VZCZCXRO4195
RR RUEHDBU RUEHLN RUEHVK RUEHYG
DE RUEHAH #0883/01 2301022
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 181022Z AUG 06
FM AMEMBASSY ASHGABAT
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 7696
INFO RUCNCIS/CIS COLLECTIVE

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ASHGABAT 000883 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR INR/R/MR, IIP/T, IIP/G/NEA-SA, SA 
SCA/CEN, SCA/PAB, SCA/INS, SCA/RA, SCA/PPD, DRL 
CENTCOM PUBLIC AFFAIRS-MAJ.BALDWIN/SGT. BAKER 
USCINCPAC FOR POLAD R. HUSO 
SECDEF FOR PA 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: KMDR KPAO OIIP PREL PGOV AF TX
SUBJECT: TURKMENISTAN MEDIA COVERAGE JULY 2006 
 
 
SUMMARY 
------- 
 
¶1.  (U) Turkmenistan state media provided relatively positive 
coverage of and adequate support for mission events in July. 
Turkmenistan state television was active and positive in its 
coverage of ambassador Tracey Ann Jacobson's statement on U.S. 
Independence Day, her farewell meeting with President Niyazov and 
performances by the HaviKoro cultural group (HaviKoro's visit to be 
reported septel).  Meanwhile, Turkmenistan's state print media 
provided abbreviated coverage of the ambassador's meeting with the 
president and failed to reprint post-provided notices advertising 
two of HaviKoro's three public performances.  Turkmenistan's two 
state television outlets provided divergent coverage of the 
high-profile HaviKoro program, with one outlet emphasizing host 
government involvement and the other focusing on the program itself. 
 
 
State Media Provides Full Coverage of Ambassador's July 4 Statement 
 
------- 
 
¶2.  (U) In response to a request by local television to tape the 
ambassador's annual U.S. Independence Day address, the ambassador 
delivered a one-page statement in English on July 2.  On July 4, 
local dailies "Neytralniy Turkmenistan" (Russian, circ. 32,241) and 
"Turkmenistan" (Turkmen, circ. 28,161) printed a long article beside 
the ambassador's photo and statement on the occasion of U.S. 
Independence Day.  The ambassador noted that she was finishing her 
service in Turkmenistan and emphasized the main U.S. policy goals in 
Turkmenistan: 
 
-- support for democratic reforms and human rights - including 
progress in the health sector, 
 
-- economic development and 
 
-- security cooperation. 
 
Coverage included the ambassador's detailed outline of mission 
achievements since the beginning of her tenure in 2003, including 
statistics on training conducted, exchange program participation and 
mention of post-supported initiatives such as the construction of 
two border crossing stations on Turkmenistan's borders. Coverage 
included the following statement:  "I hope to be able to return to 
Turkmenistan someday to witness the country's progress.  I hope to 
return to a Turkmenistan with a world class educational system that 
meets international standards.  I hope to return to a democratic 
Turkmenistan where every citizen has the right to express his 
opinion, and where a vibrant civil society is a partner with the 
government in charting the course to development." (Note: The host 
government called post - presumably prior to submitting the 
statement for the president's approval - with a number of questions 
and requests about the statement, leading post to believe that state 
media would not reprint the full statement.)  Despite host 
government hesitations, state TV's "Watan" News program broadcast 
the ambassador's statement in full on July 4 and the weekly 
"Mugallymlar Gazeti" (Turkmen, circ. 76,291) reprinted the statement 
on its front page on July 5. 
 
Patchy Coverage of 2006 U.S. Culture Week 
------- 
 
¶3.  (U) On July 4, "Neytralniy Turkmenistan" and "Turkmenistan" both 
carried an article on mission guests HaviKoro that included a 
summary of their July 3 public performance and an interview with one 
of the group members.  The article included the ambassador's opening 
remarks where she emphasized that such events reinforce friendly 
bilateral relations and help encourage cultural and intellectual 
curiosity.  The article stated that the American performers wowed 
the viewers with their modern music and distinct rhythms.  On July 
5, "Mugallymlar Gazeti" reprinted the same article on its front 
page.  "Watan" television news and "Neytralniy Turkmenistan" 
provided accurate and timely information on the upcoming two 
HaviKoro performances during the week of July 3-7 by broadcasting 
and reprinting the advertisements supplied by post.  However, 
"Turkmenistan" neglected to place these advertisements. (Note: Post 
provided Russian-language advertisements to "Neytralniy 
Turkmenistan" and Turkmen versions to "Turkmenistan.") 
 
¶4.  (U) "Watan" aired shots of HaviKoro's performances in Ashgabat 
and Turkmenbashy (Note: The broadcast used the opportunity to speak 
on behalf of the group to praise Ashgabat's Magtymguly National 
Musical Drama Theatre and Turkmenbashy's Rukhyet Palace).  The 
State-run TV-4 Channel coverage of the Ashgabat concert - a joint 
performance with local break dance group Dance Power, showcased the 
ambassador's opening remarks and an interview in which she 
 
ASHGABAT 00000883  002 OF 002 
 
 
emphasized that the HaviKoro program was part of a larger effort to 
build bilateral friendship and enrich Turkmenistanis' cultural 
knowledge.  Interviewees at the show expressed their great 
satisfaction with the show and noted the culture exchange 
facilitated successful relations between people.  Each member of 
HaviKoro also gave an interview in which he talked about the group's 
origins and stressed the importance of U.S. Embassies' and American 
Voices' support to organizing such tours worldwide.  (Note: HaviKoro 
is a part of performing arts consortium American Voices.)  The group 
members emphasized their goal to bring a positive message to youth 
through their performances and to promote the exchange of cultural 
heritage throughout the world.  The TV-4 coverage concluded with 
shots of the performance. (Note: TV-4, a satellite channel, 
broadcasts its footage in seven languages successively.) 
 
Ambassador's Farewell Meeting with President Niyazov 
------- 
 
¶5.  (U) On July 4, "Watan" provided misleadingly positive but 
otherwise thorough coverage of the ambassador's farewell call on the 
president.  Coverage began with Niyazov's congratulations on the 
anniversary of the United States' independence and the ambassador's 
thanks for support she received during her tenure, after which the 
"Watan" newscaster described their discussion as positive and 
focusing on the satisfactory bilateral partnership in the fields of 
education, healthcare, and security.  The narrative mentioned 
Turkmenistan's success in implementing democratic reforms and 
dwelled on the upcoming election of local councils.  The newscaster 
also said that the ambassador stressed the importance of democratic 
change and the significance of elections based on genuine democracy, 
noting that such a process was key to creating the conditions for 
further democratic reform.  The ambassador's full lobby statement 
followed, where she noted that the president had promised a 
democratic and transparent elections process.  (Note:  The 
ambassador delivered her floor statement in Russian).   "We also 
talked about education and the need for continuous development of 
the educational system. We, the USA, are ready to help in this 
important job because as you know the education is a key to 
prosperity of every nation." 
 
¶6.  (U) "Neytralniy Turkmenistan" and "Turkmenistan", and weeklies 
"Watan" (Turkmen, circ. 25419), "Turkmen Gundogary" (Turkmen, circ. 
42728) and "Ashgabat" (Turkmen, circ. 15091) reprinted shortened 
coverage of the "Watan" broadcast, omitting any mention of democracy 
and education that could be construed as critical of the president's 
policies. 
 
Comment 
------- 
 
¶7.  (U) State print and broadcast media surprised post by providing 
full coverage of the ambassador's statement for  U.S. Independence 
Day, after post received multiple inquiries from Turkmenistan's 
Ministry of Foreign Affairs and state media about the content of the 
statement.  The ministry requested further detail about statistics 
in the statement regarding contributions of security equipment 
mission had donated to the host country.  Post declined to modify a 
sentence in the statement that the MFA and state media claimed was 
derogatory - "I hope to be able to return to Turkmenistan someday to 
witness the country's progress."  However, post did comply with a 
request from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs that post omit a phrase 
from the statement indicating where the two mission-supported border 
posts are being constructed - Iran and Afghanistan. 
 
¶8.  (U) As expected, coverage of the ambassador's farewell meeting 
with the president Niyazov received incomplete coverage in print 
media though television coverage was full if misleading. 
End Comment. 
 
¶8.  (SBU) Dushanbe Minimize considered