"It is obvious to all what the role of the media is in forming public opinion and establishing relations between nations against the background of the global challenges and the changes occurring in the world. This Forum creates a unique opportunity for experience and opinion exchange. I am sure that this event will play the role of a catalyst in the further development and strengthening of relations between our countries in communication and media policy," Kamran Hasanov, Head of the Sector for work with mass media at the Department for Work with NGOs and Communication of the Presidential Administration, said at the official opening of the Azerbaijan-Uzbekistan Media Forum held in Tashkent, the capital of Uzbekistan, APA reports.
He stated that common history, language, roots, traditions, and culture unite Azerbaijan and Uzbekistan: "Cooperation between our countries has thrived during the years of independence. Today, thanks to the skillful politics, personal friendship, and close relations of the presidents of Azerbaijan and Uzbekistan, Ilham Aliyev and Shavket Mirziyoyev, this cooperation has expanded even more. Relations between the two countries have already reached a new level - today Azerbaijan and Uzbekistan are official allies. As you know, during the visit of the President of Azerbaijan to Uzbekistan in August of this year, the Agreement on Alliance Relations was signed. I especially want to emphasize that today Azerbaijan has alliance relations with only 4 countries, and one of these countries is Uzbekistan. I believe that this fact demonstrates the friendly and brotherly relations between our countries."
Today, in addition to participating in the Media Forum, representatives of the Azerbaijani media and staff from the press services of ministries and state agencies will have the opportunity to hold meetings with their Uzbek counterparts as part of an experience exchange. We also look forward to the visit of our Uzbek colleagues to Baku soon and hope that this experience exchange will enable our colleagues to establish closer connections with each other.
In this context, I am confident that today we are laying another foundation for close cooperation between Azerbaijan and Uzbekistan in ensuring the security of information exchange between the mass media of our countries.