TOWN MEETING TURKMEN-STYLE

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ASHGABAT 000431 SIPDIS SENSITIVE SIPDIS STATE FOR SCA/CEN, EEB E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PGOV ECON SOCI TX SUBJECT: TOWN MEETING TURKMEN-STYLE REF: ASHGABAT 0023 ¶1. (U) Sensitive but unclassified. Not for public Internet. ¶2. (SBU) SUMMARY: The administration of a building where foreigners and well-off Turkmen reside recently decided to hold a town meeting to inform residents of a switch from private satellite dishes to communal cable TV. Since this has been a contentious issue in Ashgabat, it appears that the administration saw this as a way to prevent problems with the residents, all of whom could certainly afford to live elsewhere. ¶3. (SBU) Townhall meetings often are held more for people to vent than to share or provide information. Regardless the purpose, town halls serve important civic functions. They can help those in charge to gauge sentiment, making it easier to be responsive. They also promote stability by giving people an avenue to express their views and thereby serve as a safety valve. In dealing with customers, it also makes good business sense. NOT HAPPY CAMPERS ¶4. (SBU) One of the more unpopular presidential initiatives has been the removal of private satellite dishes from apartment buildings to please the president's sense of aesthetics (reftel). Residents worried that this would signal the end of their prized access to international (mostly Russian and Turkish) TV programming and the game shows, variety programs, soap operas, and sitcoms to which Turkmen have become addicted. What this would actually mean to the average viewer in terms of program choice and cost was the source of endless speculation. Local governments seemed to tread a fine line, needing to implement the president's wishes while not stirring up discontent. A go-slow approach that at first moved dishes to the back sides of buildings where they could not be viewed from the street, and then assurances to residents that the number of channels would not be diminished and costs would remain low (for now),seemed to be the preferred tack. TOWN MEETING ¶5. (SBU) On April 4, the administration of an elite apartment building, where some American Embassy employees live, held a meeting to inform residents of the impending switch from private to communal satellite dishes and cable. The building is owned by the Ministry of Oil and Gas. Residents include expat businesspeople and diplomats, as well as well-to-do Turkmen. Days before, notices in Russian and Turkmen (although not in English, which many of the foreign building residents read),were taped near the elevator announcing the meeting. EmbOff spoke with several residents who were interested in attending and wondered what the switchover would mean for them. ¶6. (SBU) Only about 11 residents showed up for the meeting, including EmbOff. In addition to providing information on the switchover, the meeting was also clearly designed to give residents an opportunity to vent. The representative of the building administration explained that the private satellite dishes would be removed in three days, and the building would have four communal satellite dishes that would provide access to 700-800 channels, including 60 in Russian. These would be available to each apartment for a $120 flat fee. One attendee asked why they had to pay a fee, when other buildings were getting cable for free. The representative explained that this was an elite building, and they had to pay. If residents preferred, they could get the four Turkmen channels and five Russian ones for free. If they wanted anything more, they would have to ante up. ¶7. (SBU) Then ensued a long discussion about payment. Some people were concerned about having to pay. ASHGABAT 00000431 002 OF 002 Others wondered if those who didn't pay would be able to cheat and still get the 700-800 channels. And who would pay for diplomats - their embassy or international organization? A resident, who is a lawyer, said the building should pay. People wanted to keep the dishes they had already paid for, rather than let them be carted away by the city workers who would come to disconnect them. After listening to this discussion, the exasperated representative said that people could make a scandal if they wanted, but further complaints should be taken to the mayor's office. He and his staff had nothing to do with this process. ¶8. (SBU) COMMENT: In one resident's view, the meeting was an attempt by the building administration to prevent problems, by offering residents a forum to receive some information, ask questions, and express concerns. Perhaps they decided to be proactive because some foreigners live in the building, but no special effort was made to alert the foreign (generally English-speaking) residents. Although powerless to change the inevitable, more than likely the building administration realized that springing the change on residents, all of whom would have the money or ability to live elsewhere, would not make good business sense. END COMMENT. HOAGLAND