The Forum of European and Asian Media, where editors and top managers of the most respected and popular media of all the states of the former Soviet Union (except Turkmenistan) discussed the work of the media in the information war and ideological confrontation with the West and search an answer to the question, what is adequate journalism today, finished in Moscow. Today the Information and Press Department is trying to convey Russia's position to the international community and is engaged in the information support of the Foreign Ministry, and more broadly, the information support of Russia's foreign policy
The official representative of the Russian Foreign Ministry Maria Zakharova (the first woman in this position, dubbed by journalists as the ‘Anti-psaki’ as opposed to Jen Psaki, which until April served as the official representative of the US State Department) with its characteristic openness, told the media forum how the Ministry of Foreign Affairs acts in conditions of the information warfare.
"I cannot say that we are transformed, we are certainly evolving, because time demands it. We are very often accused, especially recently, of creating some kind of informational ‘octopus’. I just do not know what people are thinking when they are saying such things, because what we are doing is publishing posts, working with journalists, but we are working openly, we hold briefings, press conferences, we answer the questions, we encounter, we are trying to arrange meetings of foreign correspondents with our speakers, round tables, seminars. We are preparing some materials, some activities for the future. This work takes a lot of time, relatively speaking, operational, by request and so on. And, unfortunately, we hear and see that we are perceived as some kind of propagandists. "
According to Zakharova, "the word ‘propaganda’ is a dirty word when used in combination with the word ‘journalist’. Then, indeed, these are incompatible things. A journalist cannot be a propagandist, because otherwise he ceases to be a journalist.With regard to propaganda as a whole, what is it? This is a report, or an attempt to convince a particular audience of one’s views. So, of course, one of our tasks is to be heard In this case we are not innovators and pioneers in information work. We have learned a lot, we created a lot over the past few years, something that we never had before. "
According to the diplomat, weekdays of the Foreign Ministry consist of two extremes: "On the one hand, we are a so-called alleged ‘information-propaganda machine’, on the other hand, our ambassadors are not seen and not heard. Can you imagine in what conditions, in what framework we work? And, of course, both things are the extremes. The truth is somewhere in the middle.’’
Speaking about Russia's information policy with regard to Ukraine, Zakharov said: "Everything is built around how people live together, people and territories within one state, on the principles of mutual respect and defend those things that are important for one or another side. In what way can we link this all? Strictly speaking, everything has started with this. And all this time we have been saying one thing, I cannot say this argument or explanation or admonition, or ultimate truth, I do not know how to call it. We say one sentence, which may be a hackneyed issue for a long time. And for many it has become some kind of cliche, an irrelevant issue. We say that there is a way out of the situation. And in this situation there is a really effective drug that can help. Once they make this step, the situation can be moved forward. It lies in a single phrase – a direct dialogue between Kiev and Donbass. When talking to foreign journalists, they do not realize it. They believe that this dialogue is being held. They still do not realize that this is the whole root of the evil that lies in the political settlement process. They are willing to talk indirectly, they are willing to work through someone, they transmit some signals. But they are not ready to talk directly with the people with whom they must negotiate. "
The diplomat noted that none of the Western media do not call people fighting in the Eastern Ukraine terrorists, "Only Kiev calls them that way, Kiev has introduced an ATO, only the Kiev authorities accuse them of terrorist attacks. No one in the West says that they are terrorists. They are called various things, they are referred to as rebels, they are called separatists, mostly separatists, but not terrorists, this is a very important point".
Zakharova called on colleagues from other countries who are involved in the settlement of the conflict to use all their influence, credibility, all their opportunities for direct dialogue with Kiev, DPR and LPR.
