TURKMENISTAN: STATE TV REQUESTS U.S. EXPERTS FOR

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ASHGABAT 001223

SIPDIS

C O R R E C T E D C O P Y (MARKINGS PARAS 8&10)

SENSITIVE

SIPDIS

STATE FOR SCA/CEN, SCA/PPD, ECA, IIP, DRL
ENERGY FOR EKIMOF/THOMPSON

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PREL PROP EAID SCUL KPAO KDEM TX
SUBJECT: TURKMENISTAN: STATE TV REQUESTS U.S. EXPERTS FOR
TRAINING

REF: ASHGABAT 1188

ASHGABAT 00001223 001.2 OF 002



1. (U) This is an action request. See para nine below.


2. (SBU) SUMMARY: Post's PAO had an especially productive
and open meeting with a Ministry of Culture and Broadcasting
official that demonstrated a firm commitment and deisre for
tangible movement on President Berdimuhamedov's recent calls
for improving state media through exchanges, training,
creativity, and possibly competition or self-financing
(reftel). Although the meeting was arranged to discuss an
English-language broadcasting program, both sides explored
other areas of cooperation with generally positive support
about the many "good ideas." The meeting also included a
rare, specific request for Embassy assistance for broadcast
journalism training. END SUMMARY.

UNEXPECTED BUT WELCOME MEETING


3. (U) On November 6, the Public Affairs Section received a
call from Agadurdy Akmuradov, head of the International
Relations Department of the Ministry of Culture and
Broadcasting. He requested a meeting later the same day to
discuss a recent Embassy proposal to develop an educational
TV program that will teach basic English. He added that he
had other requests. Significantly, the meeting was held
without a Ministry of Foreign Affairs representative.

PROMISE OF DIRECT WORKING CONTACT


4. (U) Akmuradov told PAO that the English for TV program
was approved and he said he would soon assign a TV crew from
state media's "Yaslyk" channel that the Embassy could start
to work directly with. (NOTE: this would likely entail the
deepest access and closest cooperation with state TV, ever.
END NOTE.) He mentioned that this would support the
President's efforts to develop TV, but almost in passing
noted that the program's content should not be ideological.

OTHER IDEAS FROM THE TURKMEN


5. (SBU) Akmuradov noted President Berdimuhamedov's direct
interest in improving state media and the cultural sphere and
frequently referred to supporting the president's vision as
both sides offered additional ideas to expand cooperation.
Akmuradov specifically requested that Embassy bring a U.S. TV
producer/director or other television experts for about two
weeks to teach in a Ministry of Culture and Broadcasting
training program for local TV producers that, in all, will
last up to 10 months.


6. (SBU) Akmuradov praised the recent TV-Coop project which
sent a TV crew to the United States in June and resulted in a
three-part documentary series broadcast in September. In
emphasizing that creativity was important, Akmuradov said
that Turkmenistan should send a younger TV crew for the next
TV Coop, so that they could better "absorb American
creativity," implying that existing TV journalists lack the
potential to become more creative.


7. (U) In addition, Akmuradov noted that he will receive
approval soon for next year's festivals and conferences. He
promised to pass it to the Embassy quickly, stressing that
they hope for U.S. participation in each. He also hoped that
the Embassy could facilitate greater exchange with Francine
Levine, a New Mexico museum specialist who recently attended
a museum conference in Ashgabat. Akmuradov even noted that
they were putting a hold on a French proposal for cultural
preservation in favor of trying to develop a program with
their new colleagues in New Mexico.


ASHGABAT 00001223 002.2 OF 002



8. (SBU) PAO noted several U.S. Government programs related to
journalism and news media. Akmuradov welcomed the idea of
meeting with USAID representatives to discuss possible
cooperation under the Internews program. PAO described the
basic Eurasia Foundation program, which Akmuradov
acknowledged (somewhat less enthusiastically) as something to
consider. (NOTE: Eurasia Foundation's previous projects in
Turkmenistan were closed, and the organization has many
"negatives" in the eyes of the government which would
normally lead to an outright dismissal of any project with
the group. END NOTE.) Akmuradov again noted that
Turkmenistan state media should pursue any opportunities that
would fulfill the President's goals of invigorating media and
culture. With those thoughts he asked for a detailed
proposal to be passed via diplomatic note. Akmuradov added
that he personally would look at the proposal, and they would
select which program elements the government would find most
agreeable or beneficial.


9. (SBU) ACTION REQUEST: Public Affairs Section (PAS)
requests a U.S. Specialist in TV broadcasting to provide two
weeks of training at the Ministry of Culture and Broadcasting
as soon as possible after the winter holidays. PAS will
provide further details to SCA/PPD by e-mail.


10. (SBU) COMMENT: It is quite remarkable that state TV would
ask for U.S. assistance. We want to respond by using public
diplomacy U.S. Specialists, rather than through existing
journalism training programs provided by NGOs like Internews
or Eurasia Foundation. Russian black propaganda about
so-called Color Revolutions has smeared those and other
democracy NGOs as part of the U.S. covert plan to overthrow
existing governments in the Former Soviet Union. Any attempt
to try to insert trainers from those kinds of NGOs would
raise Ministry of National Security suspicion, and could
scuttle the program before it begins. One more reason to
work with Turkmenistan in a way that maintains their comfort
level -- we know the Ministry of Culture and Broadcasting
already supports journalism training for its staff in China,
and will soon start a similar program with Iran. We do not
want those countries that hinder freedom of speech to be the
only trainers for Turkmenistani state TV. END COMMENT.
HOAGLAND