Minister Sarah: We do not ask Western media to be impartial, but rather to professional and credible
On May 24th, Minister of Information Imad Sarah inaugurated the media center for covering the presidential elections at the Ministry of Information building, Al-Baath House in Damascus.
In a statement to reporters, the Minister of Information stated that the number of requests submitted to the Ministry of Information to cover the elections has reached 125 from media professionals and political analysts, in addition to the presence of 165 accredited correspondents in Syria representing 65 media outlets, bringing the total number to 290 between media coming from abroad and one approved inside Syria.
Minister Sarah referred to the presence of media delegations from the United States of America, Russia, Denmark, the Netherlands, China and Japan in addition to many Arab countries to cover the elections.
Minister Sarah said: “ We do not ask the Western media to be neutral because we know very well that it is a relative matter subject to the owner of the medium. But, we ask at least that they be professionals and have credibility, and we will provide them with all the tools and information they need for their work.”
Minister Sarah said: “We in the Syrian national media are at an equal distance from all the candidates, and this is normal.”
The center provides all media services free of charge to journalists and to local, Arab and foreign media outlets in one place where all television and radio channels, news agencies and e- media who wish to broadcast and cover the elections in Syria can benefit from its services around the clock.
The center is equipped with technical equipment, computers, means of communication, and internet services at high speeds to exchange news, video files and images, in addition to providing free live broadcasting services, three studios for filming and conducting television interviews, a radio transmission unit for radio coverage, and screens to transmit direct media coverage from the gvoernorates through the Syrian news channels.
Inas Abdulkareem