Center: Assistant Secretary Robert Blake and Right: Michael Posner, Assistant Secretary of State for Democracy and Human Rights at the Opening Session of Inaugural US-Turkmenistan Annual Bilateral Consultations
A delegation of U.S. State Department officials and business executives travelled to Turkmenistan this week to launch a comprehensive program of dialogue that is to include human rights discussions as well as talks on energy security. Washington hopes to tap Turkmenistan's vast hydrocarbon riches, as well as gain Ashgabat's assistance in supplying NATO troops in the war in Afghanistan and promoting regional stability. Currently, the U.S. has a "gas-and-go" arrangement with Turkmenistan, landing planes in Ashgabat to refuel en route to Afghanistan with non-lethal freight.
Robert Blake, Assistant Secretary of State South and Central Asian Affairs
and Michael Posner, Assistant Secretary of State for Democracy and Human Rights, as well as other U.S. defense, energy and aid officials visited Turkmenistan June 13-15 to launch the Annual Bilateral Consultations (ABCs), described as a "new beginning" to U.S.-Turkmenistan relations in "initiating an important dialogue on all aspects of the bilateral relationship between the United States and Turkmenistan, not only between our two governments, but between the Turkmen and American people." The ABCs involve "an ambitious plan of work to advance our relationship on all fronts with clear objectives and specific deadlines for future cooperation assigned to action-oriented working groups," said Blake in opening remarks.
