Turkmenistan plans base on the Caspian
Turkmenistan will set up a military base on the
Caspian Sea in the near future, President Kurbanguly
Berdymukhamedov said on Sunday. Some analysts believe that Russia,
a regional powerhouse seeking to assert its clout in the
strategically important region, is behind the plan.
Addressing top security officials in televised remarks, Berdymukhamedov said that, in addition to the overland border, the Central Asian state has an extensive maritime border which needs to be thoroughly safeguarded.
"In this connection, special work is currently underway on my orders to strengthen our maritime border from foreign intrusions and protect the Caspian coast that belongs to our country," Berdymukhamedov said.
The Turkmen leader said the base to be built at the port city of Turkmenbashi will have two missile-armed ships. Moreover, Turkmenistan`s border service has begun purchasing high-speed patrol boats. These objectives are to be accomplished by 2015, Berdymukhamedov added.
The Turkmen president instructed the chiefs of military and law enforcement agencies "to wage an effective combat against smugglers, terrorists and any other forces that will attempt to trespass on Turkmenistan`s maritime border or destabilize the situation there."
Berdymukhamedov also said Turkmenistan was witnessing the rapidly increasing defense spending and strengthening of the armed forces of other countries. "Turkmenistan reserves the right to repel with force any aggression or threat targeting its sovereignty."
Further, Berdymukhamedov said tactical military exercises should be conducted regularly to properly protect the Turkmen Caspian coast. "These drills should involve ships, boats and warplanes of Turkmenistan`s Defense Ministry and Border Service," he said.
Turkmenistan`s coast guard has 16 patrol boats and 700 servicemen on the inland Caspian Sea, a minuscule remnant of the Soviet Caspian fleet that has mostly been taken over by Russia.
Berdymukhamedov said, prior to his meeting with the heads of power-wielding agencies, that Turkmenistan neither has territorial claims against any other country nor sees any state as an enemy. "Turkmenistan sees its borders in the context of peace, friendship and being part of a good neighborhood."
The Caspian littoral states - Turkmenistan, Iran, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan and Russia - have been facing a dispute over the legal status of the basin since the 1991 Soviet collapse. Azerbaijan and Turkmenistan have long-standing differences over several offshore oil and gas fields, which remains a major sticking point in resolving the status issue, and Ashgabat has gone as far as warning it would settle the matter in court.
An interesting point is which state will assist Turkmenistan in setting up a base on the Caspian. But, in any case, this will not be the United States or another Western nation. In fact, Russia is quite likely to play this role.
Vafa Guluzada, Azerbaijani former state adviser and political analyst, says that Turkmenistan`s idea is part of another plan Moscow has devised against Azerbaijan. According to Guluzada, Azerbaijan has been keeping Armenia, its long-time foe, in isolation for many years.
"Russia has begun acting against us to extricate Armenia [Moscow`s ally] from this pressure and an embargo. And they are doing so by establishing a base on the Caspian at the hands of such puppet states as Turkmenistan," Guluzada said.
According to the analyst, Azerbaijan should counter the move by setting up its own military base on the Caspian.
"I said, back during my tenure as [state] adviser, that it is necessary to restore Azerbaijan`s Ship Repair Plant and set up a shipbuilding plant instead. Everyone knows today that Turkmenistan is not taking this step on its own and this country is fully dependent on Russia`s political influence. It is due to Russia`s clout that this country has turned against Azerbaijan."
Military analyst Uzeyir Jafarov said he had been expecting Turkmenistan to take this step for some time. He noted, however, that Turkmenistan had always acted as a neutral state, staying out of other countries` affairs.
"Our neighbor`s setting up a military base on the Caspian does not depend on its own will or a single decision. Naturally, it is crystal clear that, as a result of this step by Turkmenistan, another area of tension will emerge in the region… Turkmenistan has repeatedly gotten into disputes with us over some oil and gas fields in the Caspian Sea and this step will heighten the tension further."
As for Turkmenistan`s intent to sue Azerbaijan over oil fields, commentators say that Ashgabat`s recent statements represent a geo-political step aimed against Baku`s independent energy policy.
On the other hand, Turkmenistan is reluctant to sign the Nabucco pipeline project that seeks to deliver Azerbaijani and Central Asian gas to European markets, by-passing Russia. Casting the issue into the spotlight gives Turkmenistan a reason to blame Azerbaijan for delays in the project implementation.
Late in July, President Berdymukhamedov said his country considers as its own property those oil and gas fields being developed by Azerbaijan in the area of the Caspian Sea that the two countries face differences upon, referring to the Azeri, Chirag and Kapaz fields, which Ashgabat calls Osman, Omar and Sardar. He claimed that, according to the laws in place since Soviet times, these fields are within Turkmenistan`s borders. Berdymukhamedov instructed his government to have lawyers prepare documents for their further submission to the international court of arbitration, adding Ashgabat would accept any ruling.
Addressing top security officials in televised remarks, Berdymukhamedov said that, in addition to the overland border, the Central Asian state has an extensive maritime border which needs to be thoroughly safeguarded.
"In this connection, special work is currently underway on my orders to strengthen our maritime border from foreign intrusions and protect the Caspian coast that belongs to our country," Berdymukhamedov said.
The Turkmen leader said the base to be built at the port city of Turkmenbashi will have two missile-armed ships. Moreover, Turkmenistan`s border service has begun purchasing high-speed patrol boats. These objectives are to be accomplished by 2015, Berdymukhamedov added.
The Turkmen president instructed the chiefs of military and law enforcement agencies "to wage an effective combat against smugglers, terrorists and any other forces that will attempt to trespass on Turkmenistan`s maritime border or destabilize the situation there."
Berdymukhamedov also said Turkmenistan was witnessing the rapidly increasing defense spending and strengthening of the armed forces of other countries. "Turkmenistan reserves the right to repel with force any aggression or threat targeting its sovereignty."
Further, Berdymukhamedov said tactical military exercises should be conducted regularly to properly protect the Turkmen Caspian coast. "These drills should involve ships, boats and warplanes of Turkmenistan`s Defense Ministry and Border Service," he said.
Turkmenistan`s coast guard has 16 patrol boats and 700 servicemen on the inland Caspian Sea, a minuscule remnant of the Soviet Caspian fleet that has mostly been taken over by Russia.
Berdymukhamedov said, prior to his meeting with the heads of power-wielding agencies, that Turkmenistan neither has territorial claims against any other country nor sees any state as an enemy. "Turkmenistan sees its borders in the context of peace, friendship and being part of a good neighborhood."
The Caspian littoral states - Turkmenistan, Iran, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan and Russia - have been facing a dispute over the legal status of the basin since the 1991 Soviet collapse. Azerbaijan and Turkmenistan have long-standing differences over several offshore oil and gas fields, which remains a major sticking point in resolving the status issue, and Ashgabat has gone as far as warning it would settle the matter in court.
An interesting point is which state will assist Turkmenistan in setting up a base on the Caspian. But, in any case, this will not be the United States or another Western nation. In fact, Russia is quite likely to play this role.
Vafa Guluzada, Azerbaijani former state adviser and political analyst, says that Turkmenistan`s idea is part of another plan Moscow has devised against Azerbaijan. According to Guluzada, Azerbaijan has been keeping Armenia, its long-time foe, in isolation for many years.
"Russia has begun acting against us to extricate Armenia [Moscow`s ally] from this pressure and an embargo. And they are doing so by establishing a base on the Caspian at the hands of such puppet states as Turkmenistan," Guluzada said.
According to the analyst, Azerbaijan should counter the move by setting up its own military base on the Caspian.
"I said, back during my tenure as [state] adviser, that it is necessary to restore Azerbaijan`s Ship Repair Plant and set up a shipbuilding plant instead. Everyone knows today that Turkmenistan is not taking this step on its own and this country is fully dependent on Russia`s political influence. It is due to Russia`s clout that this country has turned against Azerbaijan."
Military analyst Uzeyir Jafarov said he had been expecting Turkmenistan to take this step for some time. He noted, however, that Turkmenistan had always acted as a neutral state, staying out of other countries` affairs.
"Our neighbor`s setting up a military base on the Caspian does not depend on its own will or a single decision. Naturally, it is crystal clear that, as a result of this step by Turkmenistan, another area of tension will emerge in the region… Turkmenistan has repeatedly gotten into disputes with us over some oil and gas fields in the Caspian Sea and this step will heighten the tension further."
As for Turkmenistan`s intent to sue Azerbaijan over oil fields, commentators say that Ashgabat`s recent statements represent a geo-political step aimed against Baku`s independent energy policy.
On the other hand, Turkmenistan is reluctant to sign the Nabucco pipeline project that seeks to deliver Azerbaijani and Central Asian gas to European markets, by-passing Russia. Casting the issue into the spotlight gives Turkmenistan a reason to blame Azerbaijan for delays in the project implementation.
Late in July, President Berdymukhamedov said his country considers as its own property those oil and gas fields being developed by Azerbaijan in the area of the Caspian Sea that the two countries face differences upon, referring to the Azeri, Chirag and Kapaz fields, which Ashgabat calls Osman, Omar and Sardar. He claimed that, according to the laws in place since Soviet times, these fields are within Turkmenistan`s borders. Berdymukhamedov instructed his government to have lawyers prepare documents for their further submission to the international court of arbitration, adding Ashgabat would accept any ruling.
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