The three-day World Congress of News Agencies concluded in Moscow with a voice for ensuring free flow of information for all and condemning acts of terrorism.
The congress also adopted a proposal to establish a World Council of News Agencies comprising two members each from Alliance of European News Agencies (EANA), Organisation of Asia-Pacific News Agencies (OANA), CIS Information Council, Mediterranean News Agencies and News Agencies from the Arab World, and NANAP.
Prominent among those who addressed the concluding session included: Paul Tesselaar, President European Alliance of News Agencies; Tasaka Tomotaka, Director General Electric News Gathering and Editing Centre of Japan Broadcasting Corporation; Akin Osuntokun, Managing Director News Agency of Nigeria; Waldemar Siwinski, President Polish News Agency; Klaus Spnick, SVP German News Agency; Michael Steidi, MD International Press Tele. Council; Steven Brown, Managing Director Press Association UK; Toyohiko Yamanouchi, President Kyodo News Japan; Syed Jaafar, President OANA; Chang Young Sup, President Yonhap News Agency, South Korea; Christopher Ahearn, President Reuters Media and Fazal-ur-Rahman Malik, Director General Associated Press of Pakistan.
Speaking on the occasion FazaI-ur-Rahman Malik congratulated DG ITAR-TASS and urged the leading international news agencies to come forward and share their skills, experiences and expertise with news agencies of the developing countries.
He said: "The fast growing information technology has changed the media scenario and has made the role of news agencies, electronic and print media more demanding and challenging."
The IT has also opened up new vistas for the media to co-operate and contribute towards the establishment of peace in the world, he maintained.
Sympathising with the DG ITAR-TASS on the recent terrorist incident in Russia in which many innocent people lost their lives, he condemned terrorism in all its forms and manifestations. He said the government and the people of Pakistan have condemned this terrorist act and offered their condolences to the government and the people of Russia and expressed sympathies with the bereaved families.
"APP is pride of Pakistan being the premier national news agency. It serves the electronic and print media as a major source of news and provides credible news at a fast speed of 1200 wpm. It is manned by highly qualified and professionally competent staff.
It transmits between 500 to 600 news items daily. APP remains committed to excellent journalistic traditions by objective, credible and accurate reporting.
Associated Press of Pakistan has been using information technology to the best of its ability. Side by side, it has also been playing an active role in the regional news organisations like OANA, NANAP, ECONA and IINA. The agency has also signed bilateral agreements with 27 news agencies for exchange of news. The process of agreements signing with a number of other news agencies is in hand.
The congress delegates also attended the gala reception hosted in their honour by the Russian premier.
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