VZCZCXRO3405
RR RUEHDBU RUEHLN RUEHVK RUEHYG
DE RUEHAH #0587/01 1640322
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 130322Z JUN 07
FM AMEMBASSY ASHGABAT
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 8862
INFO RUCNCIS/CIS COLLECTIVE

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ASHGABAT 000587 
 
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:  POSITIVE MEDIA COVERAGE OF PDAS MANN'S MAY VISIT TO 
TURKMENISTAN 
 
Summary 
------- 
 
¶1.  (U) Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary Steven Mann's May 
30-June 1 visit to Turkmenistan, at the head of a high-level energy 
delegation, received wide and positive coverage in state media.  The 
delegation included Regional Director for Europe and Asia of the 
U.S. Agency for Trade and Development Dan Stein, Director of the 
Department of Russia and Eurasia at the U.S. Department of Energy 
Lana Ekimoff, Executive Director of the Eurasian Bank of 
Reconstruction and Development Mark Sullivan, and Energy Analyst 
Wendell Coote.  State media covered only Mann's May 31 meeting with 
President Berdimuhammedov, not his other ministry meetings or his 
June 1 press conference.  International news outlets sent 
representatives to the June 1 conference, who provided mostly 
accurate coverage of Mann's remarks.  End Summary. 
 
State Media Accurate and Positive on Mann's Meeting with President 
Berdimuhammedov 
--------------------------------------------- -- 
 
¶2.  (SBU) On May 31, Watan TV news program (Turkmen-language) gave 
positive and accurate coverage of Mann's meeting with President 
Berdimuhammedov.  The broadcast reported that the two agreed that 
long-lasting successful cooperation would be both in the interest of 
their people and further the purpose of common security. The 
broadcast noted that cooperation in the energy sector was the main 
topic of the discussion and stated that Mann said American companies 
were ready to become involved in the development of Turkmenistan's 
energy sector.  Both sides were confident that this was a positive 
step.  The broadcast accurately delivered Mann's statement, given in 
Russian, following his meeting with the president.  (Note:  Post 
provided translation of Mann's statement in Turkmen to Watan TV news 
program, which aired it in full.  End Note.)  Mann emphasized that 
the United States wanted to support President Berdimuhammedov's 
vision of a prosperous, independent Turkmenistan and to attract 
viable international investment.  Mann also stressed that U.S. 
policy on the development of alternative pipelines has remained 
unchanged over the past decade.  The broadcast included the names 
and positions of three of the four delegation members, omitting 
Coote.  It noted that Mann previously served as Ambassador to 
Turkmenistan from 1998-2001 and made great positive, personal 
contributions to Turkmenistan-U.S. relations. 
 
¶3.  (U) The following day, state dailies "Neutral Turkmenistan" 
(Russian, circ. 34,701) and "Turkmenistan" (Turkmen, circ. 28,091) 
gave front-page treatment to an article about the meeting, similar 
to the Watan TV broadcast.  The government website 
"Turkmenistan-Golden Age" (www.turkmenistan.gov.tm, Russian, 
English) carried the same article.  On subsequent days, state 
regional weeklies and most state industry journals reprinted the 
same article, per usual practice; it also appeared on state news 
website TURKMENISTAN.RU (English, Russian). 
 
¶4.  (U) Russian news agencies Interfax (Russian, English), 
Finmarkert (Russian) and Azerbaijan-based news agency Day.Az 
(Russian) relied heavily on Turkmenistan state media coverage for 
their own reports. 
 
Foreign Media Positive on Mann's Interview Statements 
--------------------------------------------- -------- 
 
¶5.  (U) On June 1, Mann held a press briefing with international 
stringers that resulted in generally accurate and positive same-day 
coverage in international media.  ITAR-TASS (Russian, English) and 
Reuters (Russian, English) reported that United States' policy 
toward construction of a Trans-Caspian gas pipeline had remained 
unchanged.  ITAR-TASS reported, accurately reflecting Mann's 
statements, that the United States continued to support the project, 
as well as other pipeline projects such as the 
Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan-India (TAPI) pipeline, and a 
pipeline to China.  Reuters (Russian) carried Mann's statement that 
the United States opposed any pipeline development or expansion into 
Iran. 
 
¶6.  (U) ITAR-TASS reported that Mann expressed hope that President 
Berdimuhammedov would do his utmost to create favorable investment 
conditions for international businesses in Turkmenistan's commercial 
projects.  Agence France Presse quoted Mann that President 
Berdimuhammedov expressed "a positive orientation toward inviting 
foreign investors into Turkmenistan.  This will be a long process." 
Reuters carried Mann's words that U.S. experts were ready to assist 
Turkmenistan in setting up a favorable investment climate, and 
believed there was enough gas to supply Russia and to do a 
Trans-Caspian pipeline as well.  On June 2, Azerbaijan-based news 
agency Azer-Press (Russian, English) reprinted content from the 
 
ASHGABAT 00000587  002 OF 002 
 
 
Reuters and Agence France Presse reports.  On subsequent days, news 
agencies Trend-Azerbaijan (Russian) and Georgian Business Consulting 
(Russian) carried similar content to that in the ITAR-TASS and 
Reuters coverage. 
 
Russian News Agency Misquotes Mann's Statement 
--------------------------------------------- - 
 
¶7.  (U) ITAR-TASS (Russian, English) misrepresented Mann's statement 
about U.S.-Iran policy, in June 1 coverage of his visit, suggesting 
that U.S. policy opposing pipeline development or expansion into 
Iran was the primary reason for a lack of such efforts by private 
companies.  According to ITAR-TASS, "he reaffirmed that, in 
compliance with the U.S. current policy and laws, the routes running 
through the Iranian territory could not be attractive for private 
companies."  In fact, Mann said that, wholly apart from U.S. policy, 
the private sector regarded commercial conditions in Iran less 
attractive to them than those for Trans-Caspian or other routes. 
 
 
COMMENT 
------- 
 
¶8.  (U).  Mann's visit received generally positive and accurate 
coverage in state media, as in international news outlets -- many of 
which, particularly in the immediate region, continue to draw 
heavily from Turkmenistan state sources.  The press-briefing assured 
Mann's message received broader international attention and provided 
an opportunity to give more sophisticated commentary on the visit 
and U.S. policy than that represented in Turkmenistan's state media. 
 End Comment. 
 
BRUSH