TURKMENISTAN: NATIONAL LIBRARY DIRECTOR WANTS REAL

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 ASHGABAT 000982 SIPDIS STATE FOR SCA/CEN, SCA/PPD, IIP, ECA E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/30/2018 TAGS: PREL PGOV SCUL KPAO TX SUBJECT: TURKMENISTAN: NATIONAL LIBRARY DIRECTOR WANTS REAL ACCESS TO INFORMATION Classified By: Charge d'Affaires a.i. Sylvia Reed Curran for reasons 1. 4 (B) and (D). ¶1. (SBU) SUMMARY: A meeting with the new National Library director revealed new opportunities for deeper cooperation and engagement. While the Library falls under the normally cooperative Ministry of Culture, the new director's frankness and leadership style were a refreshing contrast to what we usually get from more typical Turkmen government officials. The visit also provided a window on some of the changing official attitudes towards the Ruhnama, the constant government emphasis on a proper Turkmen appearance, as well as a hint of the ongoing internal government disputes over the utility of public access to information. Finally, the meeting showed that previous engagement, which at the time appeared to be unsuccessful, actually laid the seeds for today's improved relationship. END SUMMARY CAUTIOUS BEGINNINGS... ¶2. (C) In mid-July, Public Affairs Section (PAS) staff learned about the National Library's efforts to find a funding source for public Internet access. Unwilling to meet or discuss the project with FSOs, a PAS FSN worked out details on an eventual diplomatic note proposal that would make it appear the offer was purely the U.S. Embassy's idea -- sent July 7. To our surprise, the government quickly approved the proposal by a reply diplomatic note -- received July 14. The only delay to discussions was caused when the library director was out of town, accompanying President Berdimuhamedov to Romania -- possibly as a kind of "reward" trip as it appears that she had a minimally substantive role in the visit. ... BUT SURPRISINGLY FRANK AND OPEN ¶3. (SBU) Not long after the Government of Turkmenistan approved the proposal, on July 24, PAO and visiting Information Resource Officer (IRO) Mary Nell Bryant met with the new Library Director, Gozel Muhammetgulyeva. The new director was strikingly frank and open about the Library's challenges and problems, often alluding to government tendencies to focus on appearances rather than the substance or purpose of the National Library. Also attending was her computer systems administrator, who speaks English and reported that he independently had attended computer systems courses in Redmond, Washington. �00A; ¶4. (SBU) Although the new National Library (located in the beautiful, new National Cultural Center on the southern edge of Ashgabat) has an "Internet Room" with about 20 workstations, actual Internet access had never been set up, and the Library had no budget to do it itself. The primary purpose of the meeting was to work out details for the Embassy's provision of Internet access. Muhammetgulyeva stated multiple times that once the Library is connected to the Internet and public access made available, she would widely publicize this and credit the U.S. Embassy as their partner. She said no library can be considered "modern" without Internet. ¶5. (SBU) Discussion turned to suggestions for possible further cooperation including American book donations or hosting visiting U.S. speakers or cultural visitors. Muhammetgulyeva even went so far as to suggest that the Embassy would be routinely invited to some community activities that she planned to hold at the Library in order to draw more visitors. GUIDED TOUR WITH HONEST COMMENTARY ¶6. (C) Following the meeting, Muhammetgulyeva led a tour of the building and continued discussing possible cooperation, peppered with sometimes shockingly honest statements. When showing the "Internet Room," she very directly said -- "This ASHGABAT 00000982 002 OF 003 is the room where we show VIP visitors our 'Internet Access,' but we've never had access." When visiting some staff in another part of the building, she noted that they had traditional Turkmen dresses hanging in the corner, "in case some government officials turn up, and then of course, everyone's got to put on the 'uniform'" Perhaps most astonishingly, Muhammetgulyeva led the group to the beautiful top floor of the Library dedicated to the Ruhnama, which includes a larger-than-life copy of the pink and green book that slowly rotates below the magnificent doomed roof marking the center of this late Niyazov-era construction. The director invited her guests to sit on the circular sofas, which face the rotating Ruhnama and allow one to contemplate the book's meaning. But then she proceeded to complain that this section of the library was rarely visited and was more or less wasted space. (NOTE: The previous director who led PAO on a similar tour about a year ago, gave the obligatory description of the Ruhnama's great importance. END NOTE) ¶7. (C) Both Muhammetgulyeva and her systems administrator talked frankly about the Internet project and pitfalls, such as handling grants from the Embassy. Both noted that if the Embassy provided a grant directly to Library personnel, it could draw unwanted attention from the "wrong authorities," there would be questions about the origins of the cash, or the money could end up in the hands of those authorities. Instead, they preferred to receive donated equipment. IRO asked the computer systems administrator how such a new and modern facility could somehow lack any budget for Internet. In a hushed tone, the computer administrator told her very directly that there are still people in the government who fear and oppose Internet access for the public. A NEW KIND OF GOVERNMENT LEADER? ¶8. (SBU) In contrast to her predecessor, Muhammetgulyeva clearly has a more consensus-based work style with her staff, particularly evidenced by her good working relationship with her systems administrator, who never hesitated to add comments that would clarify discussion (NOTE: This style is not the norm for superior and subordinate relationships in Turkmenistan. Working relationships, like the system itself, are very much top-down. END NOTE). Additionally, library staff throughout the building seemed genuinely comfortable in their director's presence and were similarly quick to add helpful information. ENGAGEMENT PAYS OFF ¶9. (SBU) This visit marked the IRO's third visit to the National Library and PAO's fifth, but the first for both with Director Muhammetgulyeva. The first two IRO visits, received lukewarm receptions under the previous director, who politely brushed aside any offers regarding partnership with the Embassy. However, during this visit many staff members enthusiastically recognized and welcomed back the IRO and PAO. Some dropped hints that they had suggested to their new director that the Library look to the U.S. Embassy for cooperation. ¶10. (C) COMMENT: The visit with the new National Library Director provided some of the most optimistic signs of cooperation in recent weeks, and in particular, on the critical issue of access to information. Director Muhammetgulyeva appears to be secure in her new position, especially given that she recently accompanied the president on an overseas trip. Her frank discussion of issues and apparent lack of obligatory respect for the Ruhnama is additional evidence that the government intends to let Niyazov's cult-of-personality die a slow, natural death. This new opportunity for partnership in the field of Internet access and U.S. programming appears to be both the result of and an affirmation of the Embassy's efforts to continue engagement even when such contact appears not to have immediate results. END COMMENT. ASHGABAT 00000982 003 OF 003 CURRAN