KYRGYZSTAN: RFE/RL PROGRAMMING DOWN; RUSSIAN AND

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 BISHKEK 000147 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/19/2019 TAGS: PGOV PREL KG KPAO SUBJECT: KYRGYZSTAN: RFE/RL PROGRAMMING DOWN; RUSSIAN AND CHINESE PROGRAMMING ON THE RISE REF: A. BISHKEK 63 ¶B. 08 BISHKEK 1254 ¶C. 08 BISHKEK 1222 ¶D. 08 BISHKEK 1021 BISHKEK 00000147 001.2 OF 002 Classified By: DCM LEE LITZENBERGER FOR REASONS 1.4 (b) AND (d) SENSITIVE. NOT FOR INTERNET DISTRIBUTION. ¶1. (C) Summary: RFE/RL programming has been further cut back in Kyrgyzstan. The private radio station that rebroadcasts RFE/RL programming in Bishkek is claiming that members of the Bakiyev family are behind the latest interruption. In the meantime, Russia and China have unveiled plans for increased media presence in Kyrgyzstan. End Summary. AZATTYK OFF-AIR ON PRIVATE STATION IN BISHKEK -------------- ¶2. (C) Post met with Rustam Koshmuratov, director of Radio Almaz, the station that rebroadcasts Voice of America and the Kyrgyz-language version of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, Azattyk. (Note: Radio Almaz has been the primary carrier of Azattyk since October 8, 2008, when Kyrgyz National Television and Radio Company, KTR, discontinued its rebroadcasts of Azattyk on television and radio. Ref C.) Koshmuratov complained that since January 2009, broadcasts of Azattyk on his station in Bishkek have been blocked at the transmission tower, which is reportedly owned by President Bakiyev's son, Maxim. The official explanation given to Koshmuratov is power outages due to rolling black-outs. However, the black-outs only occur when Azattyk is on the air and do not affect other stations, on other frequencies, that broadcast from the same transmission tower during that timeframe. Radio Azattyk continues to be heard in Bishkek for two hours in the morning on a radio station run by the Kyrgyz Parliament. However, few listeners are aware that the parliamentary station carries Azattyk. "RETURN TO THE COLD WAR" -------------- ¶3. (C) Koshmuratov outlined what he sees as a pattern of media harassment, including the closure of "De Facto" and "Alibi" newspapers (Ref D),KTR taking Azattyk off the air (Ref C),and attempts to regulate the internet. Koshmuratov linked the media harassment to Manas Air Base, saying, "(Harassment of the media) allows (the Kyrgyz government) to manipulate public opinion about the closure of Manas Air Base." (Comment: While official pressure on independent media outlets has been steadily increasing in recent months, Post believes it is more directly related to an effort to suppress any criticism of Bakiyev and his government, rather than related to President Bakiyev's announcement that he intends to close Manas Air Base. End comment.) Koshmuratov described the situation as a "return to the Cold War." Koshmuratov suggested several ways for RFE/RL to circumvent Kyrgyz government harassment, including construction of a transmission tower for Azattyk programming; a return to shortwave or beginning Digital Radio Mondiale (DRM) broadcasting from outside the territory of Kyrgyzstan; distribution of satellite dishes and receivers to Kyrgyz media, NGO's, political parties, and other key players; and/or providing internet to all media in Kyrgyzstan so that they can get news from outside Kyrgyzstan. INCREASED CHINESE AND RUSSIAN MEDIA PRESENCE -------------- ¶4. (C) Koshmuratov expressed alarm that other countries are overtaking the U.S. in distribution of information in Kyrgyzstan. Koshmuratov cited reports from spring 2008 that the Chinese government would provide 20,000 satellite receivers to residents of Batken Oblast in exchange for two television stations in Bishkek. Recent press reports indicate that the Russian-language version of China Central Television will begin broadcasting 24 hours a day in Kyrgyzstan in late 2009. Chinese media reports that China is discussing similar deals with other countries where Russian BISHKEK 00000147 002.2 OF 002 is an official language. ¶5. (SBU) On February 2, local media reported that President Bakiyev met with the Director of Russian State Television (All-Russia State Television and Radio Company) to discuss cooperation. President Bakiyev reportedly praised Kyrgyz-Russian relations as being "at a new level where mutually beneficial cooperation is filled with concrete and practical content." The Russian State Television Director said that Kyrgyzstan is the only country in the former Soviet Union where Russian language and culture are so appreciated, and "It is very pleasant that your country re-transmits channels from our media corporation." No concrete proposals for further cooperation were reported. Comment -------------- ¶6. (C) It is noteworthy that President Bakiyev met personally with the head of Russian State Television, especially after Bakiyev refused to meet with USG representatives to discuss the ongoing problems with Azattyk. While KTR Director Eshimkanov has pulled other countries' content off the air, those countries have managed to renegotiate. For example, when the BBC was taken off KTR, they allegedly agreed to tone down anti-government rhetoric and broadcasting resumed. When official Chinese programming in the Kyrgyz language was taken off KTR, the Chinese began broadcasting on another government-owned station, LTR (The People's Television Station). In the case of RFE/RL, however, the standstill continues. GFOELLER