Baku, September 12, AZERTAC A meeting of the World Association of Press Councils has got underway in Baku.Participants in the event included Azerbaijani President’s Assistant for Public and Political Affairs Ali Hasanov, as well as delegates from nearly 20 countries of Asia, Europe and Africa. Heads and experts from the international organizations, including the United Nations, the European Union, as well as local media agencies also attend the meeting. Addressing the event, Chairman of the Azerbaijan Press Council Aflatun Amashov highlighted the history of the World Association of Press Councils.The chairman of the Press Council hailed Azerbaijan’s media achievements.Azerbaijani President’s Assistant for Public and Political Affairs Ali Hasanov made a speech at the event.“I would like to note that the national press and mass media of Azerbaijan have passed through different stages of development over the history of more than a hundred years to become an inseparable part of our social life and a driving force of our civil society. The fact that freedom of thought and freedom of expression were included into the fundamental human rights in the new Constitution of the Republic of Azerbaijan, which was adopted in 1995 after restoring independence in 1991, laid the foundation of a new historical period in the development of mass media. The abolition of censorship over the mass media under the Decree of the President of Azerbaijan Heydar Aliyev on 6 August, 1998 opened up great prospects for the creation of self-regulated media without any external influence in our country. The adoption of new laws on mass media, provision of information, national TV and radio broadcasting, public television, freedom of information and other areas acted as a necessary legislative framework for the development of mass media in the ensuing period,” the Presidential Assistant said.The meeting will continue tomorrow with plenary sessions.