Information Minister receives ASBU President

Manama, March 19 (BNA): Information Minister Ali bin Mohammed Al Rumaihi urged to boost media and artistic cooperation between the Arab radio and TV corporations by exchanging news and programmes. He called on mass media to assume their national responsibilities in promoting the culture of peace, moderation and tolerance, renouncing extremism and terrorism and confronting foreign interference in the domestic affairs of the countries in the region. He was speaking as he received President of the Arab States Broadcasting Union (ASBU) and Assistant Undersecretary for Media Planning and Scientific Development at the Kuwaiti Information Ministry Mohammed Abdul Mohsen Al-Awash. He said the Arab countries have great human competencies who need to be availed of in a positive and complementary way to overcome challenges and cater for the interests of the nation as well as people's aspiration for security, stability and sustainable development. The Information Minister discussed ways of boosting cooperation with ASBU, pointing out the need to activate legal and executive mechanisms to ensure commitment of the satellite radio and TV channels to the Arab Media Charter of Honour, international conventions and the ethics of the responsible media work in following objectivity and neutrality and shunning incitement of sedition, sectarianism, fanaticism and terrorism. He lauded strong and deep-rooted fraternal relations between Bahrain and Kuwait and their progress at all levels thanks to the leaderships' keenness to further bolster them. He also voiced keenness to boost bilateral cooperation in the media field in collaboration with his Kuwaiti counterpart Shaikh Salman Sabah Al Salem Al Humood Al Sabah. On his part, the ASBU President thanked the Information Minister for the meeting, commending his keenness to solidify bilateral media cooperation and support to ASBU efforts to foster the pan-Arab media march.