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political parties and the mass media in opposition should not be ignored either. The problem is that the features of modernization often bear an enclave character far removed from the main part of the rural population, which represents that very area of tradition whose impact on public life is still to be properly assessed.
"Islamsky factor v istorii i sovremennosti", Moscow, 2011, pp. 475-484.
A. Klimenko,
Cand. Sc. (Military Sciences) (IFES RAS) TURKMENISTAN AS A POTENTIAL PARTICIPANT IN SCO AND ITS INFLUENCE ON THE SITUATION IN CENTRAL ASIA
Turkmenistan borders on Kazakhstan in the North, Uzbekistan in the north and east, and Iran and Afghanistan in the south. It is washed by the Caspian Sea in the west. By its geographical position, humanitarian and economic ties with other Central Asian states and also by having a common border with Iran, Turkmenistan could logically have been a member of the SCO.
There are no exact information and data about the numerical strength of its armed forces or their supply of arms, ammunition and military hardware. The land forces, according to various sources, number about 15,000 men and officers, they are armed with up to 540 tanks, 1,300 armored vehicles, and 520 units of various artillery systems of Soviet make. Coast-guard units are set up. The air forces and anti-aircraft defense units number about 3,000 men and officers. After the disintegration of the U.S.S.R. Turkmenistan received the biggest Air Force grouping in Central Asia deployed in two large bases - near Ashkhabad and in the city of Mary and having about
300 helicopters and aircraft of different systems. These vehicles have been thoroughly repaired at special plants in Georgia at the expense of the latter's debt to Turkmenistan for its natural gas supplied to that Trans-Caucasian republic.
Turkmenistan's navy on the Caspian Sea is subordinated to the command of the border-guard units. Due to the considerable length of the republic's border, its border-guard units have a special status. In 2000 Turkmenistan unilaterally abrogated the treaty with Russia on the joint guarding of the state border and the status of the Russian military personnel on the territory of Turkmenistan. That very year the Russian border-guard units left the republic and American and European experts took over the reassignment and infrastructure development along the republican border, including its border on the Caspian Sea. With a view to preventing drug trafficking in Central Asia, another check-point, "Imamnazar," was set up on the Turkmen-Afghan border with the participation of the United States, which paid $1.8 million (the UN contribution to the project was $ 650,000).
Turkmenistan also takes part in the OSCE programs on border security and the border regime. Within the framework of the program the OSCE center in Ashkhabad has organized and supervises the training of the Turkmen special services and law-enforcement agencies. The leadership of the republic considers that its neutral status does not prevent its participation in NATO programs. At the same time it should be noted that in all its foreign-policy actions Ashkhabad is guided by the principle of permanent neutrality and, accordingly, all obligations assumed by the country are based on this status.
Despite the fact that Turkmenistan is situated in an unstable region and surrounded by such "uneasy" neighbors as Iran, Afghanistan, and, partly, Uzbekistan, its defense expenditures are minimal. In 2006 they amounted to slightly over $80 million.
Uzbekistan holds first place in the CIS in the share of defense expenditures in the GDP, whereas Turkmenistan - last place. Ashkhabad does not intend to be part to any political alliances. The republic would rather take part in the development of international political-economic relations.
Turkmenistan is an active participant in the dialogue on the status of the Caspian Sea. Its representatives support all positive initiatives within the framework of the UN aimed at ensuring regional security. The republic takes part in international programs on fighting terrorism and drug trafficking.
The interstate contractual base existing between Russia and Turkmenistan enables the two parties to maintain all-round cooperation practically in all spheres of bilateral relations. However, for quite a long time its potential was not used fully enough. An impressive volume of trade turnover between the two countries was largely due to the supply of Turkmen gas. However, there are quite a few spheres of economic, scientific-technological and cultural cooperation where mutual interest of Russia and Turkmenistan could also bring tangible benefits to the two parties, as well as contribute to regional integration. True, recently it was possible to trace a definite tendency toward the broadening of business contacts between Turkmenistan and Russia, as well as other CIS countries.
The President of Turkmenistan G. Berdymukhamedov said at a meeting of the heads of government of the CIS countries held in Ashkhabad in 2007 that fresh ideas and new standards were required today which could ensure the community as a whole and each member-state the possibility to react adequately to all challenges of the epoch. They will allow them to evolve a new model of cooperation aimed at the formation of a unified Eurasian trade-economic, energy, information-communication and transport area. Turkmenistan has put
forward a number of initiatives for creating new transport corridors between the North and the South, which would be of great economic benefit to all member-states.
The new economic strategy evolved by President G. Berdymukhamedov could help Turkmenistan join the integration processes not only within the framework of the Eurasian Economic Cooperation Organization, but also, possibly, the SCO. It envisages the large-scale drawing of foreign investments to the development of the rich deposits of the Turkmen shelf of the Caspian Sea and other oil and gas-bearing districts of the country, and also long-term agreements on cooperation in the sphere of gas concluded with Russia and other SCO member-states - China, Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan signed in 2007. A decision has been adopted to begin the construction of a Turkmen -Chinese main line and the development of the gas-transport system Central Asia - Center. This also concerns the efforts undertaken by Turkmenistan for promoting other transnational projects - a gas pipeline Turkmenistan - Afghanistan - Pakistan - India, construction of a Caspian gas pipeline and reconstruction of the already functioning gas-transport system.
Thus Turkmenistan is gradually becoming the owner of key energy and transport lines equally attractive for Europe and Asia by implementing its plans to create a multifarious system of gas pipelines, interstate electric power transmission lines and motor roads and railway lines from North to South and from West to East.
According to estimates, the creation of the North - South transport corridor connecting the Caspian states with Russia and giving access to the Persian Gulf to all interested countries will make it possible to carry millions of tons of cargoes annually, which will bring a no small benefit to all participants in the project.
This communication project was approved at the summit meeting of the heads of state of the Caspian countries held in Tehran in 2007 where Turkmenistan, Iran and Kazakhstan signed an agreement on building a railway line.
However, despite the fact that Ashkhabad displays interest in western transport and energy projects, one cannot fail to see that for adopting the final decision Ashkhabad cannot but take into account its deep involvement in joint energy projects not only with Russia, but also with China and other SCO member-states (including through the project of a joint Chinese-Central Asian gas pipeline). Finally, Turkmenistan is surrounded by states closely interacting with Russia, and this is why it is not advantageous for the former to act contrary to their interests.
Russia, for its part, needs to pursue a well-though-out policy toward Turkmenistan, including buying its gas at real prices, taking an active part in the development of its economy and social life, and also cooperating with it in military and military-technological fields. Ashkhabad should be more actively drawn, jointly with other SCO participants, to multifarious projects, primarily, energy and communication ones. The invitation of the President of Turkmenistan to the Tashkent summit meeting of the SCO in 2010 was a positive sign. The Russian political and scientific circles should display a profound interest in the possible variants of the development of events around Turkmenistan and thoroughly analyze all aspects influencing them.
"Miroviye derzhavy v Tsentralnoi Azii," Moscow, 2011, pp. 140-145.
