The European versus the „Eastern” style of doing politics
The Izvestiya daily reported on December 9 quoting the Itar Tass press agency that the EU Commissioner for External Relations and European Neighbourhood Policy Benita Ferrero-Waldner had said in a telephone conversation with the Austrian media that president Gurbanguly Berdymukhamedov supported the construction of the Nabucco gas pipeline. He had reportedly stated in an eye-to-eye conversation that Turkmenistan was ready to start selling gas to Europe right away.
Searching for the confirmation of Berdymukhamedov’s statement, I checked the official Turkmen websites and haven’t found a word about it. All they said was that the President had declared:
The European direction is one of the priorities of Turkmenistan’s foreign policy which is based on broad international cooperation […] The Turkmen leader also repeated that Turkmenistan supported the concept of diversification of export routes of its resources delivered to the world’s markets.
You have to agree that this is does not equal the direct declaration of participation in the Nabucco pipeline. Turkmenistan would certainly be interested in the exporting its gas to the West, but it remains careful in order not to annoy Russia. Therefore, Berdymukhamedov’s statement quoted by Ms. Ferrero-Waldner seems strange.
Maybe she did not quite understand the intricate and metaphoric eastern language used by the Turkmen leader or maybe she just heard what she wanted to hear. There may, though, be a different reason. Berdymukhamedov could have openly supported Nabucco, but only in a four-eyes conversation. He did not expect that Ferrero-Waldner would disclose it to the media. If that was the case, it may not bode well for the Trans-Caspian pipeline and the Western relations with Turkmenistan. The Turkmen president could have felt offended by this style of doing politics. From now on the Turkmen will probably be more cautious in their talks with the Europeans. Even in eye-to-eye talks.
on April 12th, 2008 at 11:36 pm
Stupid assumtion without any logic in it. Trust me my friend, at such a high level poytics there are no mistakes. Everything thats done or said has intentions…
on April 13th, 2008 at 5:28 am
Sorry Eziz, but your comment is stupid. Mistakes are integral part of politics. Without counting on mistakes of your political objector (or sometimes even partner) there would be no sense in doing politics.
on April 13th, 2008 at 5:39 am
Read also this article:
http://www.gundogar.org/?0212045979000000000000011000000
on April 14th, 2008 at 5:48 am
its called fleeting pipeline diplomacy.
on April 14th, 2008 at 6:00 am
maricula, i suggest you develop a better tolerance for your readers, and learn to accept and develop through criticism, otherwise it won’t be long before the acual 4 (FOUR) people that do visit this website will wonder onto the better sources of “useless political entries”.
totally agree with the guy above, in my several years of existance, i’ve never heard the term -mistake- navigate in politics. I might be naive, but looking back into the history, the costs of lost lives, homes, freedom, seems to be too costly to be called a simple mistake,
i’m sure there is a strategy behind every outspoken word,
in other words,
this is the diplomacy of politics.
on April 14th, 2008 at 6:26 am
shihgiz,
You are right, sometimes I’m overreacting. Sorry for that!
But as to mistakes and politics I can not agree with you. Politics, especially international, is a game between various camps, parties, groups of interest, politicians, countries. Their interests are often contradictionary so they compete or even fight, counting on their competitor’s mistake. And mistakes happen. How do you e.g. name Nazist’s Germany attack on the USSR in 1941? A mistake! If they did not do it, they could win the war.
Be sure that there are much more people than 4 reading this blog.
Anyway, it is nice to see you here despite you usually critricise me;)))
on April 14th, 2008 at 9:36 pm
I totally agree with Maciula. I think that EU politicians sometimes do not fully understand the eastern-style policy. Moreover, if there is something behind, tell me what it is and how Turkmenistan can benefit from the current situation? What is more, I would expect Berdymukhamedov to make by himself a declaration on gas exports to EU, not EU officials. Why? It is simple. Such declaration would rise his picture in the West’s eyes. The recent situation strengthened Ferrero-Waldner position as a politician (look at an feature in FT from Apr 14). It seems that she was the one who managed to secure Turkmen gas for Europe! One more thing, Ferrero-Waldner statement came few hours after French foreign minister said that Turkmenistan is ready to supply gas t Europe. Probably, EU commissioner did not want to stay behind the back of her French coleeague, huh?
Please, don’t tell me that politicians do not make mistakes. They do. Look at the present election campaign in USA! Most of politicians lose their posts because they are doing mistakes:) That’s simple truth.