TURKMENISTAN: GOVERNMENT EXHIBITION SHOWCASES CHANGING

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ASHGABAT 000606

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS

STATE FOR SCA/CEN, SCA/PPD, EUR/ACE, IIP

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL PGOV SCUL KPAO TX
SUBJECT: TURKMENISTAN: GOVERNMENT EXHIBITION SHOWCASES CHANGING
ATTITUDES AND U.S. PROGRAMS


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


2. (U) SUMMARY: Turkmenistan's first ever International Exhibition
and Conference of Education, Science, Sports and Tourism in the
Epoch of Great Revival took place in Ashgabat May 1-3. The
exhibition provided additional hope that the government is focusing
beyond empty symbols and state propaganda since it provided for some
real exchange of information. U.S. participation led to
unprecedented access to education officials and broadly publicized
U.S. educational programming in Turkmenistan. State TV channels
highlighted the U.S. Embassy information booth throughout their
coverage. END SUMMARY.

SOMETHING MORE LIKE A REAL EXHIBITION AND CONFERENCE


3. (SBU) The First International Exhibition and Conference of
Education, Science, Sports and Tourism in the Epoch of the Great
Revival provided genuine opportunities for interaction among
professionals. The broad range of topics largely mirrored the range
of responsibilities which fall under Deputy Chair of the Cabinet of
Ministers Hydyr Saparlyev. While the conference segment of the
gathering included mostly uninpsiring presentations, it did at least
include representatives from Kazakhstan who cited the example of the
"Bolashak" presidential scholarship program for Kazakhs to study
abroad as a significant and beneficial element.


4. (SBU) Exhibitors included a variety of Turkmen state entities,
some non-state educational and tourism organizations, as well as a
variety of international educational, scientific and technology
companies and organizations. In particular, some Democracy
Commission grantees who conduct small-scale language courses or
other educational programs openly exhibited and made efforts to drum
up support for their programs and educational methods.

UNITED STATES GARNERS PRIME LOCATION AND ATTENTION


5. (SBU) The conference provided the Public Affairs Section (PAS)
with a prime location - a space near the entrance to the exhibition
hall. It was located near several key government educational booths
and was the second international exhibitor space (after a small
booth for Astrakhan State University from Russia). This placement
also meant that following the official opening, the crowd of
high-level government officials came by within minutes -- long
before the end of the tiring walk-through which lasted over two
hours.


6. (SBU) Many key officials and educators visited the booth
following the opening and throughout the three days of the
exhibition. (NOTE: Such access to most education officials would
normally take diplomatic note and a two-three week wait. END
NOTE.) PAS could barely keep replenishing the supply of printed
materials given away to government and private individuals whose
constant presence made the booth one of the most popular. Although
most give-away materials focused on education and exchanges, PAS
also provided a wide-range of IIP publications such as introductions
to U.S. elections, democratic institutions, or American history, and
"Muslim Life in America."

OFFICIAL PRESENCE IS ALSO REVEALING


7. (SBU) Government officials frequently walked the exhibition hall
in groups and most stopped to visit the U.S. booth. Deputy Cabinet
Chairman Saparliyev and Minister of Education Muhammetgeldi
Annaamanov frequently visited the booth and each time greeted PAO
like an old friend. Saparliyev even order state media in our
presence to cover the U.S. booth. Deputy Prime Minister/Foreign
Minister Rashid Meredov also visited the booth and spoke
encouragingly to the Texas A&M representative present. Notably
absent from the frequent groups of government officials was Nury
Bayramov, the Ministry of Education's International Department Head,
who actively tries to hinder U.S. and other Western programs.
Although Bayramov was spotted once on the second day of the
exhibition, he walked alone and was not seen at the opening ceremony
or with any of the higher-ranking education officials.

ASHGABAT 00000606 002 OF 002



STATE TV HIGHLIGHTS EMBASSY'S INFORMATION BOOTH


8. (U) On May 3-4, the state "Turkmenistan" TV Channel highlighted
the U.S. information booth at the exhibition. The broadcast
accurately carried PAO's interview about the booth and U.S.
educational and professional programs. The TV channel also carried
an accurate interview with the visiting Texas A&M University
representative. The news report also included extensive video of
the U.S. Booth. (NOTE: The "Turkmenistan" TV Channel airs its
content in English, Turkmen, Russian, French, Chinese, Arabic and
Persian and usually rebroadcasts its content three times a day. END
NOTE.)


9. (U) Other state TV channels "Altyn Asyr" (Turkmen),"Miras"
(Turkmen),and "Yashlyk" (Turkmen) broadcast many video reports
about the international exhibition. The video scenes from the
stories frequently highlighted the embassy's booth, usually showing
a crowd of people picking up publications and talking with booth
representatives.


10. (SBU) COMMENT: State-directed efforts to highlight the U.S.
exhibit booth indicate growing acceptance of U.S. cooperation and
programs and further legitimizes our programming with the government
and public. U.S. participation allowed for unprecedented access to
government officials and a rare ability to give away publications to
a wide range of government and non-government officials. END
COMMENT.

HOAGLAND