Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
09ASTANA449
2009-03-13 09:50:00
UNCLASSIFIED
Embassy Astana
Cable title:  

KAZAKHSTAN: MEDIA REACTION, MARCH 7-13

Tags:  PGOV PREL EFIN MARR SOCI KPAO KMDR AF KZ 
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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

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