PREMIER ADDRESSES OANA EXECUTIVE BOARD MEETING

Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, /MONTSAME/ On Tuesday, the 33rd Executive Board meeting and 27th Editorial-Technical Experts Group meeting of the Organization of Asia-Pacific News Agencies (OANA) kicked off in Kempiski hotel, Ulaanbaatar.
At the opening of the meetings, remarks were made by Mr S.Batbold, the Prime Minister of Mongolia, by Mr Hilmi Bengi, the OANA president and Director general of Turkey's Anadolu news agency, and by Mr T.Baasansuren, the Director general of the MONTSAME news agency of Mongolia.
Firstly, the Premier Batbold has said he is extremely pleased that Mongolia is hosting the Executive Board meeting of the Organization of Asia-Pacific News Agencies that is soon to celebrate its 50th anniversary this year. On behalf of the government of Mongolia and himself he has extended sincere greetings and congratulations to all participants of the meeting who "gathered in the conference hall: the distinguished representatives from the administration of OANA, UNESCO representatives, and managers and representatives of the member agencies". The Premier has been pleased to note that the consequential meeting is corresponding with the important anniversary in Mongolia's history.
"This year we, the Mongolians, are commemorating the 2220th Anniversary of the founding of Mongolia's Statehood--Hun Empire, the 805th anniversary of the Great Mongol Empire founded by the world's last Millennium's greatest man Chingis Khaan; the 100th anniversary of the National Movement for Freedom due to which Mongolia regained its sovereignty; and the 90th anniversary of the People's Revolution declaring its freedom.
"We consider that in today's globalized world this is a significant demonstration of Mongolia's sovereignty and its conduct of multi-polar policies and active participation in international scene as a UN member country.
"The most valuable asset of Mongolia is its people who preserved the culture and heritage of its ancestors and have been developing those further," the Premier has said.
Then he has touched upon some economic statistics, mentioning about a "mining industry that has been intensively developing here in latest years and a massive work on putting such world class deposits as 'Oyutolgoi' copper mine and 'Tavantolgoi' coal deposit into economic turnover which has been attracting interest of many countries."
Our country finds itself among countries with relatively high rates of economic growth. If in 2010 our economy enjoyed 6% growth rate, in the first quarter of 2011 it increased to 9.7%. And it is not only mining that impacts our economy's growth, he has said. The number of processing factories in the country has increased by 10% in 2010, intensive is the speed of growth in trade and services sectors, he has added.
"Another indicator we are proud of and the one that shows our today's development and progress is an intensive penetration of information technologies. A historic contribution of our nomadic ancestors to the world's culture was the communication system of "urtuu's" organized by the Mongolians in 13-14th centuries to link China, Mongolia, Russia and Europe," he has said
The significance and impact of this meeting are clear given today's powerful influx of information followed by such a rapid development in information technologies, that leads us to literally breath with information and compete by information. News agencies have always been playing important role in countries' histories. Their importance remained today unchanged," he has said.
"I was told that as of today 42 news agencies from 33 countries of the region are the members of OANA. Presently the Asia-Pacific region produces 56% of the WGP, makes up to 50% of the world trade turnover, and occupies 60% of sea freight and 25% of air freight. The world's largest financial and scientific and technological resources are located in this region. From this point of view the role, significance, prestige and influence of the organization that unifies this region's news agencies, is high," S.Batbold has said.
The Internet that links the whole world today is not only a huge information database with great capacity but it also is a powerful tool of the fastest information distribution and delivery. And no one will argue that it is a significant technological advance. "However, I do think that objective and facts-based information about any country can only be gathered and distributed by its own news agency. Nevertheless it is clear that countries do not possess same technical and technological capacities for dissemination of news abroad and exchange of information amongst each other. Hence it is understandable that the countries are aiming at resolving difficulties they face via bilateral, multilateral and regional cooperation. This aim is clearly seen from contents and topics of this meeting," the Premier has said, adding that he believes that informing and educating the world about achievements and progress of our region via disseminating objective and facts-based news and information about the region, leading in the world by the number of its populations, sizes of its territories and speed of development, as well as delivering domestic and foreign news to consumers in our own countries is an honorable and proud duty of journalists and their close collaborators and supporters--the engineers and technical employees.
The Prime Minister hopes that the issues will be discussed and decisions will be made at the meetings to render realistic and concrete support in fulfilling these duties and goals. Welcomed the participants in Mongolia, he has said "I am sure that the organizers have created every possibility for you to get acquainted with the Mongolian hospitality, learn about lives, work, and achievements of our people and have at least a glimpse of the beauty of Mongolia's nature".