A network of 89 countries in the developing world is planning to launch an alternative news network in 2006 to counter what it calls 'distorted' coverage in the Western media.

Plans for the Nonaligned Movement News Network were announced following a two-day conference in Malaysia. Participating countries include several listed on the US government's 'axis of evil'; Cuba, Iran, Syria and North Korea.

Zimbabwe, Sudan and Myanmar are also included and the project will be overseen by the Malaysian government through Bernama, its official state news agency.

Following the conference, ministers from the network of countries released a declaration stating their opposition to "the use of the media as a tool for hostile propaganda against developing countries that is aimed at destabilising their governments".

They also accused Western media of propagating 'orchestrated smear campaigns' against developing nations, and said that member countries must organise their own mechanisms for distributing news and information.

Press freedom groups have expressed concern that the network will be a platform for government propaganda as many of those countries listed have a history of censorship and repression of dissent.

A spokesperson for Human Rights Watch said the network would produce a 'Reuters of repression'.

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