ISTANBUL - World News Agencies summit, hosted by Anadolu Agency, started in Istanbul in Ciragan Palace in Istanbul on Tuesday.
A.A Director General and Executive Board President Hilmi Bengi invited the participants to observe a minute of silence of journalists who continued to work in hot atmosphere and on the memories of journalists who worked in all agencies and lost their lives.
Bengi, who later addressed the opening of the meeting, pointed out that more than 500 journalists were killed in the past 10 years most of who in countries where war and civil turmoil experienced.
Bengi said number of journalists who died in the past two years was 41, stating that 11 of them died in Iraq. He said there were also journalists who were injured, recalling that two Turkish journalists were injured three days ago in northern part of Iraq.
Bengi stated that World News Agencies Summit took place at a time when hot clashes in Iraq occurred and when history was re-written in the Middle East. He said, ''rightfulness or injustice of war is an issue which the politicians would discuss, and which the historians would examine in future. As the journalists, we should deal with the part of the issue related to the profession. To this end we have determined the main theme of the summit as ''role of news agencies in continuous peace'. We wish for peace, however war is unfortunately a fact. There is another fact. That is journalists are one those who suffer from war.''
Briefing about Anadolu Agency during his speech, Bengi said A.A. was founded on April 6, 1920 by Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, the founder of modern Turkish Republic. He said A.A celebrated its 83rd anniversary.
Bengi said Ankara-based Anadolu Agency reached joint-stock company status in 1925, stating that it has representations and correspondents in 40 countries as well as its offices throughout the country and regional directorates.
Bengi said Anadolu Agency has mutual cooperation with around 70 news agencies, noting that A.A was also a member of Organization of Asia-Pasific New Agencies (OANA), Association of Economic Cooperation Organization Countries News Agencies (ECONA), Alliance of Mediterranean News Agencies (AMAN), the Association of Balkan News Agencies (ABNA) and European Alliance of News Agencies (EANA).
Bengi said Anadolu Agency, which has 450 personnel and 850 journalists who has status, transmit around 600 news reports and 200 photographs per day.
Briefing about the summit program, Bengi said, ''Role of News Agencies in Continuous Peace'' will be discussed in the first session, and that ''Agency Journalism in Hot Atmosphere'' will be discussed.
Bengi said ''Costs and Facilities Brought by Technology to News Agencies'' will be discussed during tomorrow's session, and that a final statement would be announced to the public tomorrow.
(AY) 15.04.2003