Memoirs of Akbar Hashemi – July 4, 1995

I did the work until nine o'clock in the morning. We went to [Mehrabad] airport to welcome [Mr. Safar Murad Niyazov], the President of Turkmenistan and his entourage. Before their arrival, our ministers said that their preparatory committee did not respond positively to handing over their construction projects to Iran. They arrived at nine o'clock. After the official welcome and military ceremony, the two of us had a short interview.

Before the interview, I complained about the failure of some of their ministers to approve cooperation, and on the way to Saadabad, I emphasized that Iran, with its technical strength and relative advantages, can finish the projects cheaply, and if it is taken seriously in the tenders, the possibility of lowering the prices will come with serious competition. He confirmed and it was decided to follow up. In the two official negotiation sessions, I emphasized the same in the presence of my companions. Mr. [Akbar] Turkan, [Minister of Roads and Transport], was arranged to meet separately and give explanations in this regard.

Until the evening, we talked about many issues in several private negotiations, such as round trip routes and during lunch and in private meetings; He gave a lot of information. For example, he believes that Mr. Chernomyrdin, the Prime Minister of Russia, is in harmony with the United States and is thinking of renewing the power of the former Soviet Union. They say that he is not in the interest of Turkmenistan and Iran, but they know Mr. Yeltsin better.

He said that the American government is clearly opposed to the passage of Turkmenistan's gas pipeline through Iran's territory

and wants to go to Türkiye from Khorez, Azerbaijan and Georgia. Mrs. Çiller, the Turkish Prime Minister, has the same policy, but [Süleyman] Demirel, [President of Turkey], is in favor of going through Iran and is disappointed that the work will be done during the Clinton administration. He said that in the meeting with European leaders, he asked them to support this plan.

He said that the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Azerbaijan told him that Tabriz should become the center of Azerbaijan. In his meeting with Mr. Yeltsin, Mr. [Bill] Clinton said that America supported him when Mr. Yeltsin shelled the parliament and now he should support the policy of weakening Iran, which Yeltsin did not accept regarding the Bushehr power plant. He said that the United States supports the division of the Caspian Sea, according to Azerbaijan's policy, and asked him to accept it, but he did not accept it, and that the governments of Georgia and Azerbaijan are not stable.

He explained about the projects that have been given to Israel, such as silos and reclamation of land and desalination of water, and he gave explanations about his trip to Israel and said that most of the heads of Israel have shared good memories of their past with Iran or in Iran, including the president and his wife, and they hope that their relations with Iran will improve in the future. He consulted about Russia's request to him to establish a warehouse of an arms company in the south of Turkmenistan, as well as the exclusive management of Turkmenistan's gas, as well as the renewal of the military presence at the Kronosk base, and as usual criticized Mr. [Islam] Karimov, [President of Uzbekistan].

We had two rounds of negotiations. We signed several agreements about industries and projects. The most important thing is the purchase of eight billion cubic meters of gas per year from them, the money of which will be spent on the construction of pipelines and the establishment of gas industries, and will be the precursors for the future pipeline. He demanded that we partner Russia; He is afraid of Russia. We went in the evening and opened their new embassy. It is a good building; In front of the building they gave us in Ashgabat, they took it. We went to the airport. After the interview and farewell, we returned to the office. Mr. Dr. Velayati, [Minister of Foreign Affairs], reported on his trip to Switzerland. He was satisfied with the negotiations. He believes that the European Union has agreed to improve relations without Iran's writing.