TURKMENISTAN MEDIA SHOWS UNPRECEDENTED WARMTH TO POST IN

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 ASHGABAT 000491

SIPDIS

STATE FOR INR/R/MR, IIP/T, IIP/G/NEA-SA, SA
SCA/CEN, SCA/PAB, SCA/INS, SCA/RA, SCA/PPD, DRL
CENTCOM PUBLIC AFFAIRS-MAJ.BALDWIN/SGT. BAKER
USCINCPAC FOR POLAD R. HUSO
SECDEF FOR PA

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: KMDR KPAO OIIP PREL PGOV AF TX
SUBJECT: TURKMENISTAN MEDIA SHOWS UNPRECEDENTED WARMTH TO POST IN
MARCH

REFTEL: (A) Ashgabat 302, (A) Ashgabat 345, (B) Ashgabat 425

SUMMARY
--------------


1. (U) State media coverage of post events in March was generally
full and positive, with some key exceptions. Statements by Principal
Deputy Assistant Secretary Steven Mann during his March 3-6 visit
received full but inaccurate coverage. Coverage of Peace Corps Day,
the signing of an agreement on HIV/AIDS prevention activities
between the U. S. Agency for International Development (USAID) and
Turkmenistan, a movie festival to commemorate Black History Month,
and the third annual Fulbright Conference was generally-to-very
positive. The programs of health and political communication
specialist Dr. Gregory James Payne and Black History Month Speaker
Dr. Elbert Ransom received much-better-than-expected coverage in
state media. Meanwhile, state media neglected to cover President
George Bush's nomination of George A. Krol as Ambassador-Designate
to Turkmenistan and a three-day border security seminar sponsored by
the United States Department of Energy. End Summary.

State Media Misconstrues Mann Statement
-------------- --------------


2. (U) Following his March 5 meeting with President Gurbanguly
Berdimuhammedov, Mann gave a lobby statement in which he noted he
had congratulated the president on "assuming the duty of president."
The same day, Watan TV News (state, Turkmen language) reported that
Mann congratulated the president with his "election" to the
position. The same inaccuracy appeared throughout state print
media. State media omitted Mann's meetings with other government
officials.

President Values Peace Corps, but State Media Garbles the Facts
-------------- --------------


3. (U) On March 1, state dailies "Neutral Turkmenistan" (Russian,
circ. 34,701) and "Turkmenistan" (Turkmen, circ. 28,091) published
on the front page President Berdimuhammedov's congratulatory message
to Peace Corps. His message praised Peace Corps for promoting
friendly ties between the people of Turkmenistan and the United
States. In subsequent days, state weeklies "Ahal Durmushy"
(Turkmen, circ. 35,391),"Maru-Shahu Jahan" (Turkmen, circ. 36,252),
"Dashoguz" (Turkmen, circ. 27,183) and "Mugallymlar" (Turkmen, circ.
77,901) likewise reprinted the article on the front page. State
weeklies "Watan" (Turkmen, circ. 26,091) and "Beyik Turkmenbashy
Nesli" (Turkmen, circ. 22,311) reprinted the message elsewhere.


4. (U) On March 2, state dailies "Neutral Turkmenistan" (Russian,
circ. 34,701) and "Turkmenistan" (Turkmen, circ. 28,901) published
an article praising Peace Corps' cooperation with the host
government and its contribution to education and healthcare sector
development. The article drew heavily from remarks made by Peace
Corps Country Director William Myer and the Charge. However, it
invented a statement by the Charge that "Turkmenistan is the ideal
place for Peace Corps volunteers." "Neutral Turkmenistan's"
coverage of the event included a half-page of interviews with and
photographs of five Peace Corps volunteers, but omitted one
volunteer's comments about the great disparity between the standard
of living in the capital versus that in the regions.

State Media Praises Cooperation with USAID
--------------


5. (U) On March 8, Watan TV News covered the signing by USAID and
the Ministry of Health of a Memorandum of Understanding on
increasing HIV/AIDS awareness and prevention efforts. Coverage of
the historic agreement mentioned bilateral efforts to improve
outreach to youth on both "sexual" and moral matters pertaining to
HIV/AIDS. The broadcast included most of a statement by USAID
Country Representative Ashley Moretz, where he outlined the
importance of the agreement. The following day, state dailies
"Neutral Turkmenistan" and "Turkmenistan" placed relevant articles
on the front page. The coverage quoted the Charge: "Cooperation in
healthcare remains one of the strategic directions of long-lasting
Turkmenistani-American partnership". The article highlighted
USAID's efforts to combat tuberculosis and child diseases and its
support for development of family medicine. In subsequent days,
weeklies "Watan" (Turkmen, circ. 26,091) and "Turkmen Gundogary"
reprinted the same article.

ASHGABAT 00000491 002 OF 003



Movie Festival Receives Wide State Media Coverage
-------------- --------------


6. (U) On March 8, Watan TV News announced the opening of post's
film festival in honor of Black History Month (March 8-12). The
following day, state dailies "Neutral Turkmenistan" and
"Turkmenistan" published a positive article on the occasion and
accurately listed names of the movies to be featured during the
festival. The article also mentioned the presence of Ransom at the
movie screening. State weekly "Edebiyat we Sungat" (Turkmen, circ.
24,111) reprinted the article. Watan TV News aired video of the
opening events, interspersed with segments from the documentary "The
Legacy of Rosa Parks." On March 15, state weekly "Ashgabat"
(Turkmen, circ.16,561) published an article about the festival
centered around an interview with Dr. Ransom.


7. (U) On March 11, state channel TV-4 dedicated a 20-minute
program to the opening of the festival. The program summarized
interviews taken with the Charge, Public Affairs Officer, Ransom and
Payne. These comments included the Charge's and PAO's comments that
Ransom's example demonstrated the ability of people to pursue
societal change through development of their own skills and
potential. The PAO also expressed hope for expanded exchanges with
Turkmenistan. The broadcast also included scenes of protest
demonstrations from the Parks documentary.

State Media Praises Fulbright Conference and U.S. Exchange Programs
--------------


8. (U) On March 10, "Neutral Turkmenistan" and "Turkmenistan"
published positive articles on the post-sponsored Fulbright
Conference. The article praised the conference as successful, and
characterized it as an opportunity for exchanges in such areas as
international law, economics, history, geography, and English
language studies. It noted the keynote speeches by Ransom and Payne
and praised the State Department's Fulbright program for promoting
the exchange of ideas and knowledge and for promoting mutual
understanding between nations. The conference received similar
positive coverage on pro-government website www.turkmenistan .ru on
the same day, and on subsequent days in state weeklies Balkan
(Turkmen, circ. 24,631),"Turkmen Gundogary" and "Watan."


9. (U) On March 13 TV-4 (state) dedicated a 20-minute program to
the Fulbright Conference. The program again included portions of
interviews with the Charge, PAO, Ransom and Payne. The Charge
emphasized the need for such conferences to help the people of
Turkmenistan exchange ideas and discuss their own development,
prosperity and security. Charge outlined the importance of
U.S.-sponsored educational exchange programs to improving
educational potential and post's intention to expand such programs
in the future.

Additional Coverage of Ransom and Payne
--------------


10. (U) On March 9, "Neutral Turkmenistan" published a positive
article about Payne's meeting with state journalists -- including
the fact that Payne stressed the importance of media objectivity and
accountability. On March 12, the same paper published an article,
with photographs, about the Fulbright conference focused on
interviews with Ransom and Payne. State weekly "Mugallymlar Gazeti"
(Turkmen, circ. 77,901) reprinted the article.


11. (U) TV-4 also provided accurate and full coverage of the Payne
and Ransom interviews, from the movie festival and Fulbright
Conference. Ransom shared his experience and knowledge about the
Civil Rights movement and emphasized the desire of Turkmenistan's
people to learn new ideas. Payne spoke about importance of public
diplomacy, critical thinking and access to reliable independent
sources of global news. Both speakers emphasized the importance of
further educational reform in Turkmenistan.

State Media Omissions in March
--------------


12. (U) Major state media outlets ignored post's announcement of
the nomination of George Krol as Ambassador Designate to
Turkmenistan. Independent website www.turkmenpress.com (Turkmen)
posted the embassy's March 27 press release on Krol's nomination.

ASHGABAT 00000491 003 OF 003




13. (U) Another item that lost state media attention was a
Commodity Identification Seminar conducted by the U.S. Department of
Energy from 12-14 March. Despite the presence of representatives
from Turkmenistan's State Customs Service, the State Border Service
and Ministry of Trade and Consumer Cooperation, no state outlets
covered the event.

COMMENT
--------------


14. (SBU) Post was surprised by the intensive state media coverage
of the Payne and Ransom programs and related cultural and
educational programming in March, as well as the signing of the
bilateral agreement on HIV/AIDS awareness efforts. State media gave
much better than expected coverage of controversial issues such as
freedom of speech and information and HIV/AIDS. End Comment.

BRUSH