Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06ULAANBAATAR841
2006-11-22 08:31:00
UNCLASSIFIED
Embassy Ulaanbaatar
Cable title:  

Public Diplomacy Captivates Mongolian Media by Highlighting

Tags:  OEXC PREL EAID SCUL KMDR KPAO OIIP OPRC MG 
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RR RUEHCN RUEHGH RUEHVC
DE RUEHUM #0841/01 3260831
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 220831Z NOV 06
FM AMEMBASSY ULAANBAATAR
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 0559
INFO RUEHOO/CHINA POSTS COLLECTIVE
RUEHUL/AMEMBASSY SEOUL 2537
RUEHKO/AMEMBASSY TOKYO 2295
RHHMUNA/CDR USPACOM HONOLULU HI
RUEHLMC/MILLENNIUM CHALLENGE CORP WASHINGTON DC 0398
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC
RUCPODC/USDOC WASHDC 1127
RUEHRC/DEPT OF AGRICULTURE WASHDC
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ULAANBAATAR 000841 

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

DEPARTMENT FOR EAP/CM, EAP/PA, EAP/PD, HQ PACOM FOR PUBLIC DIPLOMACY
ADVISOR (J007)

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: OEXC PREL EAID SCUL KMDR KPAO OIIP OPRC MG
SUBJECT: Public Diplomacy Captivates Mongolian Media by Highlighting
November 2005 POTUS Visit

ULAANBAATA 00000841 001.2 OF 002

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ULAANBAATAR 000841

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

DEPARTMENT FOR EAP/CM, EAP/PA, EAP/PD, HQ PACOM FOR PUBLIC DIPLOMACY
ADVISOR (J007)

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: OEXC PREL EAID SCUL KMDR KPAO OIIP OPRC MG
SUBJECT: Public Diplomacy Captivates Mongolian Media by Highlighting
November 2005 POTUS Visit

ULAANBAATA 00000841 001.2 OF 002


1.(U) SUMMARY: The anniversary of President Bush's November 21,
2005, visit to Mongolia was marked by extensive coverage in the
Mongolian media, in large part stimulated by post's concerted effort
to use the anniversary to highlight US-Mongolia cooperation. Post
used the week leading up to the anniversary for a series of high
visibility events demonstrating the breadth of US interest in
Mongolia. Post marked the anniversary itself with a targeted public
diplomacy strategy drawing attention to the President's historic
visit and accomplishments since November 2005. Mongolian press
coverage combined positive reflections with an underlying theme of
optimism regarding future ties. END SUMMARY.

--------------
Post's Strategic Preview
--------------
2.(U) Post focused Mongolian media and public attention on the
relationship with a series of high visibility events in the week
preceding the anniversary.
3.(U) US government efforts to support cultural preservation in
Mongolia were widely covered by Mongolian media on November 13 and

14. TV networks Eagle TV, Channel 25, and UBS all covered
Ambassador Minton's November 13 speech at a press conference,
organized by the Embassy, describing the Ambassador's Fund for
Cultural Preservation project to document Buddhist monasteries that
were destroyed during the socialist period. The Ambassador
presented a ceremonial check for US$29,931, showing American
generosity in an important area, emphasizing the importance of
Mongolian culture itself and without making any political,
commercial, or military connections. The Mongolian wire service
MONTSAME also reported on the event.
4.(U) US government contributions to Mongolian young people and
education were highlighted by the Mongolian media on November 14 and
15, as a result of an Embassy ceremony featuring Ambassador Minton's

presentation of the Bureau of Education and Cultural Affairs' Access
Microscholarships to Mongolian high school students - a deliverable
from the President's 2005 visit. Six television stations, TV8, TV5,
Eagle TV, Channel 25, MM Agency and NTV, covered the November 14
ceremony to provide special after-school English classes for twenty
students from the low-income yurt districts surrounding Ulaanbaatar.
Ambassador Minton presented certificates for participants in the
program, focusing on how the Access Microscholarship program stemmed
from President Bush's November 2005 visit to Mongolia. The event
presented an opportunity for Mongolian high school students to serve
as spokespersons sharing this story of American support to the
Mongolian people. Unen, the Mongolian People's Revolutionary
Party-affiliated newspaper, carried a photo of the Ambassador with
the students on its front page. (Note: A subsequent November 20
presentation ceremony conducted by the DCM visiting eastern-most
Dornod province was also covered by local media.)

5.(U) US government interest in promoting American private
investment in Mongolia gained wide play after the Ambassador's
November 16 interview with Reuters. Quoting Ambassador Minton, the
Reuters article highlighted the Embassy's interest in expanding
opportunities for US business and the associated benefits for
Mongolia.

6.(U) The weeklong preview was capped with President Enkhbayar's
attendance at the 15th anniversary celebration of the Peace Corps in
Mongolia. The event focused attention on Peace Corps Volunteers'
service in communities throughout Mongolia, with President Enkhbayar
and Ambassador Minton praising volunteers for their contributions.
MM TV, TV 9, Eagle TV, Channel 25, NTV, and newspapers Zuuny Medee,
Unen, and Mongol Messenger all covered this high visibility event.

--------------
Highlighting the Anniversary
--------------

7.(U) The Embassy utilized the anniversary to focus Mongolian
attention on the breadth of US-Mongolia cooperation and the
commitment of the United States to Mongolia's economic development
and democratization. An opinion editorial by the Ambassador
reflected on how President Bush's visit energized US-Mongolia ties.
This was sent to all media outlets and posted on the Embassy website
at: http://mongolia.usembassy.gov/11/21/06.html

8.(U) Post's strategy worked with UBS TV airing an eight minute
retrospective on President Bush's visit to Mongolia on November 20,
the eve of the anniversary, citing the Ambassador's opinion

ULAANBAATA 00000841 002.2 OF 002


editorial and mentioning the recent microscholarships.

9.(U) The Ambassador hosted a luncheon with President Enkhbayar as
the guest-of-honor, and official Embassy and Presidential
photographers documented the event designed to commemorate the
anniversary. Major daily Odriin Sonin carried a front page article
and photo on November 23 drawn from a press release and photograph
which was distributed to all media outlets and posted on the Embassy
website:
http://mongolia.usembassy.gov/11/21/07.html

10.(U) The Political Officer participated in a live interview on the
top-rated news program on the anniversary date of November 21 and
the segment was rebroadcast later in the day and again on November

22. Eagle TV The program highlighted how American interest in
Mongolia has deepened since the President's visit. This station,
Eagle TV, interviewed President Bush during his visit and courted
the Embassy for this one year retrospective.

10.(U) The Ministry of Road, Transport and Tourism held a ceremony
to present to the Mongolian President's office and the Embassy a
previously issued postage stamp of President Bush's November 2005
visit. The stamp features President Bush sitting with President
Enkhbayar. TV networks MNTV, Channel 25, UBS, and MNT covered the
PAO receiving the stamp to forward to the White House. The event
offered an opportunity for the PAO to reinforce the wide range of US
interest in Mongolia.

11.(U) Apart from the postage stamp event, MN, UBS and MNTV aired
lengthy retrospectives on President Bush's visit to Mongolia,
quoting Ambassador Minton's opinion editorial.

12.(U) Comment: Media coverage helped remind Mongolians of a
President Bush's visit, the first ever by a U.S. president and a
source of great pride for most Mongolians. The positive feelings
generated by the President's November 2005 visit and the
commemoration of that visit over the past two weeks bode well for
public diplomacy efforts as post prepares for a year that will mark
the twentieth anniversary of diplomatic relations and a potential
Millennium Challenge Account compact agreement. Two media reports,
in particular, indicate post's efforts are paying dividends: Channel
25 asked the postage stamp designer if a commemorative stamp was
made after President Putin's visit to Mongolia in 2000. After
hesitating, he answered, "Not yet." Similarly, the Mongolian
People's Revolutionary Party-affiliated newspaper, Unen, carried a
story on November 22, "MCA assistance brings big opportunities and
big responsibilities too." It stated, "Now it is time to use this
funding efficiently to avoid losing our good friend."

MINTON