CIS state news agencies outline plans for further cooperation

MINSK, June 8. /TASS/. Heads of state-run news agencies of the countries of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) outlined new areas of cooperation in the information sphere at a regular meeting of the CIS Inform Council in the Belarusian capital city of Minsk on Monday. "Information policy in the CIS countries reflects the processes that are going on in the Commonwealth. Although different, these processes are, as a matter of fact, positive and we can promote their development," Sergei Mikhailov, the director general of the Russian News Agency TASS and chairman of the CIS Inform Council, said. Members of the Council commended cooperation between the CIS news agency in highlighting the celebrations of the 70th anniversary of Victory in the Great Patriotic War of 1941-1945. Joint projects on that occasion included an exhibition "70th Anniversary of Victory" on the website of the Association of National News Agencies of the CIS. Heads of CIS state news agencies agreed to develop cooperation between their photo services. Among areas of such cooperation might be bilateral and multi-lateral agreements on exchange of photo materials, expanding the geography of photo shooting, training and personnel exchanges. Members of the CIS Inform Council agreed to cooperate in providing coverage of celebrations of the 70th anniversary of the victory in World War II (September 2, 1945) and the 70th anniversary of the United Nations Organization (October 24, 1945). The Council outlined a plan of highlighting the 25th anniversary of the Commonwealth of Independent States to be marked in December 2016. The Council will have its next regular meeting in the autumn of 2015. Founded in November 1995, the CIS Inform Council includes heads of state-run news services from Azerbaijan, Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Russia and Tajikistan. The Council is chaired by TASS Director General Sergei Mikhailov. The Council sees its mission is maintaining contacts and ensuring cooperation between the CIS countries in the information sphere, creating favourable conditions for unimpeded information exchange and sharing professional experience, and in strengthening media partnership. Read more