Mikhail Gusman

The council of heads of CIS state news agencies has just ended in Baku. What did it discuss?

The CIS information council is an old institution that involves the leaders of the news agencies of the CIS states. The session discussed many professional issues and professional interaction, including a common website where each news agency will be able to post its material. This was a very productive meeting. There was also an important meeting with Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev who, I think, challenged the news agencies to report information as accurately and reliably as possible without distortions. For example, if we talk about Azerbaijan, this country and its achievements can be fully presented to the world through the work of news agencies and information structures.

This was the 11th session of the CIS information council. As far as I know, the sessions are now being conducted more frequently, once every six months or maybe not quite so often.

What has changed in the CIS information space during the existence of the CIS information council?

Well, you know, the challenge here is not to make cardinal or radical changes. It's a matter of the regular exchange of information, exchange of professional skills, support for each other, finding points of contact and provision of information about each other in the media. This is a serious job.

What's the state of journalism in the CIS and of the exchange of information?

It's difficult to comment on the whole CIS area as it includes a great many countries. I think Azerbaijan has very active journalists in this sense and many interesting reports are published in the press and on television and radio. I think everything is all right with freedom of speech in Azerbaijan. I do not agree with some of my foreign and western counterparts who say there are some problems with freedom of speech in Azerbaijan. It is not like that. I see many opposition newspapers in Azerbaijan. It means that everyone has the right to speak.

What are the main priorities of ITAR-TASS?

What do you mean by priorities?

I mean the priorities for the news agency's work.

We have no priorities. Our information agency reports accurate, reliable information in a timely fashion.

Are you satisfied with the level of cooperation between ITAR-TASS and AzerTaj?

Yes, I am very pleased with it. We have regular, cordial contact with AzerTaj. Suffice it to say that AzerTaj’s office in Moscow is in the ITAR-TASS building, while the ITAR-TASS office in Baku is at AzerTaj’s office. This is evidence of our contacts.

Leyla Tagiyeva
News.Az