AA chief meets counterparts with Al Jazeera, Qatar News Agency

DOHA (AA) - April 30, 2012 - Anadolu Agency Executive Board Chairman and Director General Kemal Ozturk on Sunday met senior executives with the Al Jazeera television network and Qatar News Agency during a visit to Qatar's capital, Doha. Ozturk paid a visit to Ahmad Saad Abdel Al Boainin, director general of the Qatar News Agency, briefing him about Anadolu Agency's "Centennial Vision" to become one of the top 5 news agencies in the world as well as AA wire service in Arabic, which is set to begin in May with a Middle East headquarters in Cairo, Egypt.        Ozturk also expressed willingness to boost relations and cooperation between Anadolu Agency and Qatar News Agency to carry out joint projects. Al Boainin, on his part, said that Qatar was ready to engage in cooperation and alliance with the AA, adding that both countries needed to strengthen their national news agencies to assume a greater role in the politics of the region. Ozturk later met with Al Jazeera Director General Sheikh Ahmed bin Jassim Al Thani. Ozturk said during the meeting that AA had recently opened a center for training of war correspondents, adding that it was one of the rare such centers in the world and certainly a first in the Middle East.  Ozturk said AA was willing to cooperate with Al Jazeera on the training of journalists with the AA's Arab wire service. Al Thani, on his part, said Al Jazeera would welcome a joint project for the training of journalists, adding that they were ready to increase cooperation.