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The Presidential Administration, the Press Council and the Defense Ministry have organized an event on the role of media in ensuring Azerbaijan’s information security, APA reports.
Addressing the event, Chairman of the Press Council Aflatun Amashov said several media outlets failed to properly perform their tasks of disseminating accurate information after the incident happened on the front-line in August, 2014, adding that the Press Council was instructed to improve the journalists’ professionalism.
In his speech, sector chief of the socio-political department at the Presidential Administration Vugar Aliyev noted that the ongoing global and regional processes and tension escalated over the Armenian-Azerbaijani Nagorno-Karabakh during the last few months more clearly actualized the issue of ensuring information security.
“The observations give reason to say that the Republic of Azerbaijan, which is a leading country in the region for its geographical position and rapid development and pursues an independent policy, is exposed to continuous and purposeful information provocations of Armenia and Armenian lobby. On the one hand, as a result of the joint activities of some anti-national internal and external forces, the international community is given distorted information about the current situation of Azerbaijan’s democratic development. On the other hand, their synchronous cooperation with Armenia and Armenian lobby in various directions also undermine Azerbaijan’s national interests in the solution of national problems.
In particular, on the one hand, the provocative acts committed by Armenian saboteurs on the Armenian-Azerbaijani state border and the contact line of troops in early August, military exercises conducted by Armenians in our occupied territories last month and the downing of an Armenian helicopter gave serious ground for clarifying outlines, scope and targets of the Armenian propaganda, on the other hand, these cases pointed out that there are gaps in the information space of Azerbaijan and abuse of freedom of speech and an inadequate response to the current situation are increasing.
It must be taken into account that Armenia’s aggressive policy against Azerbaijan continues and other provocations are not excluded. Armenians have already started large events all around the world, including Turkey, a fraternal country to Azerbaijan, regarding the 100th anniversary of the so-called Armenian genocide. There is no doubt that they will make a serious effort to use it against Azerbaijan”, he said.
The sector chief mentioned President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev signed an order on “some security measures on the line of contact between the Armed Forces of the Republic of Azerbaijan and the Armed Forces of the Republic of Armenia” on September 24, noting that relevant government authorities have already started taking necessary measures in this regard.
The PA official said over the last period there was some progress in the activities of media outlets, however it doesn’t mead the elimination of all problems. Unfortunately, the group, which we call the “fifth column”, continues its destructive and subversive acts and doesn’t avoid taking such an anti-national position to launder the grants from the West. I think Azerbaijan’s media should take a more professional approach toward the information disseminated abroad, especially in the Armenian media, define their purposes, compliance with the reality and Azerbaijan’s national interests and clarify the facts. Our media should both establish its activity basing on the principle of opposing movements and use attack tactics with respect to Armenia, some foreign organizations and media outlets that are carrying out smear campaign against Azerbaijan. We shouldn’t follow the flow of information, but should be able to set the agenda,” he said.
Spokesman for the Defense Ministry, Vagif Dargahli said that under the relevant decision of the Defense Minister, Armed Forces developed an instruction on organization of work with mass media representatives and sent them to the troops. Furthermore, under the order of the Defense Minister, “Collection of important information on state secret protection” was prepared in the form of booklets and was submitted to the personnel of the Armed Forces and Press Council.
“Media should be patriotic. First of all, we’re citizens of this country. I think every journalist needs to take it into account in their reports”, said President of APA Holding Vusale Mahirgizi.
Mahirgizi said both media outlets and heads of relevant services of state authorities must cooperate for efficiency of information: “In the modern information area, the side which reports first dictates the information. Because of this reason I think the Defense Ministry has to increase efficiency of its activity in this area”.
Mahirgizi said that in the world’s leading countries information agencies are chosen as a partner in disseminating information, especially one that is strategic: “I think this practice in Azerbaijan can be effective in terms of creating system”.
The company president also proposed to create a working group that would exchange information on a regular basis: “A working group consisting of media representatives, state authorities, military experts, and politicians can be created. This working group can hold regular consultations and discussions with heads of some state authorities.
MP Aqil Abbas said the Defense Ministry should work efficiently in order to outdo mass media outlets: “The one who shot down the helicopter and the other filming the downing were both servicemen. There was no journalist there. Was that servicemen who spread the footage penalized?”
A. Abbas said it’s wrong to advertise that servicemen and film their family.
Defense Ministry spokesperson Vaqif Dargahli noted that a relevant measure has been taken about the person that disseminated the footage.
Finally, Amashov said the proposals made during the event will be summarized and presented to related authorities.
Apa.az
