SIXTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE TURKISH-SPEAKING COUNTRIES` NEWS AGENCIES
Sixth General Assembly of the Union of Turkish-Speaking Countries` News Agencies (TKA) was held in the Karaman city of Turkey, 10 May.
Prior to gathering, the heads of Turkish speaking countries news agencies, including the Anadolu Agency (AA), AZERTAC (Azerbaijan), Kazinform (Kazakhstan), Kabar (Kyrkyzstan), Turk TAK (the Northern Cyprus) and others attend the photo exhibition dedicated to “The 730th anniversary of proclamation of the Turkic language as state language and remembering Yunus Emre” arranged in the framework of the festivities.
Opening the 6th assembly of TKA, the Director General of Anadolu Agency Dr. Hilmi Bengi said: "The Union of News Agencies of Turkish Speaking Countries was established in November 1992. Seven centuries ago, Karamanli Mehmet Bey has proclaimed the Turkic language as a state language the anniversary of which was decided to mark in the same city of Turkey”. He gave detailed information on the activity of his Agency to preserve the Turkic language.
The directors of these news agencies came to Turkey to attend the general assembly of the Union and had several visits as part of their program,
Speaking at the assembly, Director General of AZERTAC Aslan Aslanov stressed necessity of preservation of state language, enriching it, and emphasized the role of journalist in this cause. In the present complicated time, cooperation of the Turkic speaking countries is of great importance, he said, pointing at the Azerbaijan-Turkey relations as an example. He cited President Ilham Aliyev’s speech at the First Forum of the heads of World Azerbaijan and Turkish Diasporas in Baku, March 9 current year, as saying that “these mutually fraternal relations, established on mutual interest and deep, common and historical roots of the two peoples have become a factor of international politics”, which, according to Aslanov, is a high assessment to the strengthening of friendship among the Turkic nations. AZERTAC has established international ties with a number of authoritative world news agencies and is going to establish contacts with the Central Asian news agencies as well, he underlined.
State ministers of Turkey Bashir Atalay, Nemet Chubukchu and other speakers noted the role of news agencies in rapprochement of the Turkic peoples and wished success to their cooperation.
The General Assembly’s newly elected Executive Board included Hilmi Bengi, Aslan Aslanov and Emir Ersoy. The participants also assessed the works done after the 5th assembly. By-Laws of the Union was amended, a joint website is to be designed. According to agreement, contributors of the Union members will have courses on exchange of experience in September in Ankara.
As stated, the presidency at the Organization passed to the Anadolu Agency. 7th assembly of Union of the Turkish-Speaking Countries’ News Agencies will be held in Baku.
The participants adopted a final Declaration.