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ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 271236Z FEB 08
FM AMEMBASSY ASHGABAT
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 0338
INFO RUCNCIS/CIS COLLECTIVE
RUCNCLS/ALL SOUTH AND CENTRAL ASIA COLLECTIVE
RUCNMEM/EU MEMBER STATES COLLECTIVE
RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING 1248
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RHEFDIA/DIA WASHDC
RUEKJCS/JOINT STAFF WASHDC
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ASHGABAT 000279 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
STATE FOR SCA/CEN, EUR/ACE, SCA/PPD, ECA, DRL 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV PREL PROP PHUM SCUL KPAO TX
SUBJECT:  TURKMENISTAN:  COCKROACH OR NOT - OPPOSITION DISCREDITS 
ITSELF WITH EXAGGERATED REPORT BUT CAPTURES WESTERN MEDIA ATTENTION 
 
¶1.  (SBU) Sensitive but unclassified.  Not for public Internet. 
 
¶2.  (SBU) SUMMARY:  "Kronika Turkmenistana," an opposition website 
based in Bulgaria, recently carried an unlikely story that 
Turkmenistan TV's "Watan" newscast showed a cockroach walking across 
the news desk, which led to the firing or reprimand of 30 employees. 
 The odd story has spread through international news media rapidly, 
with little effort to confirm its accuracy.  Based on post's 
investigation, the story appears to be a broad exaggeration and an 
alarming example of poor reporting by Turkmen opposition activists 
abroad.  END SUMMARY. 
 
THE COCKROACH STORY BREAKS IN CYBERSPACE 
 
¶3.  (SBU) The cockroach story first appeared on Kronika 
Turkmenistana's website on February 19, 2008. The Russian language 
article claimed that a nationwide "Watan" news broadcast in early 
February showed a cockroach running across the newscaster's desk. 
The problem went unnoticed by officials, and therefore was seen 
again during standard repeat broadcasts.  After the scurrying 
cockroach was finally noticed during a morning re-broadcast the 
following day, thirty people lost their jobs or were reprimanded. 
 
THE STORY HAS "LEGS" (BUT NOT SIX LEGS) 
 
¶4.  (SBU) Thanks to the peculiar nature of the story, international 
news media took notice.  Multiple news outlets, including many 
mainstream English-language media, such as NPR, UPI, Fox News, the 
Guardian (UK), and Daily Telegraph (UK) carried even less accurate 
versions of events.  For example, the newer versions of the story 
related only the "firing" of 30 employees and had no mention of 
reprimands.  Later, even more embellished versions claimed President 
Berdimuhamedov fired the 30 employees personally, even though the 
original article never indicated this. 
 
MEANWHILE IN TURKMENISTAN... 
 
¶5.  (SBU) Post's Public Affairs Section (PAS) was unable to find any 
individual who saw the offending cockroach in early February 
broadcasts.  There were no sightings of the alleged vermin.  Most 
people were entirely unaware of any an accusation involving an 
insect cameo.  Unfortunately, PAS recordings of the early February 
broadcasts had already been erased.  Even so, the PAS staff -- who 
regularly monitor the news - swear that they would have noticed and 
reported on any unexpected insect appearances.  Likewise, PAS saw no 
indications of a major purging of TV staff.  UK Ambassador Peter 
Butcher told Charge BBC Monitoring checked all of its tapes and 
definitively reported, "There was no cockroach on air." 
 
¶6.  (SBU) On February 26, a key Ministry of Culture contact admitted 
that there had been an insect problem.  He cautiously and tensely 
gave Post's CAO his version of events, noting that no insect was 
ever "on air."  An ant came across the news desk before any video 
was recorded.  Staff members who were ordered to take care of the 
ant problem replied in a disrespectful, insubordinate manner.  The 
program director (not the president) fired the three (not 30) 
insubordinate employees.  The contact also placed blame on "yellow 
journalists" and Russian sources for using the story to mock 
Turkmenistan. 
 
¶9.  (SBU) COMMENT:  Obviously, Post cannot confirm the Ministry of 
Culture's informal version of events, but the fact that our contact 
discussed the issue so openly and frankly is an unusual act of 
sincerity in itself.  In addition, as much as this culture thrives 
on rumor, had anything remotely like the cockroach firings happened, 
it would have spread like wildfire.  With no eyewitnesses and not 
even a "YouTube" submission showing the cockroach (or perhaps ant), 
post is certain that the alleged cockroach never appeared on the 
air.  This is the most colorful example of frequent exaggerations or 
twisted reports from Turkmen exile or opposition websites and calls 
into question the accuracy of their claims in general.  While post 
welcomes alternative, independent reporting from Turkmenistan, the 
"case of the cockroach" has clearly discredited "Kronika 
 
ASHGABAT 00000279  002 OF 002 
 
 
Turkmenistana."  It also reminds us that mainstream media -- without 
routine access to the country -- prefer to report on "eccentric and 
quirky" Turkmenistan - especially if the story is "too good to 
check."  END COMMENT. 
 
HOAGLAND