In Baku, a roundtable meeting was held on the occasion of the 5th anniversary of the "Memorandum of Understanding on Strategic Cooperation in the Field of Media between Türkiye and Azerbaijan," by the Directorate of Communications of the Presidency of the Republic of Türkiye's Communications Counsellor's Office in Baku and Azerbaijan's Media Development Agency.
The meeting at the Social Research Centre was attended by Türkiye's Ambassador to Baku, Birol Akgün; Chairperson of the Social Research Centre, Zahit Oruç; Executive Director of the Azerbaijan Media Development Agency, Ahmet Ismayılov; and media executives.
Cihangir İşbilir, Press Counsellor of Türkiye's Embassy in Baku, read aloud the message sent to the meeting by the Presidency's Head of Communications Fahrettin Altun.
In his message, the Head of Communications, Altun, said that the Joint Media Platform established with the "Memorandum of Understanding on Strategic Cooperation in the Field of Media between Türkiye and Azerbaijan" serves as a comprehensive roadmap for the cooperation of the two countries in the fields of communication and media.
Reminding in his remarks that decisions were taken to establish committees for "public diplomacy," "international media," "strategic communication," "education," "legislation and regulation," and "digitalisation and internationalisation" at the meetings of the Joint Media Platform in previous years, Head of Communications Altun stated the inventory and project efforts of the committees were completed.
Head of Communications Altun said, "With the swift establishment of our committees, we will implement our projects for the mutual promotion of our countries. In the ongoing process, our institutionalised joint public diplomacy mechanism will enhance the quality of our efforts and further strengthen our ability to combat disinformation In this context, it is crucial to accurately inform the global public opinion."
"We must be able to advocate for the just cause"
Türkiye's Ambassador to Baku, Akgün, stated that the unity between Türkiye and Azerbaijan is crucial in the context of the ongoing transformation and evolution of the global system.
Emphasising the necessity for the Turkic world to act together in a climate of uncertainty, Akgün asserted that the global system has undergone a significant transformation, with new centres of power emerging.
Underscoring the necessity of further strengthening the alliance between Türkiye and Azerbaijan in all aspects, Akgün said, "The solidarity between our leaders holds great promise for the future and great potential for world peace. Our relationship is exceptional, and it is not founded on strategic considerations."
Reminding the support given by the Turkish people to Azerbaijan during the Second Karabakh War and the support the Azerbaijani people extended to Türkiye during the February 6, 2023, earthquakes, Akgün said, "Türkiye will stand by our Azerbaijani brothers and sisters with all its capabilities. No one will be able to undermine the unity between Azerbaijan and Türkiye."
Speaking about the role of the Turkish media during the Second Karabakh War, Akgün stated, 'Had there been no media solidarity during the Karabakh War, it would not have been as easy for the world to understand us. We must be strong advocates for the just cause. Therefore, media solidarity and accurate reporting of the news by the media are of utmost importance."
"Together we can defeat our adversaries on the information front"
The Chairperson of the Azerbaijani Social Research Centre, Oruç, stated that the Turkish media played a significant role in ensuring that the realities of the Second Karabakh War were accurately conveyed to the world.
Referring to the smear campaigns against Türkiye and Azerbaijan carried out by certain groups, Oruç said, "We also have the same adversaries on the information front. Only together can we defeat them."
Great interest shown in AA's War Reporting Training by Azerbaijani journalists
Executive Director of the Azerbaijan Media Development Agency Ismayılov stated that the strategic cooperation between Azerbaijan and Türkiye in the field of media not only enriches the information landscape of both countries but also helps ensure that the truths they advocate reach wider audiences in the region and around the world
Referring to the joint projects carried out between the two countries in the field of media, Ismayılov noted that the War Reporting Training, jointly organised by the Anadolu Agency (AA), Turkish National Police Academy, and the Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TİKA), attracted great interest from Azerbaijani journalists.
Press Counsellor of Türkiye's Embassy in Baku Cihangir İşbilir, Asia-Caucasus Regional Head of the AA Tolga Özgenç, and TRT's Azerbaijan Representative Murat Akkoç also delivered speeches at the event, where suggestions were made for further development of cooperation between the two countries in the field of media.
