VZCZCXRO0678
PP RUEHAG RUEHBI RUEHCI RUEHLH RUEHPW RUEHROV RUEHSR
DE RUEHAH #0086 0201321
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
P 201321Z JAN 09
FM AMEMBASSY ASHGABAT
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 2168
INFO RUCNCLS/ALL SOUTH AND CENTRAL ASIA COLLECTIVE
RUCNCIS/CIS COLLECTIVE
RUCNMEM/EU MEMBER STATES COLLECTIVE
RUEHAK/AMEMBASSY ANKARA 4714
RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING 2515
RUEHKO/AMEMBASSY TOKYO 2380
RUEHIT/AMCONSUL ISTANBUL 2962
RUCPDOC/DEPT OF COMMERCE WASHDC
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC
RHMFISS/CDR USCENTCOM MACDILL AFB FL
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC
RHEFDIA/DIA WASHDC
RUEKJCS/JOINT STAFF WASHDC
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHINGTON DC
RUEHVEN/USMISSION USOSCE 3256

C O N F I D E N T I A L ASHGABAT 000086 

SIPDIS 

STATE FOR SCA/CEN, EEB 

E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/19/2019 
TAGS: PGOV PINR EIND CIS FR TX
SUBJECT: BOUYGUES APPEARS TO HAVE A SHELF LIFE IN 
TURKMENISTAN, BUT WORK CONTINUES 

REF: 08 ASHGABAT 1487 

Classified By: XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX, reasons 1.4 (B) and (D). 

¶1. (C) During a January 18 conversation with XXXXXXXXXX, 
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX  shared the following comments about 
Bouygues's relations with the Turkmen government and its 
business prospects in the country: 

-- It is well known in the company that Minister of 
Construction, Shamuhammet Durdylyev, and former Minister of 
Communications, Resulberdi Hojagurbanov, do not like 
Bouygues. While Pupulin did not know why these officials, 
particularly Durdylyev, dislike Bouygues, company employees 
have the impression that there is a negative trend 
developing. As more and more ministers develop an aversion 
to the company, the company will eventually leave 
Turkmenistan. 

-- To illustrate the excessive scale of the buildings that 
house Turkmen government ministries, XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX  
explained that 170 employees will work in the new Ministry of Communications 
building -- which contains 15,000 square meters of floor 
space. 

-- XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX  mentioned that Bouygues is currently constructing 
a building for the "Protocol Department," adding that the 
government might need this building for a meeting of the 
Commonwealth of Independent States that will take place in 
Ashgabat in early 2010. He added that this meeting might 
also be the stimulus for the five-star hotel that Bouygues is 
building, as well as the new Ministry of Foreign Affairs 
building. 

-- Payment delays can also hold up the commencement of new 
projects and postpone continuation of work already in 
progress (reftel). Problems locating cement domestically -- 
which, while cheaper, is not the best quality -- also 
negatively impact the project cycle. 

¶2. (U) Bouygues Regional Director Charles Santer and 
Commercial Director for Central Asia Aleksy Reshov met with 
President Berdimuhamedov on January 16. Reshov updated 
Berdimuhamedov on current projects in a meeting on January 
16, especially interior design of the five-star hotel under 
construction. They also discussed future cooperation. 

¶3. (C) COMMENT: Notoriously secretive and insular due to 
fears of commercial espionage, information about Bouygues' 
activities has been one of the toughest nuts to crack in 
Turkmenistan. XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX 's comments appear to be further 
confirmation of Bouygues's troubles in Turkmenistan. END 
COMMENT. 
MILES