Russia: CNN Censorship of Churkin's Syria Interview 'Unprofessionalism'

Source : http://english.farsnews.com/newstext.aspx?nn=13920909000825

TEHRAN (FNA)- Deputy Director of the Information and Press Department of the Russian Foreign Ministry Maria Zakharova said censorship of Churkin’s interview by CNN is beyond understanding and beyond unprofessionalism."The principal comments made by the Russian permanent representative to the UN, Vitaly Churkin, on Syria in his interview on CNN were cut from the screened version of this interview. Actually it is hard to understand why one of the major news channels is not interested in presenting Russia’s position on the Syria crisis, especially regarding the upcoming conference Geneva II," Maria Zakharova told The Voice of Russia.CNN has edited out a part of an interview with Russian Ambassador to the United Nations Vitaly Churkin that focused on the situation in Syria. The final edition of Tuesday’s program, hosted by Christiane Amanpour, lacks his answers to some key questions relating to the settlement of the Syrian crisis.In particular, the CNN removed Churkin’s call for turning an attentive ear to the aspirations of the Syrian people, who mostly support President Assad.One of the questions cut by CNN journalists concerned President Bashar al Assad’s role after the start of the transition period. "This is something for Syrians to decide", Vitaly Churkin said in the full version of the interview posted on the Russian UN Embassy website.CNN also cut the Ambassador’s statements on the Syrian opposition, which he said is trying to hamper humanitarian activities in the country. Vitaly Churkin said, specifically, that a high-level working party is currently holding consultations in Geneva to deal with the humanitarian situation in Syria.Maria Zakharova, Deputy Director of the Information and Press Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Russia gave official comment to The Voice of Russia:"The principal comments made by Russian permanent representative to the UN, Vitaly Churkin, on Syria in his interview on CNN were cut from the screened version of this interview. Actually it is hard to understand why one of the major news channels is not interested in presenting Russia’s position on Syria crisis, especially regarding the upcoming conference Geneva II. Unfortunately, it is not the first time when Russian diplomats and officials interviews have been censored in western media."The reasons that the CNN television network "edited" an interview with Russia's Permanent Representative to the UN, Vitaly Churkin, is beyond understanding, Maria Zakharova said in statement on Facebook:"The fact that CNN cut a fundamental assessment on Syria out of the interview with V. Churkin is beyond unprofessionalism, and generally beyond understanding. This Western media’s practice of throwing away passages or assessments from an interview that is “unnecessary” for their audience became not the exception, but the norm, especially in relation to Russian representatives. But, unfortunately, this is not the pinnacle of cynicism. A couple of phrases were cut out, so what? You can always say that the broadcast time did not allow everything to be shown."Maria Zakharova pointed out that Russia’s essential views were not allowed on air at the crucial moment of negotiations ahead of the Geneva II peace conference:"Such situations, when a high-ranking Russian representative of a state or business structure is invited to the editorial office of this or that periodical, where ON THE RECORD he talks to journalists for about an hour and answers ALL questions seem inexplicable. As you may have guessed, the next day, to the delight of the press service, nothing is published either in the printed or electronic version of the periodical. The same zero result is repeated one day later, two days later, a week later. To your question “Why?” you receive an astounding answer: “Because he has not said anything interesting”. How about that? Here sits an iron man of Russian politics in a Manhattan office and answers questions for an hour nonstop and then it turns out that he's a boring, uninteresting person."