Mr. President:

Agence France Presse, The Associated Press, Bloomberg and Reuters welcome your call for debate on media and media freedoms in South Africa.

As international news agencies with operations in South Africa, we would like to raise concerns that a proposal for a media tribunal and the Protection of Information Bill could restrict our work and the work of other journalists.

We fear the proposed law on protecting information could restrict the free flow of information, even though it stipulates it is not intended to allow officials to conceal information simply because its publication might be embarrassing.

The bill would vest power to classify information with a wide range of officials, and extends statutory protection to information of ``national interest'' without clearly defining how far that could extend. Penalties of up to 25 years in prison are envisioned. We fear this could conflict with South Africa's constitutional commitment to freedom of the press and other media.

With regard to the call for a media appeals tribunal, we believe it would undermine the media's independence if the tribunal were to answer to Parliament or any arm of government.

While many aspects of how the tribunal would work have not been determined, we are concerned that it might not be in line with the freedom of expression enshrined in the constitution or the commitment to democracy that South Africa has shown since 1994.

The media in South Africa and foreign reporters working in the country told the world about the horrors of apartheid, despite intimidation, attempts at censorship and attacks by the white-led government.

In lodging our concerns more than a decade and a half after apartheid ended, we add our voices to those defending press freedom and freedom of expression in South Africa and worldwide.