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RUEHVEN/USMISSION USOSCE 1979

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ASHGABAT 001338 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
STATE FOR SCA/CEN, SCA/PPD, DRL, AND EUR/ACE 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV PREL SOCI TX
SUBJECT: TURKMENISTAN: INTRODUCTORY INTERNEWS VISIT -- "TWO OUT OF 
THREE AIN'T BAD" 
 
¶1.  (U) Sensitive but unclassified.  Not for public Internet. 
 
¶2.  (U) SUMMARY: On November 28-29, representatives from Internews 
and USAID met with the Minister of Culture, a group of Mejlis 
(Parliament) deputies, and Turkmen State University's initial class 
of future journalists to discuss possible areas for new cooperation. 
 The November 28 meeting with the Minister of Culture and heads of 
state television stations remained formal, but participants were 
very interested in receiving more information about Internews.  On 
the other hand, November 29 meetings with the Mejlis and journalism 
faculties yielded clear next steps that should help separate 
traditional Turkmen hospitality from a serious desire to cooperate. 
END SUMMARY. 
 
MINISTRY OF CULTURE FORMAL, BUT CORDIAL 
 
¶3.  (U) USAID and its implementing partner for media projects, 
Internews Network in Central Asia, met November 28 with Minister of 
Culture and Broadcasting Kakageldi Chayyardurdyev and 
representatives from state television stations.  The Minister 
praised the close contact and constructive dialogue with the U.S. 
Embassy in Turkmenistan.  Participants listened with interest to an 
overview of USAID's media work and programs implemented by 
Internews.  No specific follow-up was requested by the Ministry at 
this time.  However, the Minister and the head of the international 
department were aware of the planned USAID-funded Community 
Connections on media sector development trip scheduled for February 
2008 and indicated they planned to nominate participants. 
 
MEJLIS WANTS EXAMPLES OF NEW MEDIA LAWS 
 
¶4.  (U) On November 29, the group met with the head of parliament's 
Committee on Science and Education and a member of the Committee on 
Intergovernmental and Inter-parliamentary Relations.  The Committee 
head called work to improve mass media "useful" and "needed," and 
asked technical questions on how Internews' projects to distribute 
program content to local stations worked.  Additionally, he 
mentioned a newly established governmental commission that will 
develop new laws governing mass media, including advertising.  The 
deputies expressed an interest in receiving examples of media laws 
from a range of other countries and were aware of the Community 
Connections trip planned for February 2008, in which they indicated 
a willingness to participate. 
 
FUTURE JOURNALISTS LOOK FOR ROLE MODELS 
 
¶5.  (U) At Turkmen State University, the delegation met the 
journalism faculty's ten current students and three staff members on 
November 29.  The current faculty was re-established this year, so 
the six women and four men represented Turkmenistan's entire 
existing cadre of future journalists.  Internews' regional director 
provided an overview of their activities and established a common 
bond with the senior staff member when the professor learned that 
they shared a number of professional acquaintances.  USAID's 
regional media specialist, herself a former U.S. exchange alumna, 
received special interest from the faculty and students and was 
asked to "tell the story" of how she arrived at her current 
position.  The senior faculty member expressed considerable interest 
in distance learning programs for journalists and asked for any 
possible teaching materials that could be used in the classroom. 
Following the discussions, the students and faculty alike surrounded 
the delegation for the opportunity to ask questions and take 
pictures with the visitors. 
 
¶6.  (U) COMMENT: Overall, this was a good first visit by Internews 
that demonstrated several possible opportunities to work under its 
existing USAID agreement in Turkmenistan's still largely closed 
media sector.  Internews will compile examples of media laws from a 
range of countries for submission to the parliament in the nearest 
future.  Consistent with its existing USAID agreement, it will also 
offer to conduct a workshop for MPs on "International Standards in 
Media Legislation," which will serve as an indicator of the 
seriousness of the parliament's intent to cooperate.  For the 
 
ASHGABAT 00001338  002 OF 002 
 
 
journalism faculty, an initial step toward cooperation will be to 
provide examples of textbooks that Internews has developed for use 
in other countries.  The possibility of developing a training 
program for journalists, as suggested by the MFA representative in 
the hallway after the meeting, is an idea for future consideration, 
but would require additional funding.  END COMMENT. 
 
CURRAN