French Flattery
An article appearing on a French television magazine, Télérama, has revealed details of a program about President Saparmurat Niyazov made on one of the country’s major networks back in 1996. The show was made on occasion of Niyazov’s state visit to France and was ostensibly created as a vanity project in praise of the leader’s achievements in Turkmenistan. (Brief clips are available here). Also appearing on the program was Martin Bouygues, whose company happens to be a major shareholder of the guilty television station, TF1, and who won building contracts amounting over a billion dollars after the program was made.
The forty-minute program focused on Niyazov’s life, works and great achievements, as well as Turkmenistan’s energy resources. Also appearing on the program was Jacques Roger-Machart, executive director of development at Electricité de France, who recalled the contrived nature of the event in an interview with David Garcia, who has just published a book about Turkmenistan, Le Pays où Bouygues est Roi (The Country Where Bouygues is King):
“It was clear we were doing a favour for Bouygues by playing along to this game. I am certain the interview was merely designed to flatter Niyazov. I remember Jean-Claude Narcy [the presenter] speaking to me about his misgivings [about making the program]”.
TF1 claims that it never intended to broadcast the program and that it was just part as a collaborative project with the Turkmen state television company, which was set to be re-launched at the time.
This news item was found here courtesy of roastfrog.net.
on March 7th, 2006 at 7:07 pm
Hahaha, that was a great clip. All it took was 40 minutes of flattery on a show that never aired, and just like that Bouygues makes off with millions of dollars and 10 years of building contracts around Turkmenistan. I also like the idea that the French would possibly be interested in doing collaborative projects with Turkmen state TV, haha. What a good story. I wonder what will happen to Bouygues in the wake of this? And will there be any legal ramifications?
And check out Niyazov’s hair and fuller face! Wow, what a classic clip. This stuff must be hard to come by these days.
on March 8th, 2006 at 2:42 pm
Bouygues also built palaces for Mobutu and Bokassa. We know how that ended.
on March 9th, 2006 at 7:14 pm
David Garcia, author of the book “Le Pays où Bouygues est roi”, who found the video, will be at the french Paris book fair on march 18th, at 15h30, at number K81 (each publishing company has a number, K81 is ours).
If you want to come and talk about Turkmenistan and its links with french corporations, he will be there till 17h30 approximately.
on March 20th, 2006 at 1:56 am
First, I thought of deja-vu…
I must have seen this piece years ago. Could be that they broadcast it on Turkmen TV upon Niyazov’s return from Paris. Even though it may not have been aired in France, our fellow compatriots could have been fed with it to prove the Western admiration of Niyazov.
on July 13th, 2007 at 10:09 pm
great forum
forum