VZCZCXRO5530
RR RUEHDBU RUEHLN RUEHVK RUEHYG
DE RUEHAH #0491/01 1351219
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 151219Z MAY 07
FM AMEMBASSY ASHGABAT
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 8745
INFO RUCNCIS/CIS COLLECTIVE
RUEHNE/AMEMBASSY NEW DELHI 0798
RUEHLM/AMEMBASSY COLOMBO 0296
RUEHIL/AMEMBASSY ISLAMABAD 2001
RUEHBUL/AMEMBASSY KABUL 0744
RUEHKA/AMEMBASSY DHAKA 0318

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 ASHGABAT 000491 
 
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 SHOWS UNPRECEDENTED WARMTH TO POST IN 
MARCH 
 
REFTEL:  (A) Ashgabat 302, (A) Ashgabat 345, (B) Ashgabat 425 
 
SUMMARY 
------- 
 
¶1.  (U) State media coverage of post events in March was generally 
full and positive, with some key exceptions. Statements by Principal 
Deputy Assistant Secretary Steven Mann during his March 3-6 visit 
received full but inaccurate coverage.  Coverage of Peace Corps Day, 
the signing of an agreement on HIV/AIDS prevention activities 
between the U. S. Agency for International Development (USAID) and 
Turkmenistan, a movie festival to commemorate Black History Month, 
and the third annual Fulbright Conference was generally-to-very 
positive.  The programs of health and political communication 
specialist Dr. Gregory James Payne and Black History Month Speaker 
Dr. Elbert Ransom received much-better-than-expected coverage in 
state media.  Meanwhile, state media neglected to cover President 
George Bush's nomination of George A. Krol as Ambassador-Designate 
to Turkmenistan and a three-day border security seminar sponsored by 
the United States Department of Energy.  End Summary. 
 
State Media Misconstrues Mann Statement 
--------------------------------------------- ------- 
 
¶2.  (U) Following his March 5 meeting with President Gurbanguly 
Berdimuhammedov, Mann gave a lobby statement in which he noted he 
had congratulated the president on "assuming the duty of president." 
 The same day, Watan TV News (state, Turkmen language) reported that 
Mann congratulated the president with his "election" to the 
position.  The same inaccuracy appeared throughout state print 
media.  State media omitted Mann's meetings with other government 
officials. 
 
President Values Peace Corps, but State Media Garbles the Facts 
--------------------------------------------- ----- 
 
¶3.  (U) On March 1, state dailies "Neutral Turkmenistan" (Russian, 
circ. 34,701) and "Turkmenistan" (Turkmen, circ. 28,091) published 
on the front page President Berdimuhammedov's congratulatory message 
to Peace Corps.  His message praised Peace Corps for promoting 
friendly ties between the people of Turkmenistan and the United 
States.  In subsequent days, state weeklies "Ahal Durmushy" 
(Turkmen, circ. 35,391), "Maru-Shahu Jahan" (Turkmen, circ. 36,252), 
"Dashoguz" (Turkmen, circ. 27,183) and "Mugallymlar" (Turkmen, circ. 
77,901) likewise reprinted the article on the front page.  State 
weeklies "Watan" (Turkmen, circ. 26,091) and "Beyik Turkmenbashy 
Nesli" (Turkmen, circ. 22,311) reprinted the message elsewhere. 
 
¶4.  (U) On March 2, state dailies "Neutral Turkmenistan" (Russian, 
circ. 34,701) and "Turkmenistan" (Turkmen, circ. 28,901) published 
an article praising Peace Corps' cooperation with the host 
government and its contribution to education and healthcare sector 
development.  The article drew heavily from remarks made by Peace 
Corps Country Director William Myer and the Charge.  However, it 
invented a statement by the Charge that "Turkmenistan is the ideal 
place for Peace Corps volunteers."  "Neutral Turkmenistan's" 
coverage of the event included a half-page of interviews with and 
photographs of five Peace Corps volunteers, but omitted one 
volunteer's comments about the great disparity between the standard 
of living in the capital versus that in the regions. 
 
State Media Praises Cooperation with USAID 
------------------------------------------ 
 
¶5.  (U) On March 8, Watan TV News covered the signing by USAID and 
the Ministry of Health of a Memorandum of Understanding on 
increasing HIV/AIDS awareness and prevention efforts.  Coverage of 
the historic agreement mentioned bilateral efforts to improve 
outreach to youth on both "sexual" and moral matters pertaining to 
HIV/AIDS.  The broadcast included most of a statement by USAID 
Country Representative Ashley Moretz, where he outlined the 
importance of the agreement.  The following day, state dailies 
"Neutral Turkmenistan" and "Turkmenistan" placed relevant articles 
on the front page.  The coverage quoted the Charge: "Cooperation in 
healthcare remains one of the strategic directions of long-lasting 
Turkmenistani-American partnership".  The article highlighted 
USAID's efforts to combat tuberculosis and child diseases and its 
support for development of family medicine.  In subsequent days, 
weeklies "Watan" (Turkmen, circ. 26,091) and "Turkmen Gundogary" 
reprinted the same article. 
 
ASHGABAT 00000491  002 OF 003 
 
 
 
Movie Festival Receives Wide State Media Coverage 
--------------------------------------------- ---- 
 
¶6.  (U) On March 8, Watan TV News announced the opening of post's 
film festival in honor of Black History Month (March 8-12).  The 
following day, state dailies "Neutral Turkmenistan" and 
"Turkmenistan" published a positive article on the occasion and 
accurately listed names of the movies to be featured during the 
festival.  The article also mentioned the presence of Ransom at the 
movie screening.  State weekly "Edebiyat we Sungat" (Turkmen, circ. 
24,111) reprinted the article.  Watan TV News aired video of the 
opening events, interspersed with segments from the documentary "The 
Legacy of Rosa Parks."  On March 15, state weekly "Ashgabat" 
(Turkmen, circ.16,561) published an article about the festival 
centered around an interview with Dr. Ransom. 
 
¶7.  (U) On March 11, state channel TV-4 dedicated a 20-minute 
program to the opening of the festival.  The program summarized 
interviews taken with the Charge, Public Affairs Officer, Ransom and 
Payne.  These comments included the Charge's and PAO's comments that 
Ransom's example demonstrated the ability of people to pursue 
societal change through development of their own skills and 
potential.  The PAO also expressed hope for expanded exchanges with 
Turkmenistan.  The broadcast also included scenes of protest 
demonstrations from the Parks documentary. 
 
State Media Praises Fulbright Conference and U.S. Exchange Programs 
----------------- 
 
¶8.  (U) On March 10, "Neutral Turkmenistan" and "Turkmenistan" 
published positive articles on the post-sponsored Fulbright 
Conference.  The article praised the conference as successful, and 
characterized it as an opportunity for exchanges in such areas as 
international law, economics, history, geography, and English 
language studies.  It noted the keynote speeches by Ransom and Payne 
and praised the State Department's Fulbright program for promoting 
the exchange of ideas and knowledge and for promoting mutual 
understanding between nations.  The conference received similar 
positive coverage on pro-government website www.turkmenistan .ru on 
the same day, and on subsequent days in state weeklies Balkan 
(Turkmen, circ. 24,631), "Turkmen Gundogary" and "Watan." 
 
¶9.  (U) On March 13 TV-4 (state) dedicated a 20-minute program to 
the Fulbright Conference.  The program again included portions of 
interviews with the Charge, PAO, Ransom and Payne.  The Charge 
emphasized the need for such conferences to help the people of 
Turkmenistan exchange ideas and discuss their own development, 
prosperity and security.  Charge outlined the importance of 
U.S.-sponsored educational exchange programs to improving 
educational potential and post's intention to expand such programs 
in the future. 
 
Additional Coverage of Ransom and Payne 
--------------------------------------- 
 
¶10.  (U) On March 9, "Neutral Turkmenistan" published a positive 
article about Payne's meeting with state journalists -- including 
the fact that Payne stressed the importance of media objectivity and 
accountability.  On March 12, the same paper published an article, 
with photographs, about the Fulbright conference focused on 
interviews with Ransom and Payne.  State weekly "Mugallymlar Gazeti" 
(Turkmen, circ. 77,901) reprinted the article. 
 
¶11.  (U) TV-4 also provided accurate and full coverage of the Payne 
and Ransom interviews, from the movie festival and Fulbright 
Conference.  Ransom shared his experience and knowledge about the 
Civil Rights movement and emphasized the desire of Turkmenistan's 
people to learn new ideas.  Payne spoke about importance of public 
diplomacy, critical thinking and access to reliable independent 
sources of global news.  Both speakers emphasized the importance of 
further educational reform in Turkmenistan. 
 
State Media Omissions in March 
------------------------------ 
 
¶12.  (U) Major state media outlets ignored post's announcement of 
the nomination of George Krol as Ambassador Designate to 
Turkmenistan.  Independent website www.turkmenpress.com (Turkmen) 
posted the embassy's March 27 press release on Krol's nomination. 
 
ASHGABAT 00000491  003 OF 003 
 
 
 
¶13.  (U) Another item that lost state media attention was a 
Commodity Identification Seminar conducted by the U.S. Department of 
Energy from 12-14 March.  Despite the presence of representatives 
from Turkmenistan's State Customs Service, the State Border Service 
and Ministry of Trade and Consumer Cooperation, no state outlets 
covered the event. 
 
COMMENT 
------- 
 
¶14.  (SBU) Post was surprised by the intensive state media coverage 
of the Payne and Ransom programs and related cultural and 
educational programming in March, as well as the signing of the 
bilateral agreement on HIV/AIDS awareness efforts.  State media gave 
much better than expected coverage of controversial issues such as 
freedom of speech and information and HIV/AIDS.  End Comment. 
 
BRUSH