TURKMENISTAN: ENERGY SECRETARY BODMAN WARMLY COVERED IN

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 ASHGABAT 001269

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE

STATE FOR SCA/CEN, SCA/PPD
ENERGY FOR EKIMOFF/THOMPSON

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PREL EAID ECON KPAO OIIP TX
SUBJECT: TURKMENISTAN: ENERGY SECRETARY BODMAN WARMLY COVERED IN
WESTERN/LOCAL PRESS, LESS SO IN RUSSIAN PRESS.

REF: Ashgabat 1188


1. (SBU) SUMMARY. U.S. Secretary of Energy Samuel Bodman's
November 14-15 visit to Turkmenistan received broad coverage in both
state and international media. Bodman's remarks at Turkmenistan's
International Oil and Gas Exhibition conference (TIOGE),and his
meetings with Turkmenistan's president Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov
received wide and generally accurate coverage. Secretary Bodman's
press conference also received generally good news coverage both
locally and abroad. In a break from the past, a relatively large
number of foreign correspondents attended the press conference, as
well as Turkmenistan's state news media. Some Russian news outlets
again spun an image of the United States competing with Russia for
Central Asia's natural resources. PDAS Steven Mann also received
favorable coverage at TIOGE. END SUMMARY.

ACCURATE COVERAGE OF SECRETARY BODMAN'S TIOGE SPEECH


2. (U) Press coverage from Secretary of Energy Samuel Bodman's
November 14-15 visit to Turkmenistan was broad and favorable. From
November 15-19, Reuters, Agence France Presse, Interfax, ITAR-TASS
articles on the TIOGE conference carried accurate quotes from
Bodman's official conference speech about the need for transparent,
stable and market-oriented legal and tax systems in Turkmenistan to
attract world-class companies and about improved opportunities in
energy cooperation with Turkmenistan. The news agencies highlighted
Bodman's quote that the United States was ready to become a
long-term partner of Turkmenistan. November 15 evening state
"Watan" TV news program (Turkmen) carried a video report showcasing
Bodman giving remarks at the conference, which included accurate
excerpts. The news broadcast also highlighted Bodman's meeting with
government officials of Turkmenistan.

AS USUAL: MEETING WITH THE PRESIDENT HIGHLIGHTED


3. (U) On November 15, state "Watan" TV news program (Turkmen)
highlighted Bodman's meeting with President Berdimuhamedov and also
noted Secretary Bodman's remarks about U.S. business circles
interested in establishing fruitful contacts with Turkmenistan.
Following video and narrative of the meeting, the broadcast included
a mostly accurate Turkmen translation of the Secretary's post
meeting remarks with only minor, stylistic differences. The
following day, state dailies "Neutral Turkmenistan" (Russian, circ.
39,651) and "Turkmenistan" (Turkmen, circ. 29,091) carried
front-page articles about the meeting, with content similar to the
"Watan" broadcast. In subsequent days, other government print and
internet outlets carried the same story. Russian news agencies
Interfax (Russian, English) and ITAR-TASS (Russian, English) also
accurately highlighted the meeting in their news reports.

A REMARKABLE PRESS CONFERENCE -- BY TURKMENISTAN'S STANDARDS


4. (SBU) For the first time in recent history, Turkmenistan's state
news media - multiple representatives of state media - attended a
U.S. Embassy hosted press conference, along with their local
stringer and foreign correspondent counterparts. It was also
clearly evident that in contrast to past practice, the state news
outlets were operating independently of each other, as encouraged by
President Berdimuhamedov in reftel. "Turkmenistan TV" missed
Secretary Bodman's press conference and desperately pleaded with PAO

SIPDIS
for an interview with the Secretary during the remainder of the day,
because they were not able to borrow video from their colleagues at
the "Altyn Asyr" or "Yaslyk" channels. Another surprise happened at
the press conference when a journalist for Turkmen State Press
Service asked a question about prospects for U.S. cooperation in
developing the country's energy sector. (COMMENT: NOT a question
about the Ruhnama or the Secretary's impressions of Ashgabat, "the
white marble city," which could very well have been the case just a
few months ago. END COMMENT.) This kind of active participation by

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Turkmenistan's news media was itself unprecedented.


5. (U) State "Watan" TV news program's November 15 broadcast
praised Bodman's press conference with state and foreign journalists
as a major news story of the day. The broadcast accurately and in
full aired Secretary Bodman's introductory remarks to journalists
about his meeting with the president, and gave an outlined summary
of Bodman's answers to press questions. The following day, state
dailies "Neutral Turkmenistan" (Russian, circ. 39,651) and
"Turkmenistan" (Turkmen, circ. 29,091) carried articles, with
similar content to the "Watan" news broadcast, highlighting the
press conference. (COMMENT: "Watan" News program personnel requested
a Turkmen language translation of Secretary Bodman's opening remarks
from the press conference and carried it accurately as provided, in
full. END COMMENT.) The press conference itself seemed to be
newsworthy, as the state newspapers used the headline that the "U.S.
Energy Secretary answered questions for journalists."


6. (U) November 15-16 articles by "Bloomberg," "Reuters", "Agence
France Presse", "Global Insight Limited", "Platts Commodity News",
"Interfax" and "ITAR-TASS" in English accurately quoted Bodman's
remarks from the press conference regarding diversification of
energy supplies to Europe and President Berdimuhamedov's intention
to consider all possible routes for gas exports, while emphasizing
that the Secretary's comment that there was no threat to Russian
interests. ITAR-TASS (Russian, English) accurately quoted Secretary
Bodman's expression of U.S. opposition to a trans-Iranian route for
gas pipelines to Europe because of U.S. concerns about Iran's
nuclear program. The outlet did not choose to highlight or
over-emphasize this point (NOTE: "BBC", Turkish "TRT" TV channel,
among other Turkish news agency stringers participated in the press
event. Turkish news agencies had previously ignored most U.S.
Embassy press events. END NOTE.)

REMARKABLE ACCESS FOR WESTERN JOURNALISTS, ESPECIALLY BBC


7. (SBU) It was a surprise to post (and to other embassies in town)
that a BBC TV crew, and correspondents from Bloomberg, Energy
Intelligence, Platts Commodity News, and other foreign journalists
were issued visas or otherwise invited to attend the TIOGE
conference. In contrast to usual practice, the journalists were not
shepherded around by government minders. Several stayed for a few
days after TIOGE and for the most part worked independently.
Remarkably, the BBC crew filmed around Ashgabat for several days
after TIOGE with no problems. Additionally, the Ministry of Oil and
Gas escorted the BBC crew on a day trip to the coastal city of
Turkmenbashy for visits to oil refineries and other sites.
Otherwise, BBC worked independently on a variety of stories.

PDAS MANN'S EFFECTIVE TIOGE PRESS COVERAGE


8. (U) Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of State, Steven Mann,
who arrived in advance of Secretary Bodman held short interviews
with an AP local stringer, BBC, and Bloomberg. All three outlets
carried accurate and favorable coverage of PDAS Mann and the U.S.
role in the TIOGE conference, including BBC World's feature on TIOGE
broadcast on its World Business Report program on November 15.

RUSSIAN PRESS -- NEW "GREAT GAME" SPIN


9. (SBU) Many Russian News sources not present in Ashgabat "Vremya
Novostey", "Vedomosti", "RIA Novosti", "FC-Novosti", "WPS Russian
Media Monitoring Agency" and "RosBusinessConsulting", and ITAR-TASS
(present for the Secretary's Press Conference) as well as a handful
of western outlets carried accurate coverage of Secretary Bodman's
visit to Turkmenistan, but largely drew the conclusion that the
visit was an attempt by the United States to weaken Russia's
influence or access to energy resources in Central Asia. Many also
emphasized American efforts to use a Trans-Caspian pipeline to

ASHGABAT 00001269 003.2 OF 003


bypass Russia.


10. (SBU) COMMENT: State media's approach to Secretary Bodman's
visit and TIOGE demonstrated a continued evolution and even
decentralization. Even more openly than before Ministry of Culture
and state media representatives hounded Embassy media staff for
information on Secretary Bodman's schedule and asked for "exclusive"
interviews in order to maximize their coverage, in apparent
competition with each other. Following Secretary Bodman's meeting
with President Berdimuhammedov, a dedicated state TV crew followed
Bodman for every subsequent part of his schedule to the extent
possible. For the first time in several years, state TV crews,
including state TV Channel directors, along with print media
representatives joined foreign media representatives for a press
conference conducted by the Embassy. The "Turkmenistan" TV Channel
crew which missed the Secretary's press conference was loudly and
openly criticized by the channel's director in full view of Embassy
personnel -- a striking example that the different news outlets are
under pressure to start "pulling their own weight."


11. (SBU) COMMENT CONTINUED: The Government of Turkmenistan had a
much more relaxed approach to visiting foreign journalists than
previously observed. Unlike previous official events attended by
foreign journalists, the government made no effort to corral the
press or control their movements. The BBC correspondent noted that
a government official "asked" her not to film a shoddy looking
building, but did not stop her from doing so. In addition, some
foreign correspondents were pleased with the number of local
citizens who were willing to speak with them, some even "on the
record" with use of their full names. All of this is unprecedented
for Turkmenistan.
END COMMENT.

CURRAN