KAZAKHSTAN: MEDIA REACTION, MARCH 7-13

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ASTANA 000449 SIPDIS STATE FOR SCA/CEN, SCA/PPD E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PGOV PREL EFIN MARR SOCI KPAO KMDR AF KZ SUBJECT: KAZAKHSTAN: MEDIA REACTION, MARCH 7-13 ¶1. (U) SUMMARY: During the week of March 7-13, Kazakhstani media buzzed with reactions to President Nazarbayev's annual address to the nation on March 6. Coverage was widely positive with criticism coming largely from opposition sources. Issues of media freedom, specifically the court decision and fine against the opposition newspaper "Tazhargan," continued to attract media attention during the week. While editorial space dedicated to the Manas air base and perceived "power struggle" for Central Asia was scant compared to the past few weeks, one major paper ran an editorial criticizing the U.S. government's understanding of the situation in Afghanistan and highlighting the opportunity for Central Asian states to play a strategic role in addressing it. END SUMMARY. PRESIDENT REASSURES THE NATION, OR DOES HE? ¶2. (U) Coverage in pro-government newspapers of reactions to President Nazarbayev's March 6 address to the nation was widespread, and largely positive. Several government officials lined up to praise publicly the tone and content of the speech. "It was a sincere and brave message," said parliamentarian Yerlan Nigmatulin, in an article in pro-government "Liter." Noting the President's assurances that government funding for social programs would be maintained despite the economic crisis, Nigmatulin applauded this "guarantee that in this hard period of financial turbulence, no Kazakhstani will be left without the government's support." Another "Liter" article quoted the Deputy Chairman of the Assembly of Peoples, Yeraly Tuzhganov, as saying that the President's statements on social obligations were reflective of the government's "optimistic mindset." The same paper described the instant optimism brought about by the President's speech by quoting Acting Chairman of the Public Service Agency Aryn Orsariyev: "Everything became clear and the fear of unemployment disappeared." Pro-government "Express K" noted that Azat Peruashev, Chairman of the Atameken National Economic Chamber, a pro-government business association, had said the tone was "appropriate and sincere" and made comparisons to the addressess of U.S. President Franklin Roosevelt during the Great Depression. ¶3. (U) Opposition newspaper "Tazhargan," itself the subject of media attention (see para 4),was predictably less rosy about the President's speech. "Tazhargan" printed an article by Peter Svoik, Deputy Chairman of the Azat opposition party, who cited the President's "double dose of bravado and bragging" about how Kazakhstan is well-prepared to weather the crisis, while calling at the same time for strengthened efforts to address the economic downturn. "Tazhargan" also criticized the authorities for distancing themselves from the causes of the crisis and instead blaming the crisis on "outside sources." BARBS CONTINUE OVER ALLEGED SUPPRESSION OF INDEPENDENT MEDIA ¶4. (U) In the continuing debate over issues of media freedom, newspapers and blog sites reacted to the appellate court ruling and 30 million tenge (approximately $200,000) fine against the opposition "Tazhargan" newspaper and covered an Almaty demonstration to protest the decision. The opposition website "www.respublika-kz.info" published comments from Adil Soz NGO head Tamara Kaleyeva and Union of Journalists chairman Seitkazy Matayev expressing deep concern over the fate of the mass media and the "chilling effect" generated by the "Tazhargan" court decision. The independent newspaper "Vremya" covered a protest of the decision during which Kaleyeva asserted that there have been many similar court rulings and "the time has come to attract public attention to the terrible treatment of the mass media in Kazakhstan." "Vremya" also cited head of the Kazakhstan Bureau for Human Rights, Yevgeniy Zhovtis, as saying that the status of media freedom is "very bad" and that freedom of speech has not yet become an "incontestable value" for the public. CRITICISMS OF U.S. UNDERSTANDING OF AFGHANISTAN ¶5. (U) "Delovaya Nedelya" ran an editorial piece criticizing the Pentagon for thinking that deploying additional U.S. troops to Afghanistan can curb the Taliban, including those coming from the Pakistani border region, and believing that "a government loyal to the United States can be brought to power." The article asserted ASTANA 00000449 002 OF 002 that "the people promoting these ideas to the (U.S.) President have no idea what is actually going on in Afghanistan." It described the challenge of securing a territory larger than Iraq with fewer troops, and noted that the United States will "rely" on Central Asia to help support the Afghanistan operation. "Delovaya Nedelya" reiterated speculation heard previously in the Kazakhstani press that Tajikistan is the most likely candidate to provide material support to U.S. troops, and reiterated that the situation in Afghanistan offers a "high stakes" opportunity for Central Asia to "take part in a complex but potentially beneficial game." HOAGLAND