VZCZCXRO6089
RR RUEHCN RUEHGH RUEHVC
DE RUEHUM #0841/01 3260831
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 220831Z NOV 06
FM AMEMBASSY ULAANBAATAR
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 0559
INFO RUEHOO/CHINA POSTS COLLECTIVE
RUEHUL/AMEMBASSY SEOUL 2537
RUEHKO/AMEMBASSY TOKYO 2295
RHHMUNA/CDR USPACOM HONOLULU HI
RUEHLMC/MILLENNIUM CHALLENGE CORP WASHINGTON DC 0398
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC
RUCPODC/USDOC WASHDC 1127
RUEHRC/DEPT OF AGRICULTURE WASHDC
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ULAANBAATAR 000841 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPARTMENT FOR EAP/CM, EAP/PA, EAP/PD, HQ PACOM FOR PUBLIC DIPLOMACY 
ADVISOR (J007) 
 
E.O. 12958:  N/A 
TAGS: OEXC PREL EAID SCUL KMDR KPAO OIIP OPRC MG
SUBJECT: Public Diplomacy Captivates Mongolian Media by Highlighting 
November 2005 POTUS Visit 
 
ULAANBAATA 00000841  001.2 OF 002 
 
 
1.(U) SUMMARY: The anniversary of President Bush's November 21, 
2005, visit to Mongolia was marked by extensive coverage in the 
Mongolian media, in large part stimulated by post's concerted effort 
to use the anniversary to highlight US-Mongolia cooperation.  Post 
used the week leading up to the anniversary for a series of high 
visibility events demonstrating the breadth of US interest in 
Mongolia.  Post marked the anniversary itself with a targeted public 
diplomacy strategy drawing attention to the President's historic 
visit and accomplishments since November 2005.  Mongolian press 
coverage combined positive reflections with an underlying theme of 
optimism regarding future ties.  END SUMMARY. 
 
---------------------------- 
  Post's Strategic Preview 
---------------------------- 
2.(U) Post focused Mongolian media and public attention on the 
relationship with a series of high visibility events in the week 
preceding the anniversary. 
3.(U) US government efforts to support cultural preservation in 
Mongolia were widely covered by Mongolian media on November 13 and 
¶14.  TV networks Eagle TV, Channel 25, and UBS all covered 
Ambassador Minton's November 13 speech at a press conference, 
organized by the Embassy, describing the Ambassador's Fund for 
Cultural Preservation project to document Buddhist monasteries that 
were destroyed during the socialist period.  The Ambassador 
presented a ceremonial check for US$29,931, showing American 
generosity in an important area, emphasizing the importance of 
Mongolian culture itself and without making any political, 
commercial, or military connections.  The Mongolian wire service 
MONTSAME also reported on the event. 
4.(U) US government contributions to Mongolian young people and 
education were highlighted by the Mongolian media on November 14 and 
15, as a result of an Embassy ceremony featuring Ambassador Minton's 
presentation of the Bureau of Education and Cultural Affairs' Access 
Microscholarships to Mongolian high school students - a deliverable 
from the President's 2005 visit.  Six television stations, TV8, TV5, 
Eagle TV, Channel 25, MM Agency and NTV, covered the November 14 
ceremony to provide special after-school English classes for twenty 
students from the low-income yurt districts surrounding Ulaanbaatar. 
 Ambassador Minton presented certificates for participants in the 
program, focusing on how the Access Microscholarship program stemmed 
from President Bush's November 2005 visit to Mongolia.  The event 
presented an opportunity for Mongolian high school students to serve 
as spokespersons sharing this story of American support to the 
Mongolian people.  Unen, the Mongolian People's Revolutionary 
Party-affiliated newspaper, carried a photo of the Ambassador with 
the students on its front page.  (Note: A subsequent November 20 
presentation ceremony conducted by the DCM visiting eastern-most 
Dornod province was also covered by local media.) 
 
5.(U) US government interest in promoting American private 
investment in Mongolia gained wide play after the Ambassador's 
November 16 interview with Reuters.  Quoting Ambassador Minton, the 
Reuters article highlighted the Embassy's interest in expanding 
opportunities for US business and the associated benefits for 
Mongolia. 
 
6.(U) The weeklong preview was capped with President Enkhbayar's 
attendance at the 15th anniversary celebration of the Peace Corps in 
Mongolia.  The event focused attention on Peace Corps Volunteers' 
service in communities throughout Mongolia, with President Enkhbayar 
and Ambassador Minton praising volunteers for their contributions. 
MM TV, TV 9, Eagle TV, Channel 25, NTV, and newspapers Zuuny Medee, 
Unen, and Mongol Messenger all covered this high visibility event. 
 
------------------------------- 
 Highlighting the Anniversary 
------------------------------- 
 
7.(U) The Embassy utilized the anniversary to focus Mongolian 
attention on the breadth of US-Mongolia cooperation and the 
commitment of the United States to Mongolia's economic development 
and democratization.  An opinion editorial by the Ambassador 
reflected on how President Bush's visit energized US-Mongolia ties. 
This was sent to all media outlets and posted on the Embassy website 
at: http://mongolia.usembassy.gov/11/21/06.html 
 
8.(U) Post's strategy worked with UBS TV airing an eight minute 
retrospective on President Bush's visit to Mongolia on November 20, 
the eve of the anniversary, citing the Ambassador's opinion 
 
ULAANBAATA 00000841  002.2 OF 002 
 
 
editorial and mentioning the recent microscholarships. 
 
9.(U) The Ambassador hosted a luncheon with President Enkhbayar as 
the guest-of-honor, and official Embassy and Presidential 
photographers documented the event designed to commemorate the 
anniversary.  Major daily Odriin Sonin carried a front page article 
and photo on November 23 drawn from a press release and photograph 
which was distributed to all media outlets and posted on the Embassy 
website: 
http://mongolia.usembassy.gov/11/21/07.html 
 
10.(U) The Political Officer participated in a live interview on the 
top-rated news program on the anniversary date of November 21 and 
the segment was rebroadcast later in the day and again on November 
¶22.  Eagle TV The program highlighted how American interest in 
Mongolia has deepened since the President's visit.  This station, 
Eagle TV, interviewed President Bush during his visit and courted 
the Embassy for this one year retrospective. 
 
10.(U) The Ministry of Road, Transport and Tourism held a ceremony 
to present to the Mongolian President's office and the Embassy a 
previously issued postage stamp of President Bush's November 2005 
visit.  The stamp features President Bush sitting with President 
Enkhbayar.  TV networks MNTV, Channel 25, UBS, and MNT covered the 
PAO receiving the stamp to forward to the White House.  The event 
offered an opportunity for the PAO to reinforce the wide range of US 
interest in Mongolia. 
 
11.(U) Apart from the postage stamp event, MN, UBS and MNTV aired 
lengthy retrospectives on President Bush's visit to Mongolia, 
quoting Ambassador Minton's opinion editorial. 
 
12.(U) Comment: Media coverage helped remind Mongolians of a 
President Bush's visit, the first ever by a U.S. president and a 
source of great pride for most Mongolians.   The positive feelings 
generated by the President's November 2005 visit and the 
commemoration of that visit over the past two weeks bode well for 
public diplomacy efforts as post prepares for a year that will mark 
the twentieth anniversary of diplomatic relations and a potential 
Millennium Challenge Account compact agreement.  Two media reports, 
in particular, indicate post's efforts are paying dividends: Channel 
25 asked the postage stamp designer if a commemorative stamp was 
made after President Putin's visit to Mongolia in 2000.  After 
hesitating, he answered, "Not yet."  Similarly, the Mongolian 
People's Revolutionary Party-affiliated newspaper, Unen, carried a 
story on November 22, "MCA assistance brings big opportunities and 
big responsibilities too."  It stated, "Now it is time to use this 
funding efficiently to avoid losing our good friend." 
 
MINTON