John Bruton
Question:12 Mr. J. Bruton asked the Taoiseach if he will report on his recent meeting with the World Media Network. [20030/97]
Written Answers. - World Media Network.
I met with the World Media Network on Thursday, 13 November 1997. I did so following a request from The Irish Times who are a member of the network and were hosting an editorial meeting of the group in Dublin.
The World Media Network is a grouping of 20 newspapers around the world, but predominantly European. It started in 1990, embracing such titles as The Guardian and La Stampa. It has since expanded to take several Middle Eastern titles as well as a number of Latin American and Asian ones. I am circulating a list of current members with this reply. The Irish Times has been a member since 1992.
The network publishes two supplements each year, one geopolitical, and the other a guide to summer cultural events in Europe. Recent topics have included Europe; World Centres of Power; Cities; and Health. The network's editorial meetings alternate between its headquarters in Paris, and at six-monthly intervals, the home cities of its members. Recent meetings have been in Madrid, Cairo, Sarajevo, Istanbul, Marrakesch and Turin.
Those attending the briefing in Government Buildings were editorial executives who usually report for their newspapers on these briefings. You will see from the list of papers circulated, it provided a very good opportunity to present a positive view of Ireland and, in particular, the Irish economy and the peace process to a wide international audience.
I was accompanied at the briefing by the Ministers for Finance and Foreign Affairs. We discussed aspects of Irish economic and foreign policy with the group and briefed them on progress in the peace process and the all-party talks.
List of participants in the World Media Network meeting on 12 November.
|
Country |
Newspaper |
|
Argentina |
La Nacion |
|
Austria |
Der Standard |
|
Belgium |
Le Soir |
|
Bosnia |
Oslobodenje |
|
Brazil |
Folha De S. Paulo |
|
Canada |
La presse |
|
Egypt |
Al Ahram |
|
France |
LiberationWorld Media |
|
Greece |
To Vima |
|
Hungary |
HVG |
|
Italy |
La Stampa |
|
Ireland |
The Irish Times |
|
Israel |
Ha'aretz |
|
Japan |
Yomiuri Shimbun |
|
Lebanon |
An Nahar |
|
Morocco |
L'Economiste |
|
Portugal |
Publico |
|
Slovenia |
Delo |
|
Spain |
El Pais |
|
Turkey |
Milliyet |