Who should be most concerned about the Russo-Turkmen deal?

On Feb. 11, the day Turkmenistan held its first multi-candidate presidential elections, Berdimuhammedov celebrated a crushing defeat of his opponents. Three days later the extraordinary session of the Khalk Maslkakhaty (people’s council) -- a council of the most prominent leaders in the country -- approved Berdimuhammedov as the new leader. He spoke of his policies for the first time as the leader of Turkmenistan during that session. Berdimuhammedov, who took his oath on the Constitution, said he would follow Türkmenbaşı’s line of politics, but at the same time he promised to make reforms in education, agriculture, social services, energy and communication.

Berdimuhammedov took his very first step in communication reform the day after his inauguration by allowing Internet cafés to open. The step was applauded by international media and two Internet cafés were opened in the capital, Ashgabat. Turkmen officials took foreign journalists to tour the Internet cafes and promised to open more cafes in other cities as well. Zaman’s Turkmenistan correspondent, Cemil Yıldız, reports that the cafes are always full.

Reforms were not limited to Internet cafes. There were reforms in education as well. The new president signed a decree to increase compulsory education from nine to 10 years for secondary schools and to five years for higher education. One of the most important changes was allowing scholars from foreign countries to be recruited. Other changes included the annulment of a rule that required high school graduates to work for two years before they entered university and increasing the number of students sent abroad for education. Muammer Türkyılmaz, a founding and dedicated member of the Turkish education foundation, was promoted to deputy minister of education.

The new constitutional amendments approved by the Turkmenistan Parliament introduced new social security reforms. As soon as the new changes come into effect, citizens who have retired from employment in villages will receive a pension -- beginning on July 1. To sustain reforms in every field the new leader has started sending ministers and deputy ministers in his cabinet to foreign countries for workshops and official visits. For example he sent the education minister to Malaysia and the agriculture minister to Spain.

Berdimuhammedov, who frequently states that he depends on the people, took his first international trip as president to Saudi Arabia between April 13 and 16, showing that he really respects values of the people. During his visit he traveled to Mecca, performing the lesser pilgrimage of umrah. He also visited Medina and prayed at the Cennetü’l Baki Graveyard for the companions of the Prophet.

It was very important for the US and Europe, and Turkey in particular, to praise and support the new reform minded Turkmen leader. But Turkey was too much focused on unpleasant domestic debates and did not have much time to pay heed to him until he signed an energy agreement with Russia. According to the agreement, which Kazakhstan is also a party, Turkmenistan will supply gas to Russia from a pipeline along the Hazar coastline. The pipeline will supply 10 billion cubic meters of gas per day as of 2009. As a result, naturally questions were raised on whether Ashgabat was turning towards Moscow when Turkmenistan, which has already a 25-year contract for gas supply to Russia, signed another agreement with Moscow.

As Türkmenbaşı kept repeating, the new leader also says that Turkmenistan needs other pipelines to China, India, Iran and trans-Hazar to fulfill its long-term interests and has enough natural gas to supply these alternative lines. But where are the Turkish, European and American statesmen that need to take the lead in realizing these 15-year-old debated projects?

My personal opinion is that it is the EU, which suffered an energy crisis with Russia two years ago and as a result wanted to diversify its natural gas resources, that should be the most concerned by this agreement between Russia and Turkmenistan. Mainly because the recent EU Energy Report, which sent warning signals to European capitals, revealed that Europe is dependent on foreign sources for 50 percent of its energy needs now. Besides, this dependency will reach 80 percent for natural gas in 15 years. The report had made it clear that the EU, which currently receives half its natural gas supplies from only three countries -- Russia, Norway and Algeria -- must develop its alternatives aside from Russia, such as Turkmenistan, Iran and Iraq.