Azernews.Az

Media officials of Turkic-speaking countries established a major organization comprising media outlets and broadcasters at their meeting in the Azerbaijani capital Baku on Friday.

The Media Platform of Turkic-Speaking Countries and Communities was set up by Turkey, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan, as well as the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus. It also comprises journalistic organizations, TV channels, radio stations and print media of the Turkic communities based in a number of countries. The new organization’s general secretariat will be based in Ankara. A website of the Platform will be created as well.

Azerbaijani Press Council chairman Aflatun Amashov was elected head of the organization’s steering body at the meeting.

Azerbaijani Presidential Administration department head Ali Hasanov read out President Ilham Aliyev’s message at the opening of the second media forum of Turkic-speaking states. President Aliyev noted that the strategic importance of relations among the Turkic-speaking nations has increased, and the form and content of these relations have been fundamentally updated in an intensely globalizing world.

Aliyev said in the message that the activities of Turkic-speaking states within the union of Turkic-speaking states, their cooperation council and parliamentary assembly as well as other organizations had a great impact on strengthening the influence of these countries in the international arena, along with the strengthening of political, economic and cultural relations.

"Civil society institutions, media outlets, science and art representatives, along with the official bodies, play a special role in the development of relations among nations. The influence of the media, which is involved in the release and transmission of information, is steadily rising amid the processes ongoing in the present-day world, which is witnessing more and more deepening integration processes," the message says.

Aliyev said media outlets of the Turkic states will contribute to the timely and complete dissemination of information on the approximation of states and societies, promotion of common moral and spiritual values, as well as various aspects of modern development.

"I believe that today's forum, which brings together journalists of reputable media authorities of brotherly countries and peoples, will identify new opportunities and resources that will contribute to further expansion of relations, formation of a single information space of the Turkic-speaking peoples and organization of efficient interaction," Aliyev said in the message.

Presidential Administration official Hasanov said the Platform is not aimed against any country, including Russia. He noted that the Turks and other Muslims living in Russia are content with the conditions provided for them in the country.

"Unfortunately, some forces in Russia will speculate that the establishment of the Media Platform of Turkic-Speaking Countries and Communities will be used as a tool against Russia. But this is definitely not the case."

According to Hasanov, the Turkic-speaking nations continue maintaining a strategic partnership with Russia. He added that it remains a regional powerhouse and a friendly country for Turkey, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan, as well as the communities of other Turkic states.

Attending the forum were about 200 media representatives of Azerbaijan, Turkey, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, Northern Cyprus, Bulgaria, Russian Federation's republics of Tuva, Sakha (Yakutia), Khakassia, Kabardino-Balkaria, Karachay-Cherkessia, Tatarstan, Bashkortostan, Ukraine's Crimea autonomous region, Moldova's Gagauz Autonomous Territory, and European Turkish communities.