. That's fundamental and that needs to be part of the change. But those decisions are going to have to be made in the end in Turkmenistan. And so we're encouraging that kind of change, but I can't -- we're not supporting particular people one way or the other. We're supporting a more open society, and continue to make clear that that's the direction that we think they have to go.

QUESTION: In your opinion, given the new political climate in Turkmenistan, will the United States support any new gas pipeline projects?

ASSISTANT SECRETARY BOUCHER: Well, we've always supported for all the countries of Central Asia that they have as many options as possible. Having options, having choices, having different pipelines, different markets, that's the source of independence and we've always believed in the independence of these countries. So yes, we would like to see Turkmenistan be able to develop its resources, its oil and gas reserves in a market fashion that gets them a market price for their energy; that gives them different options to export; that gives them the kind of benefits from their oil and gas resources that others in the region have managed to get. And that's where the idea of multiple pipelines, multiple outlets, multiple options is really a question of how to secure the sovereignty and independence of the nation.

QUESTION: Okay. Maybe that's it. Thank you.

ASSISTANT SECRETARY BOUCHER: We covered everything quickly.

QUESTION: Yes, very quickly.

ASSISTANT SECRETARY BOUCHER: All right. Well, thank you.

QUESTION: Thank you so much.