Hardly anyone would doubt that due to its rich natural gas deposits and strategic location Turkmenistan is one of the most important Central Asian countries for the U.S. The Americans attribute great significance to this country (especially after Niyazov’s death) as evidenced by the frequency with which the U.S. diplomats visit Ashgabat. The recent nomination of Steven Mann as the Coordinator of Eurasian Energy Diplomacy is also very meaningful.

The centerpiece of the State Department’s effort to repulse the Russian advance in the Caspian Basin is the creation of a new office, the Coordinator of Eurasian Energy Diplomacy. Steven Mann, formerly US Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asian Affairs and US ambassador to Turkmenistan, has been appointed to the post.

What’s more, the drop-off in the State Department’s 2008 aid budget for the countries of Central Asia is not going to affect Turkmenistan. The support for education, economic reform, civil society reform and health care in Turkmenistan is scheduled to rise from $5.4 to $8 million. Ashgabat will also receive symbolic military aid of $150,000.

However, the recent article by Joshua Kucera (a freelance journalist based in Washington who specializes in security issues in Central Asia, the Caucasus and the Middle East) published on the eurasianet.org website which describes the dwindling US aid budget to Eurasian states made me realise how marginal is the position that Turkmenistan occupies in the U.S. policy in Asia.

Let’s take a look at some figures (as I have noted before, this year’s aid to Turkmenistan is to amount to 8 million USD).

Military aid to Eurasian countries rose slightly. Foreign Military Financing, which funds weapons and equipment purchases, would go up to $20.7 million from $17.5 million last year, driven mainly by increases in Kazakhstan and Georgia. Under the budget proposal, Georgia would get more than half of the entire region’s military aid, $11 million.

That’s quite a lot, especially as compared to $150,000 allotted to Turkmenistan. But let’s continue reading:

Afghanistan […] is to get $250 million in counter-narcotics money, down slightly from last year, and $707 million to for democratization and economic development. Meanwhile, military aid to Pakistan is due to reach $300 million, the same level it has been at for several years, and Islamabad would also get $453 million for democratization and economic development.

Washington also intends to spend $65 million to “support the aspirations of the Iranian people for a democratic and open society by promoting civil society, civic participation, media freedom and freedom of information.

When one constantly deals with a country, it seems to be the most important and in the centre of the world’s attention. It is good that mathematics brings us back down to earth from time to time.