Press urged to boost GCC unity

Manama, Jan. 15 (BNA): Information Minister Ali bin Mohammed Al Romaihi underlined the high professional performance of the GCC press institutions and their respect of national legislation as well as GCC fraternal and Arab and international legal media fundamentals. Speaking in the opening of the 6th conference of the Gulf Press Union, which convened at the Sheraton Hotel today, he stressed the need to upgrade the GCC media work by working out practical and contemporary mechanisms for cooperation and setting up a GCC observatory to monitor any professional irregularities and respond to them effectively. The Information Minister stressed the importance to lay bridges of communication with regional and international press and media federations and organisations by setting up effective committees in the political, human rights and international relations fields. He also pointed out the importance to act in a parallel way with the official media channels to highlight the development and civilizational achievements in the GCC countries, reveal the truth and confront contradictory media campaigns targeting the GCC member states. The Information Minister affirmed the need to boost the role of the GCC press and media institutions in performing their duties responsibly, transparently and objectively. He pointed out internal challenges as well as regional and international threats facing the GCC countries as well as the Arab and Islamic nation to shake their security and stability, drive wedges and interfere in their domestic affairs. He also called on the Gulf Press Union and the media institutions to assume their professional, moral and national responsibilities in fostering patriotism, protecting the GCC communities and preserving their unity, security as well as national and religious identity. The Information Minister urged to promote religious and cultural tolerance, fight extremism and terrorism, shun discourse inciting sedition, hatred, sectarianism, racism and offending human dignity and reputation. He hailed the democratic climate in Bahrain as well as freedom of expression under the reform project of His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa. He also stressed Bahrain's keenness to further boost cooperation and unity between the GCC countries as well as supporting the Gulf Press Union since its inception in Manama in 2005. The Information Minister thanked the union for its honourable stance in supporting Bahrain in its efforts to boost its security and stability by facing terror acts and foreign interference. He reiterated full support to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, paying tribute to the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques for his initiatives to serve Arab and Islamic issues. He also praised the Saudi-led Arab and Islamic coalition to fight extremism and terrorism and boost legitimacy in Yemen. Former Secretary General of the Gulf Press Union Nasser Mohammed Al-Othman lauded the support given to the union since its inception in 2005 by His Royal Highness Prime Minister Prince Khalifa bin Salman Al Khalifa and the government. He also conveyed the apology of the union's President Turki Abdullah Al Sediri for his inability to run for a new term due to his health conditions and to pave the way for new candidates to spearhead the union's march. Al-Othman also apologized for not running for the post for the same reasons. Then, Editor-in-Chief of Saudi Al-Jazeera newspaper Khalid Al-Malik and Editor-in-Chief of Bahraini Al-Ayam newspaper Isa Al Shaiji were elected uncontested as president and Secretary General respectively.