Pana Janviroj, executive director of ANN, and Michael Segbers, managing director of DPA, inked the pact in Bangkok last Saturday.

Clockwise are Ravindra Kumar, seventh from left, editor of The Statesman; Dr MichaelJohannes Banzhaf, charge d'affaires, German Embassy; Werner Vom Busch, director, Media Programme Asia of KonradAdenauerStiftung; Ong Yen Cheng, first secretary, Singapore Embassy; Pana Janviroj, executive director, ANN; Michael Segbers, managing director of DPA; Vijaya Latha Reddy, Indian Ambassador; Felix Soh, deputy editor of The Straits Times; and Suthichai Yoon, group editorinchief of The Nation, attend a signing ceremony at Bangkok's Peninsula Hotel last Saturday. 

"This is a landmark agreement," said Pana, who is also the CEO of The Nation.

"ANN, which until now was exchanging news, articles and photos among its member newspapers, will now go global with the support from DPA. This will serve the growing interest in Asian news and information around the world."

As per the agreement, ANN's headquarters in Bangkok will send selected number of news and business articles, opinion and oped pieces, feature stories and photos to DPA every evening. Clients of DPA in Asia, the Middle East, Europe and the Americas can publish and broadcast these stories.

Speaking during the signing ceremony, Segbers of DPA said: "I am convinced media all over the world will require the Asian views of international events even more in the future. This can only be done by highquality journalism. ANN would be the best partner to cover these needs."

He also revealed DPA's plan to enlarge the office in Bangkok to cater to the growing demand for Asian news stories and make Bangkok the third hub for DPA's English news service along with Berlin and Washington.

"DPA, as an international media player, is proud to extend its role in this dynamic region with the partnership with ANN," he added.

ANN was established in 1998 to provide an avenue for cooperation among the Asian press. Today it is the world's most active newspaper alliance with a membership base of 19 newspapers, including China Daily, Yomiuri Shimbun and Daily Yomiuri (Japan), The Island (Sri Lanka), The Korea Herald, The Straits Times (Singapore), The Nation, Vietnam News, The Daily Star (Bangladesh), Philippine Daily Inquirer, The Jakarta Post, The Star and Sin Chew Daily (Malaysia), The Statesman (India), The Kathmandu Post, Vientiane Times, Rasmei Kampuchea (Cambodia), Brunei Times and The Nation (Pakistan). The combined circulation of these newspapers is 14 million copies per day.

The number of ANN members joining the DPA global distribution network will at the initial stage be 17 members from 16 countries.