TURKMENISTAN: STATE MEDIA COVER U.S. EXCHANGE PROGRAMS,

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ASHGABAT 000440

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS


STATE FOR SCA/CEN, SCA/PPD, IIP

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL PGOV SCUL KPAO TX
SUBJECT: TURKMENISTAN: STATE MEDIA COVER U.S. EXCHANGE PROGRAMS,
ASSISTANCE, REFORM SUPPORT



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


2. (U) SUMMARY: Recent state media coverage of Embassy-sponsored
events or programs continues to improve with relatively better
coverage of U.S. Government programs and activities in Turkmenistan
with slightly better success than before. Sensitivities on language
use, discussion of problems or needed improvements in Turkmenistan
have become less problematic in state media. The range of
acceptable topics is only gradually expanding as evidenced by the
Minister of Health's insistence on not running a story about a World
Tuberculosis Day event. However, coverage of U.S. education
programs and published interviews with the Charge are a step
forward. END SUMMARY.

COVERAGE OF VIOLIN CONCERT BY U.S. PROGRAM ALUMNUS


3. (U) A Public Affairs Section-sponsored concert featuring a UGRAD
alumnus and holder of a master's degree from the Boston Conservatory
of Music received documentary-like coverage on state "Turkmenistan"
TV channel (Turkmen, Russian, English, French, Chinese, Arabian and
Persian) on March 26. The TV channel repeatedly aired a 15-minute
long story showing highlight clips from the concert and carried
interviews from Embassy officials who underscored the benefit of
educational exchange. The principle performer, Eldar Hudiyev of
Turkmenistan, was also interviewed in Russian. In contrast to our
experience from last fall (reftel),his use of Russian language did
not threaten broadcast of the piece.

NEWSPAPER RUNS INTERVIEW WITH EMBASSY INTERN


4. (U) On March 21, the state newspaper "Neytralniy Turkmenistan"
(Russian, circ. 44,791) ran a short article introducing the current
PAS intern. The article was based on an interview given to
newspaper correspondent, Victoriya Novikova, who continues to be one
of our most important journalist contacts. The story provided
accurate information about the intern's background in dance
including Central Asian dance, and her language abilities. The
article also mentioned U.S. Government exchange programs, as we had
hoped.

SHAKEY ON COVERING WORLD TB DAY CONFERENCE


5. (U) The state-run dailies "Neytralniy Turkmenistan" and
"Turkmenistan" (Turkmen, circ. 29,091) ran an article on March 25
highlighting the conference on World Tuberculosis Day, which was
held March 24 in Ashgabat. The article emphasized the crucial role
of USAID's support in implementing (through its partner, Project
Hope) the World Health Organization-recommended anti-TB strategy,
DOTS (Directly Observed Treatment Short Course),and their joint
efforts with international and national organizations in combating
tuberculosis in Turkmenistan. The article was accompanied by an
accurate interview with the Charge d'Affaires who also spoke at the
opening. "Altyn Asyr" and "Turkmenistan" TV channels both covered
the event, interviewed the Charge and others, and prepared reports
for airing. But both TV channels eventually dropped plans to
broadcast the pieces, because the Minister of Health insisted that
the subject of Tuberculosis was too sensitive or "scary" for
Turkmenistan and said the disease was viewed as a taboo subject
under "our first president." (NOTE: Despite this, the
"Turkmenistan" channel kindly gave PAS a copy of their report
planned for airing - unthinkable even a few months ago. END NOTE.)

PRINT MEDIA HIGHLIGHT FULBRIGHT PROGRAM SPECIALIST


6. (U) On April 1, the state dailies "Neytralniy Turkmenistan" and
"Turkmenistan" carried an article on Fulbright Program Specialist
Christine Martens on the front page. Significantly, the article was
prepared by a journalist from the Turkmen State Press Service (TDH
by its Turkmen acronym),an entity with which post has had very
little contact. The article emphasized Christine Martens' interest
in Central Asian traditional hand-made fabrics and carpets. The
first paragraph clearly noted that she was in Turkmenistan under the

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U.S. Government Fulbright program.

USAID-SUPPORTED SEMINAR ON NGO LEGISLATION


7. (U) On April 3, "Watan" TV evening news program (Turkmen)
favorably covered a seminar hosted by Turkmenistan's Institute of
Democracy and Human Rights on bringing Turkmenistan's NGO
legislation into compliance with international standards. The
seminar was supported by USAID and conducted by the International
Center for Non-Profit Law (ICNL). The program highlighted the
involvement of government officials, ICNL's international legal
experts, as well as representatives from civic organizations of
Turkmenistan. The following day, on April 4, the News Program on
"Turkmenistan" TV Channel carried short coverage of the same event,
and the state-run dailies "Neytralniy Turkmenistan" and
"Turkmenistan" ran an article by the Turkmen State Press Service
(TDH). The TDH article noted the importance of interaction with
international organizations and improving Turkmenistan's
legislation.


8. (SBU) COMMENT: Although it is less obvious to the casual
observer, recently state media cover a gradually widening array of
topics and issues. Despite the last-minute insistence by a nervous
Minister of Health not to air reports on Tuberculosis, print outlets
carried the same information. In addition, the hard to reach and
more hardline TDH has started to cover U.S. Embassy programs and
events. All of these signs point to two things. First, the
embassy's continued outreach to state media is working. Second, the
country's leadership is incrementally more tolerant of an expanding
range of topics in state news media. END COMMENT.

HOAGLAND