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DE RUEHAH #1108/01 2881030
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R 151030Z OCT 07
FM AMEMBASSY ASHGABAT
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 9542
INFO RUCNCIS/CIS COLLECTIVE
RUCNMEM/EU MEMBER STATES COLLECTIVE
RUCNCLS/ALL SOUTH AND CENTRAL ASIA COLLECTIVE
RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING 0695
RUEHKO/AMEMBASSY TOKYO 0571
RUEHAK/AMEMBASSY ANKARA 2874
RUEHIT/AMCONSUL ISTANBUL 1147
RUCPDOC/DEPT OF COMMERCE WASHDC
RHEBAAA/DEPT OF ENERGY WASHDC
RUEATRS/DEPT OF TREASURY WASHDC
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC
RHMFIUU/CDR USCENTCOM MACDILL AFB FL
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC
RHEFDIA/DIA WASHINGTON DC
RUEKJCS/JOINT STAFF WASHINGTON DC
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHINGTON DC
RUEHVEN/USMISSION USOSCE 1820

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 ASHGABAT 001108 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
STATE FOR SCA/CEN, SCA/PPD, EUR/ACE, ECA, EEB 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV PREL KPAO TX
SUBJECT:  TURKMENISTAN:  MORE OPEN STATE MEDIA REFLECT GOVERNMMENT'S 
RELAXING POLICIES 
 
REF::  (A) ASHGABAT 220 
 
(B) ASHGABAT 491 
(C) ASHGABAT 466 
(D) ASHGABAT 734 
(E) ASHGABAT 716 
(F) ASHGABAT 851 
(G) ASHGABAT 1018 
(H) ASHGABAT 1083 
(I) ASHGABAT 1072 
 
 
¶1. (U) Sensitive but unclassified.  Not for public Internet. 
 
¶2. (SBU) SUMMARY:  Post has observed steps towards a more open and 
informative state news media in Turkmenistan.  Since the death of 
former President Niyazov, state media have slowly become more open 
to coverage of U.S. Government visitors and events in the country. 
Although it has not been an even, steady process, the subject matter 
has become broader, less strictly tied to glorification of the 
president or the state, and on occasion has even addressed difficult 
subject matter not previously discussed under Niyazov.  In addition, 
post has observed a greater effort to provide accurate translations 
from interviews in English.  Post highlights this progression, 
because, in a country where the state controls the media and 
reporting reflects policy priorities, these changes are a clear 
signal that the government of Turkmenistan is seeking to better 
inform its citizens about its foreign policy, including with the 
United States.  END SUMMARY. 
 
THE BASIC FRAMEWORK 
 
¶3.  (SBU) All domestic news media in Turkmenistan are controlled by 
the state.  Until recent reforms under President Berdimuhamedov, 
news content was almost exclusively focused on the activities of the 
President, the great achievements of Turkmenistan in its "Golden 
Age," or the Ruhnama, the late President Niyazov's "book of the 
soul."  Similar coverage still dominates state media, but there are 
noticeable trends indicating a gradual move away from these habits. 
The new and more open content still appears to be largely determined 
or approved by high levels of the government.  A review of coverage 
of Embassy programs and the steady flow of U.S. delegations provides 
insight into the evolving attitudes of state media. 
 
¶4.  (SBU) The openness and level of coverage of U.S. and other 
events has significantly grown in Turkmenistan state media to levels 
that would be difficult to imagine prior to the death of President 
Niyazov.  The growing trend of a U.S.-friendly state media is a 
welcome and positive sign, even if it is not accompanied yet by 
greater freedom of speech or the start of independent news outlets. 
While state media still exhibit many of the same Niyazov-era and 
even Soviet-era habits, it is also coming closer to discussing 
problems and issues openly, including reporting on U.S. assistance. 
These trends could represent a controlled, gradual liberalization of 
the media as well as the country. 
 
FEBRUARY: A BASELINE - COVERAGE SIMPLY DENIED 
 
¶5.  (SBU) Assistant Secretary of State Richard Boucher's visit to 
Turkmenistan for the inauguration of President Berdimuhamedov was 
covered in state media as one of many official international 
visitors for the occasion.  However government authorities refused 
to cover A/S Boucher's visit to Turkmenabat following the 
inauguration and his speech focusing on education at the Pedagogical 
Institute there (reftel A). 
 
THEN AN EVOLUTION BEGINS...... 
 
¶6.  (SBU) After the visit of A/S Boucher, state media began to cover 
new, but safe topics where there was no comparison with 
Turkmenistan.  Television broadcasts focused on post's invited 
 
ASHGABAT 00001108  002 OF 003 
 
 
speakers on journalism and the U.S. civil rights movement as well as 
a visiting cultural group.  While there was no comparison made to 
the situation in Turkmenistan, aspects of journalistic ethics, 
objectivity, and credibility were discussed in a short article 
reviewing Dr. Gregory Payne's meeting with state media 
representatives.  Similarly, post's program for Dr. Elbert Ransom, a 
veteran of the civil rights movement, received broad, positive 
coverage, including information about the struggle for civil rights 
in the United States.  Other U.S. programs and projects received 
favorable coverage as well, but within narrow limits that avoided 
mention of problems or controversy (reftel B).  Significant 
broadcast and print coverage in state media was given to Native 
American dance group "Yellow Bird," which participated in the 
International Folklore and Drama Festival in April.  Media 
highlighted compliments the performers had for Turkmenistan. 
 
¶7. (SBU) However, despite the positive coverage of those U.S. 
speakers and groups, other, more sensitive U.S.-focused coverage was 
limited.  For example, PAO's interview at a Democracy Commission 
grantee's photo exhibit was broadcast in full, but his comments 
about the Democracy Commission grants program or U.S. support for 
similar projects were simply not translated into Turkmen (or into 
other languages on TV4 which is broadcast in seven languages). 
 
¶8.  (SBU) In the case of ECA DAS Alina Romanowski's education 
delegation in early May, the Public Affairs Section (PAS) waged a 
lengthy campaign with state media contacts to convince them to cover 
key aspects of the delegation's visit, in particular a closing 
ceremony for a politically neutral, yet culturally significant 
Ambassador's Fund for Cultural Preservation (AFCP) project, which 
preserved an historic tower - an event visually suitable for any TV 
crew's tastes.  The delegation's focus on education and culture was 
obviously compatible with the policies of President Berdimuhamedov, 
making coverage easier to achieve. 
 
¶9.  (SBU) The Romanowski coverage proved to be a major breakthrough 
for covering a visiting delegation which did not meet the president. 
 For the first time, it also covered U.S. official visitors outside 
the capital city.  Without using the word "assistance," it was clear 
from the reporting that the United States had provided funding to 
preserve this AFCP site that is important for local ancestral 
worship traditions. 
 
BETTER ACCURACY, COMING CLOSER TO THE "WHOLE STORY" 
 
¶10.  (SBU) Since June, post has noted better accuracy in reporting 
and efforts to cover the "whole story" pertaining to U.S. events and 
visitors.  DAS Feigenbaum's comments, during his June visit, about 
cooperation in all fields, including democracy and human rights, 
were covered with accurate translation.  In addition, an interview 
with the PAO at the opening of a U.S. jazz program included the 
context of improved U.S.-Turkmenistan relations and a paraphrasing 
of DAS Feigenbaum's comments on democracy and human rights.  This 
was covered in full on state TV, and with accurate Turkmen 
translation.  Mirroring improving relations, starting with the visit 
of PDAS Steven Mann in July, state media, on its own initiative and 
without any prompting from the Public Affairs Section, provided 
positive coverage of U.S. delegations. 
 
¶11.  (SBU) The biggest change in coverage occurred with the opening 
of the Imamnazar border checkpoint.  On August 10, state "Watan" TV 
news program announced the upcoming opening of the checkpoint on 
August 13 and noted the attendance of Assistant Secretary of State 
for Economic, Energy and Business Affairs, Daniel Sullivan.  The 
announcement described the checkpoint's modern facilities, noted 
that it was a symbol of partnership between Turkmenistan and 
Afghanistan, but did not mention the U.S. Government's role as 
principal donor for the project.  Following the border opening, 
State "Watan" TV news program's August 13 and August 14 broadcasts 
gave extensive coverage, praising the project and highlighting the 
 
ASHGABAT 00001108  003 OF 003 
 
 
support of the U.S. Government and the UN.  Video showed the 
ceremony including all U.S. Government speakers, along with A/S 
Sullivan, and other foreign and local officials touring the 
facility.  Since then, coverage has generally been extensive, with 
only slightly lower coverage when President Berdimuhamedov was in 
New York.  Nevertheless, even though he was away from the country, 
he reportedly ordered that a story be done on the Ashgabat 
International School, the school that U.S. Embassy dependents 
attend. 
 
SLOW LIBERALIZING TREND; POSITIVE VIEW OF U.S. 
 
¶12.  (SBU) By government policy, state media are still tightly 
controlled.  However, authorities have allowed increasingly 
favorable, extensive, and accurate coverage of U.S. delegations and 
events.  This appears to indicate Turkmenistan is increasingly 
comfortable with its new engagement with the United States - 
concrete evidence that both countries are "turning the page" in the 
bilateral relationship. 
 
HOAGLAND