Russian Press Ministry is not happy with Turkmen Communications Ministry decision to stop delivering Russian newspapers

The Russian Ministry of the Press expressed its bewilderment in connection with the decision of the Turkmen Ministry of Communications to terminate delivery of Russian newspapers to the republic.

According to the statement of the Russian Press Ministry, the Ministry was hopeful that "the top leadership of Turkmenistan would take measures to change the existing situation which affected interests not only of multiple organizations in Ashkhabad devoid of the opportunity to receive Russian newspapers and magazines but of the whole Russian-speaking population" of the republic.

The statement indicated that since 1992 Russian print press stopped coming into open sale in Turkmenia. Starting from 1997 Turkmen authorities "through various unofficial methods started obstructing" the process of subscription on Russian newspapers both for institutions and private individuals.

The document stated that "the situation had not improved since that time despite repeated appeals of the Russian side to Turkmenistan authorities." The Ministry of Press stated that presently "the decision was taken by the Ministry of Communications of Turkmenistan to terminate from July 2002 delivery of Russian print editions to the republic." According to the Ministry of Press, the Russian embassy in Ashkhabad presented an appropriate note to the Foreign Ministry of Turkmenistan.

On 16 July this year deliveries of Russian print media to Turkmenia were terminated. According to an official re[representative of the government of the republic, because of high tariffs on newspapers transportation by air the state production enterprise "Turkmenpochta" decided to terminate delivery of newspapers from Russia to Turkmenia.