Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
08ASHGABAT1616
2008-12-18 10:00:00
UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
Embassy Ashgabat
Cable title:
TURKMENISTAN: STATE MEDIA HIGHLIGHT IFES PRE-ELECTION
how-toVZCZCXRO9470 RR RUEHAG RUEHAST RUEHBI RUEHCI RUEHDF RUEHIK RUEHLH RUEHLN RUEHLZ RUEHNEH RUEHPW RUEHROV RUEHSK RUEHSR RUEHVK RUEHYG DE RUEHAH #1616 3531000 ZNR UUUUU ZZH R 181000Z DEC 08 FM AMEMBASSY ASHGABAT TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 2009 INFO RUCNCIS/CIS COLLECTIVE RUCNMEM/EU MEMBER STATES COLLECTIVE RUCNCLS/ALL SOUTH AND CENTRAL ASIA COLLECTIVE RUCPDOC/DEPT OF COMMERCE WASHDC RUEATRS/DEPT OF TREASURY WASHDC RHEBAAA/DEPT OF ENERGY WASHDC RUEHVEN/USMISSION USOSCE 3152 RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING 2402 RUEHKO/AMEMBASSY TOKYO 2267 RUEHAK/AMEMBASSY ANKARA 4598 RUEHIT/AMCONSUL ISTANBUL 2846 RHMFIUU/CDR USCENTCOM MACDILL AFB FL RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC RHEFDIA/DIA WASHDC RUEKJCS/JOINT STAFF WASHDC RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC
UNCLAS ASHGABAT 001616
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
STATE FOR SCA/CEN, SCA/PPD
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PREL EAID ECON EPET KPAO OIIP RS TX
SUBJECT: TURKMENISTAN: STATE MEDIA HIGHLIGHT IFES PRE-ELECTION
VISIT
UNCLAS ASHGABAT 001616
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
STATE FOR SCA/CEN, SCA/PPD
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PREL EAID ECON EPET KPAO OIIP RS TX
SUBJECT: TURKMENISTAN: STATE MEDIA HIGHLIGHT IFES PRE-ELECTION
VISIT
¶1. (U) Sensitive but unclassified. Not for public Internet.
¶2. (SBU) SUMMARY: Turkmenistan's state media and some
international news agencies highlighted U.S. International
Foundation for Electoral Systems (IFES) early December visit to
Turkmenistan. Although this was a visit that post did not promote
with state media, the Turkmen government clearly sought to highlight
this visit as part of an overall focus on promoting the legitimacy
of the December parliamentary elections. END SUMMARY.
MEDIA HIGHLIGHT IFES MEETING AT STATE ELECTION COMMISSION
¶3. (SBU) The December 3 articles on the front pages of state-run
dailies "Neytralniy Turkmenistan" (Russian, circ. 44,991) and
"Turkmenistan" (Turkmen, circ. 33,391) highlighted IFES December 2
meeting at Turkmenistan's Central Election Commission. The story
noted that the two IFES visitors talked about their work supporting
electoral reform in other countries. In addition, state media
placed the IFES visit in the context of visits from the UNDP and
OSCE, which planned to have a limited monitoring role in the
December 14 parliamentary elections. Similar articles were posted
on government website "Turkmenistan Golden Age" (Turkmen, Russian,
English) and on Russia-based pro-government website
"Turkmenistan.ru" (Russian, English). In subsequent days, state
weeklies "Ahal Durmushy" (Turkmen, circ. 40,091),"Mugallymlar
Gazeti" (Turkmen, circ. 91,341),"Watan" (Turkmen, circ. 30,091) and
"Nesli" (Turkmen, circ. 29,000),ran similar stories as state
dailies, highlighting the meeting. State print outlets gave
generally accurate coverage on the meeting.
SMALL RESPONSE IN INTERNATIONAL MEDIA
¶4. (U) December 3 Russian "Itar-Tass" (English, Russian) and "RIA
Orienda", cited Turkmen state media, in similar stories on the IFES
visit. Azeri "Trend" (English) news stories from December 3-4 also
gave coverage of the IFES visit based on state media reports.
MILES