VZCZCXRO2479
RR RUEHAG RUEHAST RUEHBI RUEHCI RUEHDF RUEHIK RUEHLH RUEHLN RUEHLZ
RUEHPW RUEHROV RUEHVK RUEHYG
DE RUEHAH #0606/01 1340304
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 130304Z MAY 08
FM AMEMBASSY ASHGABAT
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 0787
INFO RUCNCIS/CIS COLLECTIVE
RUCNMEM/EU MEMBER STATES COLLECTIVE
RUCNCLS/ALL SOUTH AND CENTRAL ASIA COLLECTIVE
RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING 1578
RUEHAK/AMEMBASSY ANKARA 3760
RUEHKO/AMEMBASSY TOKYO 1445
RUEHIT/AMCONSUL ISTANBUL 2014
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC
RUEHVEN/USMISSION USOSCE 2512
RHMFIUU/CDR USCENTCOM MACDILL AFB FL
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC
RHEFDIA/DIA WASHDC
RUEKJCS/JOINT STAFF WASHDC
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ASHGABAT 000606 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR SCA/CEN, SCA/PPD, EUR/ACE, IIP 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL PGOV SCUL KPAO TX
SUBJECT:  TURKMENISTAN:  GOVERNMENT EXHIBITION SHOWCASES CHANGING 
ATTITUDES AND U.S. PROGRAMS 
 
¶1.  (U) Sensitive but unclassified.  Not for public Internet. 
 
¶2.  (U) SUMMARY:  Turkmenistan's first ever International Exhibition 
and Conference of Education, Science, Sports and Tourism in the 
Epoch of Great Revival took place in Ashgabat May 1-3.  The 
exhibition provided additional hope that the government is focusing 
beyond empty symbols and state propaganda since it provided for some 
real exchange of information.  U.S. participation led to 
unprecedented access to education officials and broadly publicized 
U.S. educational programming in Turkmenistan.  State TV channels 
highlighted the U.S. Embassy information booth throughout their 
coverage.  END SUMMARY. 
 
SOMETHING MORE LIKE A REAL EXHIBITION AND CONFERENCE 
 
¶3.  (SBU) The First International Exhibition and Conference of 
Education, Science, Sports and Tourism in the Epoch of the Great 
Revival provided genuine opportunities for interaction among 
professionals.  The broad range of topics largely mirrored the range 
of responsibilities which fall under Deputy Chair of the Cabinet of 
Ministers Hydyr Saparlyev.  While the conference segment of the 
gathering included mostly uninpsiring presentations, it did at least 
include representatives from Kazakhstan who cited the example of the 
"Bolashak" presidential scholarship program for Kazakhs to study 
abroad as a significant and beneficial element. 
 
¶4.  (SBU) Exhibitors included a variety of Turkmen state entities, 
some non-state educational and tourism organizations, as well as a 
variety of international educational, scientific and technology 
companies and organizations.  In particular, some Democracy 
Commission grantees who conduct small-scale language courses or 
other educational programs openly exhibited and made efforts to drum 
up support for their programs and educational methods. 
 
UNITED STATES GARNERS PRIME LOCATION AND ATTENTION 
 
¶5.  (SBU) The conference provided the Public Affairs Section (PAS) 
with a prime location - a space near the entrance to the exhibition 
hall.  It was located near several key government educational booths 
and was the second international exhibitor space (after a small 
booth for Astrakhan State University from Russia).  This placement 
also meant that following the official opening, the crowd of 
high-level government officials came by within minutes -- long 
before the end of the tiring walk-through which lasted over two 
hours. 
 
¶6.  (SBU) Many key officials and educators visited the booth 
following the opening and throughout the three days of the 
exhibition.  (NOTE:  Such access to most education officials would 
normally take  diplomatic note and a two-three week wait.  END 
NOTE.)  PAS could barely keep replenishing the supply of printed 
materials given away to government and private individuals whose 
constant presence made the booth one of the most popular.  Although 
most give-away materials focused on education and exchanges, PAS 
also provided a wide-range of IIP publications such as introductions 
to U.S. elections, democratic institutions, or American history, and 
"Muslim Life in America." 
 
OFFICIAL PRESENCE IS ALSO REVEALING 
 
¶7.  (SBU) Government officials frequently walked the exhibition hall 
in groups and most stopped to visit the U.S. booth.  Deputy Cabinet 
Chairman Saparliyev and Minister of Education Muhammetgeldi 
Annaamanov frequently visited the booth and each time greeted PAO 
like an old friend.  Saparliyev even order state media in our 
presence to cover the U.S. booth.  Deputy Prime Minister/Foreign 
Minister Rashid Meredov also visited the booth and spoke 
encouragingly to the Texas A&M representative present.  Notably 
absent from the frequent groups of government officials was Nury 
Bayramov, the Ministry of Education's International Department Head, 
who actively tries to hinder U.S. and other Western programs. 
Although Bayramov was spotted once on the second day of the 
exhibition, he walked alone and was not seen at the opening ceremony 
or with any of the higher-ranking education officials. 
 
ASHGABAT 00000606  002 OF 002 
 
 
 
STATE TV HIGHLIGHTS EMBASSY'S INFORMATION BOOTH 
 
¶8.  (U) On May 3-4, the state "Turkmenistan" TV Channel highlighted 
the U.S. information booth at the exhibition.  The broadcast 
accurately carried PAO's interview about the booth and U.S. 
educational and professional programs.  The TV channel also carried 
an accurate interview with the visiting Texas A&M University 
representative.  The news report also included extensive video of 
the U.S. Booth.  (NOTE:  The "Turkmenistan" TV Channel airs its 
content in English, Turkmen, Russian, French, Chinese, Arabic and 
Persian and usually rebroadcasts its content three times a day.  END 
NOTE.) 
 
¶9.  (U) Other state TV channels "Altyn Asyr" (Turkmen), "Miras" 
(Turkmen), and "Yashlyk" (Turkmen) broadcast many video reports 
about the international exhibition.  The video scenes from the 
stories frequently highlighted the embassy's booth, usually showing 
a crowd of people picking up publications and talking with booth 
representatives. 
 
¶10.  (SBU) COMMENT:  State-directed efforts to highlight the U.S. 
exhibit booth indicate growing acceptance of U.S. cooperation and 
programs and further legitimizes our programming with the government 
and public.  U.S. participation allowed for unprecedented access to 
government officials and a rare ability to give away publications to 
a wide range of government and non-government officials.   END 
COMMENT. 
 
HOAGLAND