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PP RUEHLN RUEHVK RUEHYG
DE RUEHDBU #0135/01 0261348
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 261348Z JAN 07
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TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 9490
INFO RUCNCIS/CIS COLLECTIVE
RUEHBUL/AMEMBASSY KABUL PRIORITY 1959
RUEHNE/AMEMBASSY NEW DELHI PRIORITY 1980
RUEHIL/AMEMBASSY ISLAMABAD PRIORITY 2000
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC
RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING PRIORITY 1915
RHMFIUU/DIA FT BELVOIR
RHEHAAA/NSC WASHINGTON DC
RUEHDBU/AMEMBASSY DUSHANBE 1071

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 DUSHANBE 000135 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: ABLD ECPS OIIP PGOV PREL KPAO TI
SUBJECT: INTERNATIONAL BROADCASTING BUREAU LAYS GROUNDWORK FOR 
AGREEMENT WITH TAJIK GOVERNMENT 
 
REF: DUSHANBE 100 
 
DUSHANBE 00000135  001.2 OF 002 
 
 
¶1.  (U) SUMMARY.  The International Broadcasting Bureau's Jim 
Lambert briefed Minister of Transportation and Communications 
Abdurahim Ashurov January 23 on the history of its broadcasts 
and transmissions from Tajikistan and proposed that the United 
States and Tajikistan negotiate and sign a bilateral 
governmental agreement.  To date, the International Broadcasting 
Bureau has conducted its programs on a commercial basis; the 
current five-year commercial agreement is set to expire in 
December 2007.  Lambert promised to send a draft agreement and 
invited Ashurov to send a team to Munich to see the facilities 
and meet with other International Broadcasting Bureau staff. 
Ashurov promised to consider the agreement, stating that 
cooperation with the United States on all fronts was a priority; 
but noting also that the International Broadcasting Bureau's 
work in Tajikistan can no longer be considered as simply 
technical or commercial, but rather an issue of broader foreign 
policy.  END SUMMARY 
 
¶2.  (SBU) The Ambassador set the stage by explaining the 
on-going commercial agreement between the International 
Broadcasting Bureau and Tajik Radio Telecom which allows the 
International Broadcasting Bureau to broadcast into Pakistan. 
The International Broadcasting Bureau wants to broaden the scope 
of its broadcasts to include China, but a commercial agreement 
does not adequately ensure Tajik government support for 
transmissions from its territory, so a bilateral governmental 
agreement is needed.  Lambert then fully explained the ongoing 
broadcasting program, including the recent installation of an 
800-kilowatt amplitude modulated transmitter and antenna.  The 
International Broadcasting Bureau plans to install generators to 
ensure a consistent power supply, and shortwave antenna and 
transmitter that can reach most of China, in addition to the 
current Urdu broadcasts into Pakistan.  Lambert emphasized the 
close cooperation with Tajik Radio Telecom, as well as the 
technology and training already transferred to Tajikistan. 
 
¶3.  (U) Because the original equipment leased by Radio Free Asia 
in 1995 and again by the successor agency International 
Broadcasting Bureau in 2002 cannot carry the required 
transmission loads, the International Broadcasting Bureau began 
installing new technology for Tajik Radio Telecom, and plans 
further upgrades.  This will benefit Tajikistan in the long run, 
because its technicians are getting the training now, and the 
equipment will revert to them in ten years.  The International 
Broadcasting Bureau has also provided building renovations at 
the broadcasting site.  The current program also benefits Tajik 
Radio Telecom because it is able to sub-lease 12 hours each day 
on the current transmitters to other broadcasters.  (Note: We 
have just learned that Tajik Radio Telecom's main sub-lessee is 
Radio Russia.  It is ironic that U.S. provided equipment is used 
to broadcast programs that often portray America in a negative 
light.  End note.) 
 
¶4.  (U) The current commercial program expires in December 2007, 
and there is no current government to government agreement.  For 
this reason, Lambert recommended that the International 
Broadcasting Bureau send a draft proposal and an invitation for 
the Tajiks to meet with the International Broadcasting Bureau in 
Munich in February. 
 
¶5.  (U) Minister Ashurov thanked Jim Lambert for the 
information, and stated that he agreed in principle with the 
idea of the meeting to discuss a new agreement.  He said ongoing 
as well as new broadcasts would have to be discussed at the 
policy level within his government to determine if the 
transmission agreement complied with Tajik law.  This is not 
simply a commercial or technical issue, he said, but one of 
broader foreign policy.  Tajikistan wants to have positive, 
law-based relationships with all of its neighbors.  Ashurov 
emphasized his interest in cooperation with the United States 
across all areas within the purview of his ministry. 
 
¶6.  (SBU) COMMENT: The meeting represented a first effort to 
fully brief the Tajik government on the International 
Broadcasting Bureau's activities, but it will take numerous 
briefings and meetings to fully explain the scope of the 
broadcasts and get the Tajiks to agree to an intergovernmental 
agreement, in addition to extending the commercial agreement 
with Tajik Radio Telecom which expire in December.  Given the 
growing ties between Tajikistan and China, the Tajik government 
may not agree to allow us to use its territory for broadcasting 
to China.  We will need to use all our diplomatic efforts in 
 
DUSHANBE 00000135  002.2 OF 002 
 
 
Tajikistan and Washington to explain that the transmissions do 
not pose a threat to regional stability or relations.  END 
COMMENT 
 
¶7.  (U) By briefing the government of Tajikistan and initiating 
discussions about an inter-governmental agreement, the 
International Broadcasting Bureau has complied with Embassy 
Dushanbe's request (Reftel), and the Embassy will once again 
entertain country clearance requests for its technical advisors 
for maintenance and repair of existing capacity as well as site 
surveys for planned expansion.  However, the Bureau should not 
plan on installing new capacity or start new broadcasts without 
first obtaining agreement from the host government. 
JACOBSON