Development in Turkmenistan

Re “With ‘Father’ of Nation Looking Down From Every Angle, Critics Are at Risk,” Jan. 3:

I was appalled by the remark that compares the president of Turkmenistan to a man known throughout the free world as a terrorist, Saddam Hussein. President Saparmurad A. Niyazov led his country to declare itself neutral with the intention of encouraging the Central Asian region to work toward peace in its development. I fail to see how these two men could be compared.

The flippant mention of efforts to modernize Ashgabat with finances based on oil and gas revenues inaccurately states what has been done. Several of the world’s largest energy companies are taking advantage of Turkmenistan’s wealth of natural resources, including natural gas and oil equivalent to or greater than that of Kuwait or Russia. Several hotels and business centers have been built to accommodate the growing number of Western business people who visit Ashgabat regularly. American companies have been brought in to build water purification plants for Turkmen residents. Programs have been developed with international organizations to increase food production and storage.

Nation-building requires endurance and patience. Let us make the best effort we can to address civil liberties with an informed mind.

HALIL UGUR, Ambassador

Embassy of Turkmenistan

Washington