ASSOCIATED PRESS PLANS TO ENLARGE ITS PRESENCE IN ARMENIA WITH ARMINFO´S ASSISTANCE

YEREVAN, APRIL 1. ARMINFO. Associated Press is going to enlarge its cooperation with ARMINFO independent news agency.

Director of AP Eurasian Department Thomas Jefferson visited Armenia a few days ago to negotiate and to consider relevant cooperation mechanisms. Priority is given to Associated Press’s buying 50% of ARMINFO’s shares and introducting corporative administration for new regional agency AP-AM (Associated Press – ARMINFO).

Jefferson says that AP is seeking to counterbalance Russian media activity in the region. “Armenia is in fact the only CIS country where there is no immediate clash of extra-regional interests. It is here that the media factor – with certain revision – can be spread over not only South Caucasus but also part of Great Middle East,” says Jefferson.

To remind, Interfax news agency (Russia) has been enlarging its positions in Armenia since 2002; Regnum South Caucasian chief editor office was established in 2003; RIA Novosti (Russia) is presently negotiating to form a sub-division in Armenia.

One of Armenia’s news leaders and legal successor of SNARK news agency ARMINFO was established Mar 31 1991.