PRESS COVERAGE OF 9/11 EVENTS

UNCLAS BISHKEK 001311 SIPDIS SIPDIS DEPT FOR SCA/CEN AND SCA/PPD E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PREL PGOV KPAO KG SUBJECT: PRESS COVERAGE OF 9/11 EVENTS REF: BISHKEK 1303 Sensitive But Unclassified. Not for Internet Distribution ¶1. (U) Local press provided wide coverage of the ceremony at Manas Air Base commemorating the 5th anniversary of the September 11 attacks (see reftel). Because of the participation of President Bakiyev, Prime Minister Kulov, Speaker of Parliament Sulanov, and Azreti Mufti Jumanov coverage of the event was particularly strong in government controlled media. KTR Channel 1 - the only national channel - KOORT, NTS, and NBT all dedicated portions of their evening news hour to the event. These channels together give potential coverage throughout the entire country. In the newspapers, government-oriented Slovo Kyrgyzstan, state-owned Kyrgyz Tuusu, and pro-government MSN printed articles describing the base ceremony. The total circulation of these three papers is approximately 27,000. Wire services AKIpress and 24.kg also printed articles on the ceremony. Most other papers only print weekly, and will only be out later in the week. ¶2. (SBU) All the media outlets confined themselves to describing the ceremony, reprinting portions of the Ambassador,s and President,s remarks, describing the base tour by the President, and briefly covering the President,s impromptu press conference at the end of his tour. The ceremony was either the first piece in the news broadcast or on the first page of papers with pictures. None of the outlets made any editorial comments on the ceremony or slanted their coverage in an anti-American way. This is especially noteworthy since some outlets, 24.kg being the primary example, look for any excuse to add an anti-U.S. twist to their reporting. ¶3. (U) Some of the independent television stations also covered the 9/11 event featuring the visiting Citizens Dialogue Tour group, consisting of a Muslim student and professional, both women, visiting Kyrgyzstan and Pakistan, and engaging with students and other members of civil society. This group spoke to a standing room only group of women students and scholars at the Islamic University. Press coverage of these two events provided a very rich and broad picture of the solemn commemoration of 9/11 plus our attempts at strengthening bilateral ties with Kyrgyzstan and reaching out to the grassroots. YOVANOVITCH