VZCZCXRO7208
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DE RUEHAH #0440/01 1000905
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
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FM AMEMBASSY ASHGABAT
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INFO RUCNCIS/CIS COLLECTIVE
RUCNMEM/EU MEMBER STATES COLLECTIVE
RUCNCLS/ALL SOUTH AND CENTRAL ASIA COLLECTIVE
RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING 1424
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RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC
RUEHVEN/USMISSION USOSCE 2400
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RHEFDIA/DIA WASHDC
RUEKJCS/JOINT STAFF WASHDC
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ASHGABAT 000440 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
 
STATE FOR SCA/CEN, SCA/PPD, IIP 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL PGOV SCUL KPAO TX
SUBJECT:  TURKMENISTAN:  STATE MEDIA COVER U.S. EXCHANGE PROGRAMS, 
ASSISTANCE, REFORM SUPPORT 
 
 
¶1.  (U) Sensitive but unclassified.  Not for public Internet. 
 
¶2.  (U) SUMMARY:  Recent state media coverage of Embassy-sponsored 
events or programs continues to improve with relatively better 
coverage of U.S. Government programs and activities in Turkmenistan 
with slightly better success than before.  Sensitivities on language 
use, discussion of problems or needed improvements in Turkmenistan 
have become less problematic in state media.  The range of 
acceptable topics is only gradually expanding as evidenced by the 
Minister of Health's insistence on not running a story about a World 
Tuberculosis Day event.  However, coverage of U.S. education 
programs and published interviews with the Charge are a step 
forward.  END SUMMARY. 
 
COVERAGE OF VIOLIN CONCERT BY U.S. PROGRAM ALUMNUS 
 
¶3.  (U) A Public Affairs Section-sponsored concert featuring a UGRAD 
alumnus and holder of a master's degree from the Boston Conservatory 
of Music received documentary-like coverage on state "Turkmenistan" 
TV channel (Turkmen, Russian, English, French, Chinese, Arabian and 
Persian) on March 26.  The TV channel repeatedly aired a 15-minute 
long story showing highlight clips from the concert and carried 
interviews from Embassy officials who underscored the benefit of 
educational exchange.  The principle performer, Eldar Hudiyev of 
Turkmenistan, was also interviewed in Russian.  In contrast to our 
experience from last fall (reftel), his use of Russian language did 
not threaten broadcast of the piece. 
 
NEWSPAPER RUNS INTERVIEW WITH EMBASSY INTERN 
 
¶4.  (U) On March 21, the state newspaper "Neytralniy Turkmenistan" 
(Russian, circ. 44,791) ran a short article introducing the current 
PAS intern.  The article was based on an interview given to 
newspaper correspondent, Victoriya Novikova, who continues to be one 
of our most important journalist contacts.  The story provided 
accurate information about the intern's background in dance 
including Central Asian dance, and her language abilities.  The 
article also mentioned U.S. Government exchange programs, as we had 
hoped. 
 
SHAKEY ON COVERING WORLD TB DAY CONFERENCE 
 
¶5.  (U) The state-run dailies "Neytralniy Turkmenistan" and 
"Turkmenistan" (Turkmen, circ. 29,091) ran an article on March 25 
highlighting the conference on World Tuberculosis Day, which was 
held March 24 in Ashgabat.  The article emphasized the crucial role 
of USAID's support in implementing (through its partner, Project 
Hope) the World Health Organization-recommended anti-TB strategy, 
DOTS (Directly Observed Treatment Short Course), and their joint 
efforts with international and national organizations in combating 
tuberculosis in Turkmenistan.  The article was accompanied by an 
accurate interview with the Charge d'Affaires who also spoke at the 
opening.  "Altyn Asyr" and "Turkmenistan" TV channels both covered 
the event, interviewed the Charge and others, and prepared reports 
for airing.  But both TV channels eventually dropped plans to 
broadcast the pieces, because the Minister of Health insisted that 
the subject of Tuberculosis was too sensitive or "scary" for 
Turkmenistan and said the disease was viewed as a taboo subject 
under "our first president."  (NOTE: Despite this, the 
"Turkmenistan" channel kindly gave PAS a copy of their report 
planned for airing - unthinkable even a few months ago.  END NOTE.) 
 
PRINT MEDIA HIGHLIGHT FULBRIGHT PROGRAM SPECIALIST 
 
¶6.  (U) On April 1, the state dailies "Neytralniy Turkmenistan" and 
"Turkmenistan" carried an article on Fulbright Program Specialist 
Christine Martens on the front page.  Significantly, the article was 
prepared by a journalist from the Turkmen State Press Service (TDH 
by its Turkmen acronym), an entity with which post has had very 
little contact.  The article emphasized Christine Martens' interest 
in Central Asian traditional hand-made fabrics and carpets.  The 
first paragraph clearly noted that she was in Turkmenistan under the 
 
ASHGABAT 00000440  002 OF 002 
 
 
U.S. Government Fulbright program. 
 
USAID-SUPPORTED SEMINAR ON NGO LEGISLATION 
 
¶7.  (U) On April 3, "Watan" TV evening news program (Turkmen) 
favorably covered a seminar hosted by Turkmenistan's Institute of 
Democracy and Human Rights on bringing Turkmenistan's NGO 
legislation into compliance with international standards.  The 
seminar was supported by USAID and conducted by the International 
Center for Non-Profit Law (ICNL).  The program highlighted the 
involvement of government officials, ICNL's international legal 
experts, as well as representatives from civic organizations of 
Turkmenistan.  The following day, on April 4, the News Program on 
"Turkmenistan" TV Channel carried short coverage of the same event, 
and the state-run dailies "Neytralniy Turkmenistan" and 
"Turkmenistan" ran an article by the Turkmen State Press Service 
(TDH).  The TDH article noted the importance of interaction with 
international organizations and improving Turkmenistan's 
legislation. 
 
¶8.  (SBU) COMMENT:  Although it is less obvious to the casual 
observer, recently state media cover a gradually widening array of 
topics and issues.  Despite the last-minute insistence by a nervous 
Minister of Health not to air reports on Tuberculosis, print outlets 
carried the same information.  In addition, the hard to reach and 
more hardline TDH has started to cover U.S. Embassy programs and 
events.  All of these signs point to two things.  First, the 
embassy's continued outreach to state media is working.  Second, the 
country's leadership is incrementally more tolerant of an expanding 
range of topics in state news media.  END COMMENT. 
 
HOAGLAND