VZCZCXRO9925
RR RUEHDBU RUEHLN RUEHVK RUEHYG
DE RUEHAH #1250 3420848
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 080848Z DEC 06
FM AMEMBASSY ASHGABAT
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 8071
INFO RUCNCIS/CIS COLLECTIVE

UNCLAS ASHGABAT 001250 
 
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 IGNORES ALL MAJOR POST NEWS IN NOVEMBER 
 
REF: Embassy Press Releases on 11/01/06, 11/14/06 and 11/21/06 
 
SUMMARY 
------- 
 
¶1.  (U) Turkmenistan's state media coverage of post events in 
November included uncharacteristic omission of three significant 
news items:  the November 10 opening of the Altyn Asyr border 
crossing checkpoint, a change in U.S. non-immigrant visa application 
policy and the November 21 Peace Corps donation of wheelchairs. 
Meanwhile Bishkek-based Times of Central Asia gave positive coverage 
to the border event, while the India-based Hindustan Times gave 
accurate and full coverage of the visa announcement and the 
wheelchair distribution.  End Summary. 
 
FOREIGN COVERAGE ONLY OF THE BORDER CHECKPOINT OPENING 
--------------------------------------------- --------- 
 
¶2.  (U) State media omitted coverage of the Altyn Asyr checkpoint 
opening.  The Times of Central Asia's November 20 coverage of the 
checkpoint opening was based heavily on post's November 14 press 
release, and provided such detail as the site size (25,000 square 
meters) and funds spent on the project (over $2.5 million).  It 
noted that Turkmenistan and the Nevada National Guard have been 
linked for more that 11 years under the State Partnership Program. 
It also stated that the National Nevada Guard provided three 
guardsmen and hundreds of hours of manhours to ensure the success of 
the project.  The report quoted the current project manager, retired 
Col. John (sic) Morrow, who stated that "this station is an example 
of what two countries working together can accomplish in the fight 
against international narcotics trafficking." 
 
STATE MEDIA OMITS WHEELCHAIR DISTRIBUTION CEREMONY 
--------------------------------------------- ----- 
 
¶3.  (U) Turkmenistan's state media failed to cover a November 21 
event in which the Peace Corps donated 280 wheelchairs to the 
Physical Culture and Sports Club for the Disabled.  On November 21, 
newswires U.S. Fed News (English) and Hindustan Times (English) 
reprinted post's press release. 
 
NO LOCAL COVERAGE OF U.S. VISA APPLICATION CHANGES 
--------------------------------------------- ----- 
 
¶4.  (U) State media omitted any coverage of the announcement that 
all non-immigrant visa applicants must use the Electronic Visa 
Application Form starting November 1.  Newswires U.S. Fed News and 
Hindustan Times reprinted post's press release. 
 
COMMENT 
------- 
 
¶5.  (U) In the past state media have provided moderate coverage of 
embassy events, in particular if the government's role also could be 
expressed positively.  Lack of coverage of the Altyn Asyr 
checkpoint, then, is surprising.  Post will continue to follow this 
trend of decreasing state media coverage, but notes that state media 
coverage has very little correlation with public opinion in 
Turkmenistan.  END COMMENT. 
 
BRUSH 
 
 
Drafter: IMA: Meylis Hummedov, x2178 
 
Cleared:  PAO: PAUL 
 
          CHG: BRUSH