Baku hosts roundtable on Türkiye-Azerbaijan media cooperation

A roundtable discussion on media cooperation between Türkiye and Azerbaijan is being held in Baku, organized by the Social Research Center (STM), the Turkish Presidency of Communications in Baku, and the Media Development Agency of Azerbaijan.

The event, titled "5 Years of the Memorandum of Understanding on Strategic Cooperation in the Media Field between the Republic of Azerbaijan and the Republic of Türkiye: Review of Joint Activities, Future Goals," brings together key figures from both countries' media and government institutions.

Among the participants are STM Chairman and Milli Majlis member Zahid Oruj, Media Development Agency Executive Director Ahmad Ismayilov, Chairman of the Press Council Rashad Majid, Türkiye’s Ambassador to Azerbaijan Birol Akgün, as well as other media leaders and parliamentarians.

During his speech, Zahid Oruj highlighted the role of Western media in shaping narratives about Azerbaijan, particularly during and after the 44-day war. He accused certain outlets of biased reporting and noted that with the change of power in the U.S., organized attacks against Azerbaijan by various media and NGOs were exposed.

He criticized newspapers such as The Washington Post and The New York Times, describing them as part of a “fake news” network that served as a tool for political influence. He further referenced remarks made at the Munich Security Conference by U.S. Vice President James Vance, who, according to Oruj, acknowledged that European security was undermined by leaders who weaponized democracy for geopolitical agendas.

The roundtable aims to strengthen media collaboration between Türkiye and Azerbaijan, fostering joint initiatives to counter disinformation and enhance strategic communication between the two countries.