Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
07ASHGABAT971
2007-09-14 11:58:00
UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
Embassy Ashgabat
Cable title:
TURKMENISTAN: LIFE AIN'T EASY IN TURKMENBASHY
how-toVZCZCXRO7707 PP RUEHAG RUEHAST RUEHBI RUEHCI RUEHDBU RUEHDF RUEHIK RUEHLH RUEHLN RUEHLZ RUEHPW RUEHROV RUEHVK RUEHYG DE RUEHAH #0971/01 2571158 ZNR UUUUU ZZH P 141158Z SEP 07 FM AMEMBASSY ASHGABAT TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 9365 INFO RUCNCLS/ALL SOUTH AND CENTRAL ASIA COLLECTIVE PRIORITY RUCNCIS/CIS COLLECTIVE PRIORITY RUCNMEM/EU MEMBER STATES COLLECTIVE PRIORITY RUEHAK/AMEMBASSY ANKARA PRIORITY 2756 RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING PRIORITY 0580 RUEHKO/AMEMBASSY TOKYO PRIORITY 0456 RUEHIT/AMCONSUL ISTANBUL PRIORITY 1039 RHMFIUU/CDR USCENTCOM MACDILL AFB FL PRIORITY RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC PRIORITY RUCPDOC/DEPT OF COMMERCE WASHDC PRIORITY RHEBAAA/DEPT OF ENERGY WASHDC PRIORITY RUEATRS/DEPT OF TREASURY WASHDC PRIORITY RHEFDIA/DIA WASHDC PRIORITY RUEKJCS/JOINT STAFF WASHDC PRIORITY RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC PRIORITY RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC PRIORITY RUEHVEN/USMISSION USOSCE PRIORITY 1774 RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK PRIORITY 0557
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ASHGABAT 000971
SIPDIS
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
STATE FOR SCA/CEN, SCA/PPD, EUR/ACE, ECA, IIP
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PREL KDEM KPAO SOCI TX
SUBJECT: TURKMENISTAN: LIFE AIN'T EASY IN TURKMENBASHY
REF: A. ASHGABAT 0970
B. ASHGABAT 0966
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ASHGABAT 000971
SIPDIS
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
STATE FOR SCA/CEN, SCA/PPD, EUR/ACE, ECA, IIP
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PREL KDEM KPAO SOCI TX
SUBJECT: TURKMENISTAN: LIFE AIN'T EASY IN TURKMENBASHY
REF: A. ASHGABAT 0970
B. ASHGABAT 0966
1. (U) Sensitive but unclassified. Not for public Internet.
2. (SBU) During a September 11 visit to the Caspian Sea port
city, Turkmenbashy, Charge met at a cafe with three FLEX and
one IVLP alumni. Although one of the oldest cities in
Turkmenistan, founded in the mid-19th century during the
Russian Empire, contemporary Turkmenbashy (pop. c. 80,000)
has nothing of the picturesque charm and cosmopolitan energy
associated with port cities elsewhere in the world. Instead,
it's a badly run-down and neglected provincial town that
seems frozen in the Soviet 1970s.
3. (SBU) Compared to similar meetings with U.S.-program
alumni he's had elsewhere in Turkmenistan, the Charge's
interlocutors were unusually, almost painfully, restrained.
He asked the three FLEX alumni what they were doing. The two
males were unemployed, and the female said she worked, but
not happily, in her aunt's wedding-dress shop. All said they
intended to apply to the University of Central Asia in
Bishkek, but wouldn't be able to attend without full
scholarships.
TELEVISION
4. (SBU) When asked how they got news of the world, they
replied, "by satellite dish" -- mostly Russian TV, but a bit
from Turkish TV. Later while standing outside for a group
photo, Charge noted every balcony of the apartment house
across the courtyard had one large satellite dish, and some
of them two, the second one smaller. One FLEX alumnus
explained the large dishes were for Russian TV, and the
smaller for European TV. But not everyone can afford the
dish and subscription for European TV, and so families or
groups of friends sometimes jointly get one. When asked what
people watch from European TV, he replied, "sports, movies,
and pay channels." To the discomfort of the others in the
group, he explained that porn-for-pay is popular in
Turkmenbashy.
INTERNET
5. (SBU) The three Flex students said they don't use
Internet, although it was an important part of their lives
during their academic year in the United States, because the
Internet cafe is too expensive and the connection too slow to
justify the cost. The Turkmenbashy American Corner, that
should provide Internet service, has been closed for over two
years (ref B),although the Embassy continues to work to find
a solution to the problem.
RESULTS
6. (SBU) The IVLP alumnus runs his own NGO program at the
orphanage for the disabled, and he tries to involve
Turkmenbashy's young people to keep them occupied, since
there is so little else to do in town. He lavishly praised
his 2004 IVLP program on volunteerism in America, pointing
out he's now completed his obligatory two years back in
Turkmenistan, and sincerely hopes he'll be able to
participate in another IVLP program. He said, "What I
learned on my program in the United States, I've put to work
here."
BIG BROTHER
7. (SBU) All four admitted they were nervous because they
were meeting with a foreigner, even though they had received
ASHGABAT 00000971 002 OF 002
permission from the government to do so. They said that
unapproved meetings with foreigners can lead to uncomfortable
interrogation by the Ministry of National Security (ex-KGB)
at best, and, if a government employee like a teacher is
involved, would likely lead to loss of job.
5. (SBU) When asked about their goals for the future, the
three FLEX alumni immediately agreed: "Get out of
Turkmenbashy!"
HOAGLAND
SIPDIS
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
STATE FOR SCA/CEN, SCA/PPD, EUR/ACE, ECA, IIP
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PREL KDEM KPAO SOCI TX
SUBJECT: TURKMENISTAN: LIFE AIN'T EASY IN TURKMENBASHY
REF: A. ASHGABAT 0970
B. ASHGABAT 0966
1. (U) Sensitive but unclassified. Not for public Internet.
2. (SBU) During a September 11 visit to the Caspian Sea port
city, Turkmenbashy, Charge met at a cafe with three FLEX and
one IVLP alumni. Although one of the oldest cities in
Turkmenistan, founded in the mid-19th century during the
Russian Empire, contemporary Turkmenbashy (pop. c. 80,000)
has nothing of the picturesque charm and cosmopolitan energy
associated with port cities elsewhere in the world. Instead,
it's a badly run-down and neglected provincial town that
seems frozen in the Soviet 1970s.
3. (SBU) Compared to similar meetings with U.S.-program
alumni he's had elsewhere in Turkmenistan, the Charge's
interlocutors were unusually, almost painfully, restrained.
He asked the three FLEX alumni what they were doing. The two
males were unemployed, and the female said she worked, but
not happily, in her aunt's wedding-dress shop. All said they
intended to apply to the University of Central Asia in
Bishkek, but wouldn't be able to attend without full
scholarships.
TELEVISION
4. (SBU) When asked how they got news of the world, they
replied, "by satellite dish" -- mostly Russian TV, but a bit
from Turkish TV. Later while standing outside for a group
photo, Charge noted every balcony of the apartment house
across the courtyard had one large satellite dish, and some
of them two, the second one smaller. One FLEX alumnus
explained the large dishes were for Russian TV, and the
smaller for European TV. But not everyone can afford the
dish and subscription for European TV, and so families or
groups of friends sometimes jointly get one. When asked what
people watch from European TV, he replied, "sports, movies,
and pay channels." To the discomfort of the others in the
group, he explained that porn-for-pay is popular in
Turkmenbashy.
INTERNET
5. (SBU) The three Flex students said they don't use
Internet, although it was an important part of their lives
during their academic year in the United States, because the
Internet cafe is too expensive and the connection too slow to
justify the cost. The Turkmenbashy American Corner, that
should provide Internet service, has been closed for over two
years (ref B),although the Embassy continues to work to find
a solution to the problem.
RESULTS
6. (SBU) The IVLP alumnus runs his own NGO program at the
orphanage for the disabled, and he tries to involve
Turkmenbashy's young people to keep them occupied, since
there is so little else to do in town. He lavishly praised
his 2004 IVLP program on volunteerism in America, pointing
out he's now completed his obligatory two years back in
Turkmenistan, and sincerely hopes he'll be able to
participate in another IVLP program. He said, "What I
learned on my program in the United States, I've put to work
here."
BIG BROTHER
7. (SBU) All four admitted they were nervous because they
were meeting with a foreigner, even though they had received
ASHGABAT 00000971 002 OF 002
permission from the government to do so. They said that
unapproved meetings with foreigners can lead to uncomfortable
interrogation by the Ministry of National Security (ex-KGB)
at best, and, if a government employee like a teacher is
involved, would likely lead to loss of job.
5. (SBU) When asked about their goals for the future, the
three FLEX alumni immediately agreed: "Get out of
Turkmenbashy!"
HOAGLAND