OSCE establishes direct contact with Azeri media

The OSCE representatives on Freedom of the Media Diana Moxhay and Ann Karlreiter met with representatives of the leading Azeri media at the press club of the "Khalq Gazeti" newspaper Monday. The meeting was organized by the President's office socio-political department and the Interior Ministry information department.

A. Karlreiter spoke of the OSCE, which includes 55 countries and where decisions are usually made through consensus, and the Organization's relations with print media.

The parties focuses on the situation in mass media in Azerbaijan and journalistic activities for peace in the Caucasus.

On the following day, head of the OSCE Baku mission Alexander Cornelissen, his deputy Bogdan Marczewski, senior advisor to the head of the OSCE representative on the freedom of media Diana Moxhay and the OSCE assistant Anna Karlreiter met with representatives of Azeri mass media Tuesday, as executives of journalistic unions, newspapers "Echo", "Azernews", "Yeni Musavat", "Zerkalo", TV channels "Lider", "Space" and other media outlets were in attendance.

Welcoming the media, Mr. Cornelissen said the OSCE imparts special attention to print media and the meeting targets discussion of media-related issues.

"We hope to forge direct contact with you", Mr. Cornelissen stressed.

Touching upon the media-government relations, A. Karlreiter said the OSCE conducts regular monitoring and oversees the execution of commitments on the freedom of speech in all 55 member nations.

Asked about the situation in the Azeri press, D. Moxhay replied, "Your situation is better that of your neighbors".

Speaking about the making the state-owned AzTV a public channel, editor-in-chief of "Echo" newspaper Rauf Talishinski said, "I see no difference between public and state TV". According to him, before a public TV channel can be set up, it has to be first closed down and sold to private investors.

Participants spoke of the current situation in the press, observance of journalistic ethics, etc.