TURKMENISTAN: GRAY/MANN VISIT EXTENDS ACCURATE STATE

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ASHGABAT 001233

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS

STATE FOR SCA/CEN, SCA/PPD, IIP

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL PGOV SCUL KPAO TX
SUBJECT: TURKMENISTAN: GRAY/MANN VISIT EXTENDS ACCURATE STATE
MEDIA COVERAGE

REF: Ashgabat 1211


1. (U) Sensitive but unclassified. Not for public Internet.


2. (SBU) SUMMARY: Following DAS Krol's successful visit and media
coverage (reftel),state media favorably covered Energy Envoys C.
Boyden Gray and Steven Mann's September 7-8 visit to Turkmenistan,
their meeting with President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov, as well as
their press conference in the Embassy's Public Affairs Section.
International, and in particular, Russian media gave overall
accurate coverage on the visit based mostly on state media reports.
Unexpectedly, state media also interviewed Special Envoy Gray during
his visit to Baku. Press attendance at the Embassy-organized press
conference demonstrated a continued growing comfort level of
interaction between state and non-state media. END SUMMARY.

STATE MEDIA HIGHLIGHT SPECIAL ENVOY C.BOYDEN GRAY AND AMBASSADOR
STEVEN MANN'S VISIT


3. (U) September 7 "Watan" TV news program (Turkmen) gave a short
introduction of the visit's expected meetings with the government.
Similar reports on September 8 appeared on the front pages of the
state-run dailies "Neytralniy Turkmenistan" (Russian, circ. 44,791)
and "Turkmenistan" (Turkmen, circ. 33,391).


4. (U) On September 8, the "Watan" TV news program (Turkmen) led
with Gray and Mann's meeting with the president of Turkmenistan
focusing on U.S. cooperation in energy. The coverage focused on
Turkmenistan's role in ensuring global energy security, as well as
U.S. readiness to assist in realizing large-scale energy and export
projects. The story accurately carried Gray's remarks following the
meeting, in particular the issues of export and pipeline
diversification. The same day, "Turkmenistan" TV channel (Russian,
Turkmen, English, Chinese, Arabian, Persian, and French) ran a
short, accurate news story on the meeting with video excerpts. The
following day, similar stories appeared on the front pages of
state-run dailies "Neytralniy Turkmenistan" (Russian, circ. 44,791)
and "Turkmenistan" (Turkmen, circ. 33,391),and were posted on
government website "Turkmenistan Golden Age" (Turkmen, Russian,
English) and on Russia-based pro-government website
"Turkmenistan.ru" (Russian, English). Also this report appeared on
the front page of state newspaper "Watan" (Turkmen, circ. 30,091) on
September 11.


5. (SBU) In a surprise to post, on September 10, the "Watan" TV
news program (Turkmen) carried a special report on the International
forum "Oil and Gas Potential of Azerbaijan and Turkmenistan: Energy,
Economy, Ecology, Partnership Strategy" that was held in Baku,
Azerbaijan on September 9-10. Within this forum, the broadcast
accurately carried Special Envoy Gray's interview remarks in which
he praised recent cooperation between Turkmenistan and Azerbaijan in
energy. (NOTE: State media's international coverage is usually
limited to presidential visits abroad or "soft" news items borrowed
from other media outlets. President Berdimuhamedov did not attend.
END NOTE.)

INTERNATIONAL MEDIA COVERAGE OF ENERGY ENVOYS' VISIT


6. (U) September 8 "RIA Novosti" (Russian) and "Moscow Interfax"
(English) stories accurately covered the envoys' meeting with the
president of Turkmenistan. The articles mainly emphasized U.S.
willingness to assist Turkmenistan to develop major energy projects.
The following day, News Central Asia (NCA) posted an article which
linked the Gray and Mann visit to the Russia-Georgia clash, stating
that the crisis urged U.S. to send envoys to Turkmenistan for energy
resources. The "Journal of Turkish Weekly" (Turkish) carried the
same article. On September 10, "Today's Zaman" (Turkish) posted an
article on the visit, emphasizing Turkmenistan's willingness to
cooperate with U.S. energy companies. September 10 and 11 Russian
news agencies "Ejednevnye novosti khimicheskikh predpriyatiy SNG"
and "Ejednevnye novosti "Energetika i energoresursy Ukrainy i SNG"
articles accurately highlighted the visit and stressed the
importance of diversifying Turkmen energy export routes. On

ASHGABAT 00001233 002 OF 002


September 12, Turkish newspaper "Zaman-International's" Turkmenistan
edition (Turkmen, circ. 36,000 - and semi-independent of state
media) ran a front-page article on Gray and Mann's meetings with
government officials. (NOTE: Russian news agencies' articles were
mainly drawn from state media coverage. END NOTE.)

PRESS-CONFERENCE WITH ENERGY ENVOYS DRAWS RECORD ATTENDANCE


7. (SBU) Post was pleased to see that state and non-state media
again attended a press conference organized in the Public Affairs
Section with four to five times more media reps than would have
attended such an event two years ago. State media filmed the
gathered journalists asking questions and taking notes, including
the Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty correspondent. The delayed
beginning of the press conference (due to the preceding government
meeting) allowed the various media reps to mingle. A representative
of Turkmen State Press Service (TDH by its Russian acronym) talked
with an unaccredited free-lancer and representative of Ukraininform.
The TDH rep asked a question during the press conference which
represents only the second question from state media in the history
of post's press conference. (NOTE: The same TDH rep sat quietly
through DAS Krol's press conference just a few days before. END
NOTE)


8. (U) On September 8, "Watan" TV news program (Turkmen),following
the report about the meeting with Turkmenistan's president, and gave
accurate coverage of the press-conference with Gray and Mann, which
was held in the Public Affairs Section of the U.S. Embassy. Video
excerpts showed scenes from the press event and the story focused on
Gray's discussion of the issues covered during the presidential
meeting.


9. (U) Turkish newspaper "Zaman-International" Turkmenistan's
September 12 edition (Turkmen, circ. 36,000 - and semi-independent
of state media) ran a front-page article on the event. The article
carried a fairly short report about the press event but also drew
heavily on the post-issued press release.


10. (U) On September 14, "Turkmenistan" TV channel (Russian,
Turkmen, English, Chinese, Arabian, Persian, and French) gave
accurate and broad coverage of the press event within its weekly
political program. The broadcast first highlighted the meeting with
President Berdimuhamedov, then it fully carried Gray's opening
statement in front of the press and accurately summarized many of
his other responses to questions.


11. (SBU) COMMENT: Overall coverage of the Gray and Mann visit was
accurate and provided a positive image of U.S. engagement with
Turkmenistan in the energy sector. With the exception of the NCA
web posting, which is not widely read, international media did not
misinterpret the meaning of the Special Energy Envoys' visit. Post
believes that the significant press outreach during the visit
contributed to accurate local and international coverage. Although
Turkmen state media's direct coverage of the conference in Baku may
seem to be insignificant, it does represent a significant step away
from the exclusive focus on the president's travel abroad as the
only foreign news.


11. (SBU) COMMENT CONTINUED: Perhaps more significant however, is
the growing normalcy of press conferences. The U.S. EMBASSY is the
only Ashgabat organizer of regular press conferences. The practice
is starting to develop an expectation that U.S. visitors will answer
journalists' questions - in contrast to Turkmen government officials
or other foreign visitors. It is also contributing to state media's
level of comfort with routine practices in a Western media
environment. "Turkmenistan" channel's coverage of the press
conference included footage of the RFE/RL reporter asking questions
along with other journalists. While a small step, this hopefully
demonstrates a growing comfort with the presence of non-state and
even critical news outlets. END COMMENT.

CURRAN