Syria, Russia discuss enhancing media cooperation

Information Minister Butros Hallaq and Deputy Minister of Digital Development, Communications and Mass Media of the Russian Federation Bella Cherkesova, during a meeting on Friday in Moscow, discussed enhancing cooperation and exchanging expertise between Syria and Russia in the field of media.

Hallaq affirmed the need to unify the two countries’ media stances, particularly after the Russian special military operation in Ukraine, as the public opinion in both Syria and Russia has been facing a western propaganda that aims at falsifying facts and reporting fake news to mislead the citizens about the situation in both countries.

Hallaq clarified that during the past months Russia has faced the same situation that faced Syria during the war. “When Russia wanted to defend its right and sovereignty it was described as an aggressor,” he said, suggesting holding training joint courses to unify the media vision of the two countries.

Minister Hallaq talked about the experience of the Syrian media during the past ten years of the war on the country and about its ability to succeed to a large extent in confronting the western media campaigns that aimed at distorting facts, noting the need to exchange expertise in this regard as to face such campaigns in both Syria and Russia.

He expressed the ministry’s complete readiness to reach a media agreement that will contribute to boosting bilateral ties in general, hailing Russia’s firm support for Syria at all international forums.

Cherkesova: Syria is a strategic ally

On her part, the Russian minister underlined that Syria is a strategic ally and a friend of Russia, stressing the need to consolidate media ties and exchange expertise not only on RT platform but on all other Russian media platforms, noting that the Russian website Sputnik is willing to establish a radio station in Syria.

She said that the Russian side is greatly interested in visiting Syria to sign a memorandum of Understanding on media cooperation.

The Syrian Ambassador to Russia, Riad Haddad, on his part, hailed the support provided by the Russian media outlets to Syria during the war, noting that the Russian media has assisted its Syrian counterparts in uncovering and refuting all the lies and explaining the fact that what has been going on in the country has been a terrorist war.

He affirmed Syria’s support for Russia’s military operation in Ukraine, pointing out that the same western propaganda that has targeted Syria during the war is now targeting Russia with the aim of implementing the West’s aggressive and hegemony schemes.

In a statement to SANA, Cherkesova asserted that journalism is a responsibility and that the information published by journalists must be objective, because both Syria and Russia are facing misinformation and fake news that are prepared in advance to mislead the public opinion.

Hamda Mustafa