Anadolu Agency launches Spanish-language service

By Lokman Ilhan

BOGOTA, Colombia (AA) - Anadolu Agency (AA) officially launched its 13th broadcast-language service -- Spanish -- in a ceremony attended by Colombian Deputy Foreign Minister Patti Londono Jaramillo in Bogota.

A number of distinguished guests attended the ceremony, including: Engin Yurur, Turkey’s ambassador to Bogota; Metin Mutanoglu, Anadolu Agency's deputy director-general and editor-in-chief; Azerbaijan’s ambassador to Bogota Ramil Farzaliyev; Palestine’s ambassador to Bogota Rauf Malki; and Juan Guillermo Castro Benetti, head of the European Directorate at the Foreign Ministry of Colombia.

Londono, who made the opening speech at the ceremony, began his address with the words “Good evening” in Turkish. “I think we will all slowly begin to learn Turkish,” he said.

Stating they were striving hard to develop relations with Turkey and that both sides are willing to do so, Londono said:

“Not only because we have the best Spanish, but also because we have wonderful journalists and advanced journalism, you are in the country that you are supposed to be in.

“The representatives of Anadolu Agency -- you have made the right decision. This decision you have made is not only to follow Colombia, but all Latin America and Spain.”

Londono expressed his gratitude, in the name of Colombia, to Anadolu Agency for choosing Bogota as its Spanish-language broadcasting center after Turkey's efforts in Colombia through its embassy and the Turkish Cooperation and Development Agency (TIKA).

Londono ended his speech with “thank you” in Turkish.

- 'Truth, impartiality, democracy and peace'

Engin Yurur, Turkey’s ambassador to Bogota, said Anadolu Agency is one of the most established and experienced agencies in the world.

Stating that Anadolu Agency has been benefiting from the latest technology and has been engaging in modern work, Yurur said: “I am sure that Anadolu Agency will do great work in Colombia. Mr. Mutanoglu, I congratulate you on your decision and thank you for your efforts.”

Anadolu Agency's deputy director-general and editor-in-chief spoke of the fact that that his decision was influenced by Colombia’s Spanish having the language’s most natural accent.

Mutanoglu said the agency is active in all parts of the world, and aimed to reach almost 600 million people through the Spanish language, and well as carrying the voice of Anatolian people to this region.

“Values such as truth, impartiality, democracy and peace are very important to us,” Mutanoglu said. “We want to convey our messages of peace and love to all humanity.”

Noting that Anadolu Agency had put human beings at the center of its publishing policy, Mutanoglu said he would focus on these issues in Colombia and Latin America, just as the agency does everywhere else.

Mutanoglu also said the reasons for choosing Colombia to broadcast in Spanish were not only because it is a rising star in the region, but also because of the efforts of Turkish Airlines and TIKA.

At the ceremony where the activities of Anadolu Agency and the Spanish-language service were presented, many senior media representatives including Mucahit Muhammed Soykan, the agency’s director of Human Resources and Administrative Affairs, and Persian-language Editor Hikmet Gok participated.