Azerbaijan awards State Medal to Zaman Daily

An official statement read, "Zaman-Azerbaijan Newspaper Editor-in-Chief Enes Cansever has been awarded the Tereggi (Progress) medal for his achievements in the development of Azerbaijani journalism and for the consolidation of friendly relationships between Turkey and Azerbaijan."

The medal was presented to Cansever by President Administration's social-political Department's Head Ali Hasanov.

A ceremony attended by distinguished guests was opened with a short film introducing the activities conducted by the newspaper. Turkey's Ambassador to Baku Turan Morali and Zaman Executive Editor in Chief Ekrem Dumanli also attended the ceremony over the weekend.

Cansever said, apart from being a newspaper, Zaman-Azerbaian is considered, above everything else, the brotherhood and friendship between Turkey and Azerbaijan during the past 15 years. "Our task is to unite and approach, not to divide and separate. It is to make peace and not create conflict among people, to promote love, not hatred among them," Cansever said.

Hasanov said Zaman started its publications in Azerbaijan during the founding process of the country. "Zaman was with us despite difficult circumstances in a period when we needed the experience of free and democratic press. In 1991, Zaman became Azerbaijan's window to the world before everything else. For 15 years, Zaman newspapers and Zaman-Azerbaijan, published in 11 countries around the world, have become the Azeri people's eyes, ears and voice."

Ambassador Morali, in his speech, said Zaman plays a pivotal role in Azerbaijan; it is successfully conducting activities in the right place, with the right thoughts and in the frame of professional understanding. Zaman approached the issues with a cool state of mind based on the sensitive conduct of journalism both on the toughest and the most beautiful days of the country.

Dumanli, in his speech, said 15 years is not a long time for a press institution, but it is an important for a daily newspaper to make it accepted and show its orientation. Zaman's Executive underlined that the respect, interest and award presented to Zaman by both the late Azerbaijani President Haydar Aliev and the current President Ilham Aliev originated from the confidence, and at the end of his speech said, Zaman, publishing in 11 countries around the world, has gained the confidence of its readers and country administrators.

President Ilham Aliyev's spouse Mihriban Aliyeva, in the congratulatory note she sent for the ceremony, pointed out that Zaman Azerbaijan has a special place in their country. "Zaman Daily that has realized some major achievements even during the hardest and most difficult periods of our republic's social-political life has reflected the news objectively to the country's and the world public opinion," Aliyeva said. She reminded that Zaman Daily plays an important role in encouraging the people from the two brother countries to approach each other and to strengthen their friendship, she ended her message by saying: "I very much want to thank the family of Zaman for its accurate news reporting on this important day."

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