RADIO SILENCE CONTINUES FOR BBC IN TAJIKISTAN

C O N F I D E N T I A L DUSHANBE 001498 SIPDIS SIPDIS STATE FOR SCA/CEN, DRL E.O. 12958: DECL: 8/4/2016 TAGS: PREL PGOV PHUM TI SUBJECT: RADIO SILENCE CONTINUES FOR BBC IN TAJIKISTAN REF: DUSHANBE 304 CLASSIFIED BY: Tom Hushek, CdA, U.S. Embassy, Dushanbe, State. REASON: 1.4 (d) ¶1. (SBU) Tajikistan's State Radio and Television Committee (SRTC) announced August 2 it refused to give BBC a license to broadcast in Tajiki/ Farsi on FM radio. Margaret Belof, the British DCM, told PolOff August 3 the committee based its refusal on two grounds: the BBC is still not properly registered with the Ministry of Justice, and no agreement exists between the Tajik and British governments on television and radio broadcasting. ¶2. (SBU) The Tajik government stopped BBC broadcasts in January due to registration problems (reftel). The MOJ reregistered BBC June 26, but BBC needs to obtain a new broadcasting license from the SRTC. Belof did not go into the details of the registration issue, stating only that, "We think they are wrong-all the papers are in order and BBC is now legally registered." ¶3. (C) First Deputy Head of SRTC Abdurakhmon Abdumannonov told media sources, "According to the Tajik media law (passed in November 2005),no foreign radio station has the right to broadcast on the territory of Tajikistan without the corresponding intergovernmental or interstate agreement." Belof observed that Great Britain has no intergovernmental broadcasting agreements with any other country in the world, nor do other counties usually make these kinds of agreements. "Only Russia has this agreement with Tajikistan," she noted, and the conditions of the Russian agreement would be impossible for BBC to accept. ¶4. (C) Belof commented that Tajik authorities still did not understand that BBC is not a state-owned branch of the British government, but an independent news service. The British Embassy is drafting a memorandum of understanding, explaining the special status of the BBC. (COMMENT: The BBC's decision to push for a MOU seems only one step away from an official agreement with the Tajik government, and may be a very legalistic way around the law. END COMMENT.) Belof suggested that if working level BBC representatives could not reach an agreement with the Tajik government, the Director of BBC World Service would travel to Tajikistan to continue talks. The BBC is still broadcasting on shortwave radio. ¶5. (SBU) COMMENT: Tajikistan doesn't make it easy for any radio or TV stations to broadcast. The dual requirements of registration and licensing have dramatically slowed several U.S.-funded community radio and television projects. As a result, most Tajik audiences are stuck watching Tajik state television or listening to state radio, if not watching Russian stations on satellite. However, the situation with BBC suggests Tajik authorities are increasingly fearful of any outside or independent broadcasts, and will use all means, often disguised as any reason possible bureaucratic formalities, to control content on the airwaves. At a time when the United States is pressing Tajikistan for freer media for opposition candidates leading up the November Presidential election, it seems unlikely the environment is going to improve. END COMMENT. HUSHEK