London, March 6, AZERTAC

News Agencies World Council (NACO) has convened a meeting in London.

Participants in the event included heads and representatives of AZERTAC, Press Association, Reuters, Associated Press, TASS, BTA, KUNA and EFE news agencies, as well as secretaries general of the Federation of Arab News Agencies and the European Alliance of News Agencies.

President of the News Agencies World Council, CEO of Press Association Clive Marshal hailed the organization of the 5th News Agencies World Congress in Baku last November.

AZERTAC`s Director General, president of the News Agencies World Congress Aslan Aslanov highlighted the results of the Baku Congress, which was co-organized by the Heydar Aliyev Foundation and AZERTAC under the patronage of President Ilham Aliyev.

He expressed AZERTAC`s readiness “to work in concert to improve the activity of the Congress so that it grows into a more dynamic organization”.

Aslan Aslanov stressed the necessity of ensuring accreditation of the World Congress by the United Nations and UNESCO.

He also proposed making some amendments to the Statute of the World Congress: “As we set up the posts of president and vice-president of the Council in Baku, I propose that this be included in the Congress Statute.”

Proposed by Aslan Aslanov, the Council set up an ad hoc group to work on the amendments to the Statute. “ I think it is appropriate to set up an ad hoc group that will deal with the Statute. The group would work out some proposals on how to improve the Statute, and these proposals would be discussed at the next gathering of the Council. Then we can finally adopt the amendments at the Sofia Congress,” he said. The Council also welcomed Mr Aslanov`s proposal to establish separate commissions responsible for various areas.

President of Bulgarian news agency BTA, Secretary General of the World Congress Maxim Minchev, president of Russian news agency TASS Sergei Mikhaylov, NACO deputy president, first vice-president of TASS Mikhail Gusman, Secretary General of the Federation of Arab News Agencies Farid Ayar and International Relations Manager of EFE Juan Mario Calvo made remarks at the meeting.

The Council discussed preparations for the 6th New Agencies World Congress that will be hosted by BTA in June, 2019.

The next meeting of the Council will take place in Sofia this October.