STATE MEDIA GIVES UNSOLICITED, POSITIVE COVERAGE OF PDAS

UNCLAS ASHGABAT 000716 SIPDIS SIPDIS SENSITIVE STATE FOR SCA/CEN, SCA/PPD, DRL, ECA, IIP E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PGOV PREL PHUM SCUL KMDR KPAO OIIP TX SUBJECT: STATE MEDIA GIVES UNSOLICITED, POSITIVE COVERAGE OF PDAS MANN SUMMARY -------------- ¶1. (U) State media provided positive but limited coverage of Principal Deputy Secretary of State for South and Central Asian Affairs meetings on July 12. International media borrowed text straight from state coverage or paraphrased its content. The oddity of the coverage is that it appeared before post distributed its press release and it covered lower level meetings. END SUMMARY. MEDIA BRIEF AND POSITIVE ON ENERGY COOPERATION -------------- - ¶2. (U) The June 12 state Watan TV News broadcast on Mann's delegation detailed the senior level of his position and his intention to improve the bilateral partnership with cooperation in the energy sector specifically stated as a priority. The story detailed the delegation's itinerary at the Cabinet of Ministers, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the State Agency on the Management and Utilization of Hydrocarbon Resources under the Turkmen President, and the Ministry of Economy and Finance but did not list who the delegation met with. The Watan TV story concluded that both sides agreed to "intensify interstate dialogue for mutual benefit." On July 13, state dailies "Neutral Turkmenistan" (Russian, circ. 39,091) and "Turkmenistan" (Turkmen, circ. 28,091) gave front-page treatment to an article with similar content to Watan TV News. In subsequent days, state weeklies "Turkmen Gundogary" (Turkmen, circ. 45,050),"Beyik Turkmenbashi Nesli" (Turkmen, circ. 22,291) and "Habarlar" (Turkmen, circ. 3,596) also gave front-page treatment to the same article from the dailies. The official "Neutral Turkmenistan" newspaper's website "Turkmenistan Golden Age" (Russian, English) carried a slight re-wording of the same content of the Watan TV broadcast. The pro-government Turkmenistan.ru website posted an article with similar content to the broadcasts. It also used a quote from the Watan TV broadcast, cited as "the official statement," that emphasized the desire of both parties to increase cooperation and that cooperation in the energy sector was a priority. EurasiaNet posted a copy of the Watan TV broadcast and cited its source correctly. The Turan Information Agency (Russian), based in Azerbaijan, posted a brief article with similar content to Watan TV news. COMMENT -------------- ¶3. (U) While brief, on their own initiative all state and pro-government independent media made a point of providing positive and specific information on the Mann visit in a variety of languages. In most cases, a presidential meeting or significant pressing of state media contacts by the Public Affairs section are the only way to get a visitor into the state media. Additionally, state media usually ignore lower level meetings, which were highlighted in this case. The broad and unsolicited coverage of the visit enforces a trend that the state media are actively trying to promote the perception of an active and positive partnership with the United States amongst its own people and international community, especially in the field of energy. HOAGLAND