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UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ASHGABAT 001255 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
 
STATE FOR SCA/CEN, SCA/PPD, IIP, ECA 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL PGOV SCUL KPAO TX
SUBJECT:  TURKMENISTAN:  STATE MEDIA HIGHLIGHT TURKMEN PRESIDENT'S 
TRIP TO U.S. TO ATTEND UN GENERAL ASSEMBLY 
 
¶1.  (U) Sensitive but unclassified.  Not for public Internet. 
 
¶2.  (U) SUMMARY:  President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov recent visit 
to the U.S. to attend the UNGA dominated all media outlets for a 
full week.  Coverage was positive and extensive for each meeting and 
event, including special note of the meeting with Secretary Clinton 
and his visit to New Jersey.   More than three quarters of the 
stories in the papers on September 24 focused on the United States. 
END SUMMARY. 
 
STATE TV PRAISES ALL OF BERDI'S U.S. MEETINGS 
 
¶3.  (U) From September 21 to 29, all state TV news reports started 
with detailed praise of President Berdimuhamedov's trip to the 
United States.  On September 23, "Watan" TV (Turkmen) reported on 
Berdimuhamedov's speech at the General Assembly, and aired the 
speech in its entirety on September 28.  "Watan" also covered a 
meeting with former Secretary of State Henry Kissinger, where the 
latter emphasized Turkmenistan's big role in Central Asia and hailed 
its approach to multiple pipeline export routes.  Multiple stories 
appeared about successful meetings with U.S. business leaders.  On 
September 25, the "Watan" TV evening news program (Turkmen) reported 
on the visit to the state of New Jersey, where the International 
Information Academy awarded Berdimuhamedov with a "high order."  The 
story praised this event as universal recognition of 
Berdimuhamedov's contributions to international relations, and also 
reported on the meeting with the mayor of Trenton, New Jersey and 
the declaration of September 24 as the Day of the President of 
Turkmenistan in New Jersey.  Overall, state TV news stories 
described Berdimuhamedov's meetings and his speech at UNGA as a 
vivid illustration of his profound international influence and 
impact. 
 
¶4.  (U) Throughout September 21-29, the "Turkmenistan" TV channel's 
(Russian, Turkmen, English, Chinese, rabic, Persian, French) hourly 
news program also constantly reported on the visit as the main 
story, referring to the "Watan" TV news stories.  All state TV 
channels have been airing frequent programs highlighting the 
meetings organized by different state agencies, organizations, 
schools, and etc., aimed at discussing and praising President 
Berdimuhamedov's productive visit to the U.S. 
 
STATE PRINT OUTLETS MIRROR THE TV 
 
¶5.  (U) On September 24, nearly 75 percent of the stories on 
state-run dailies "Neytralniy Turkmenistan" (Russian, circ. 49,091) 
and "Turkmenistan" (Turkmen, circ. 38,091) (9 articles in each 
daily) were dedicated to the United States.  The front pages had 
President Obama's message congratulating Berdimuhamedov on the 
Ramadan holiday.  The second and third pages had stories on his 
meetings with U.S. businesses including John Deer, Case, and Exxon 
Mobil, as well as meetings with former Secretary of State Henry 
Kissinger and the Eurasia Group.  The back page of the paper 
featured a meeting with Chevron.  The same day, state weeklies 
"Turkmen dunyasi" (Turkmen, circ. 35,591), "Ashgabat" (Turkmen, 
circ. 25,091), "Watan" (Turkmen, circ. 32,091) posted front page 
articles on President Berdimuhamedov's meeting with the Secretary, 
highlighting it with their picture.  In subsequent days, the state 
weeklies reprinted from the state-daily stories on Berdimuhamedov's 
meeting with Secretary Clinton, other high ranking officials, and 
U.S. companies. 
 
¶6.  (U) On September 26, state-run dailies "Neytralniy Turkmenistan" 
(Russian, circ. 49,091) and "Turkmenistan" (Turkmen, circ. 38,091) 
carried front page stories on the  September 24 visit of the Turkmen 
President to New Jersey, the proclamation of a Turkmenistan 
President's Day, the award from the International Information 
Academy.  The articles emphasized the significant progress made by 
Berdimuhamedov during his visits and meetings and underscored the 
improving Turkmen-U.S. relationship.  On September 28, the same 
state-run dailies had a photo gallery of Berdimuhamedov's meetings 
with U.S. officials in chronological order, occupying almost the 
entire second pages.  In subsequent days, state weeklies reprinted 
 
ASHGABAT 00001255  002 OF 002 
 
 
from state dailies the stories on Berdimuhamedov's visit to New 
Jersey. 
 
GOVERNMENT AND PRO-GOVERNMENT WEBSITES ALSO HIGHLIGHT THE TURKMEN 
PRESIDENT'S U.S. VISIT 
 
¶7.  (U) From September 21 to 25, the government-run website 
"Turkmenistan Golden Age" (www.turkmenistan.gov.tm) (Turkmen, 
Russian and English) repeated the Turkmen State News Service (TDH) 
stories.  Russia based pro-government website "Turkmenistan.Ru" 
(Russian, English) also posted articles on Berdimuhamedov's U.S. 
visit and meetings September 23-26. 
 
¶8.  (SBU) COMMENT:  The hagiography of Berdimuhamedov continues in 
the State media.  During the trip he was portrayed as the center of 
all major meetings and events at the UN.  The State media hailed the 
trip as "an historical step towards a strong relationship between 
Turkmenistan and U.S."  Some outlets used the massive coverage of 
the President's trip as a chance to run unrelated stories on U.S. 
programs in Turkmenistan - one an interview by Fulbright scholar, 
Melda Yildiz and another a lengthy article on FLEX (Future Leaders 
Exchange Program) including interviews with alumni.  END COMMENT. 
 
CURRAN