Three Countries Encourage Creation of ASEAN News Agencies Confederation

News agencies will initiate the establishment of a confederation of ASEAN news agencies confederation.

Jakarta, 22 Jumadil Akhir 1438/1March 017 (MINA) – News agencies of Indonesia, Vietnam and Malaysia will encourage the creation of ASEAN News Agencies Confederation, President Director of Vietnamese News Agency (VNA) Nguyen Duc Loi said.

Hopefully, the confederation will unite all news agencies in ASEAN member states in order to intensify cooperation particularly in exchange of information related to unilateral, bilateral and multilateral issues, he said in a meeting with Managing Director of ANTARA News Agency Meidyatama Suryodiningrat here on Monday.

Meidyatama Suryodiningrat shared Nguyen Duc Lois view but added that the absence of news agency which will take the initiative to pioneer the creation of the confederation will pose a main obstacle.

“I think news agencies in ASEAN also think of the same thing, but we need somebody who dares to take the initiative. ANTARA has good relations with Bernama and I think we will receive its support so together with VNA, the three news agencies can pioneer the creation of the confederation,” he said.

To support the initiative, Meidyatama said he will contact the ASEAN Secretariat in the near future to discuss the idea and the plan to hold the first ever meeting of news agencies.

“I will contact the ASEAN Secretariat late March or early April to discuss the idea. We also have received support from other news agencies including that from Laos, and we hope that the ASEAN Secretariat can facilitate the first ever meeting,” he said.

“The idea also coincides with the 50th anniversary of ASEAN so I think this is the right time,” he said.

Duc Loi said the first ever meeting to discuss the creation of ASEAN News Agency Confederation can be held in Jakarta where the ASEAN Secretariat is located.

Once the confederation is created, cooperation among news agencies in ASEAN member states can be intensified. The cooperation includes education programs for correspondents. (T/RS5/RS1)

Mi’raj Islamic News Agency (MINA)