2009-01-26

Summit Meeting of NATO Heads of State and Government Strasbourg, France / Kehl, Germany

4. The Media Centre will be located in the Parc des Expositions (Boulevard de Dresde – 67000 Strasbourg).

5. Finally, the Media Accreditation Office will be located at Cap Europe (6, rue de Bitche – 67000 Strasbourg, access via rue Jean Frédéric Oberlin).
ACCREDITATION AND SECURITY CHECKS

6. Media representatives wishing to cover the Summit must request accreditation. Applications for accreditation can only be made on-line via internet, by clicking on the following link: https://my.hq.nato.int/jas.

7. The accreditation process is summarized on the NATO Website at the following Internet address: http://www.nato.int/docu/pr/2008/p08-147e.html. It requires interested media representatives to create a user name and password and to provide a digital picture (3.5 x 4.5 cm passport-type photograph in JPEG format). Applications for accreditation should be made no later than 12 midnight on Monday, 30 March 2009. Applications received after that date are likely to be delayed or refused. Media representatives having completed the request for accreditation on the internet are encouraged to bring a print-out of the request confirmation. Late applications will not be taken into consideration for the pools.

8. Access to the Media Centre requires a media pass. Media passes will not be mailed to applicants; they must be collected in person at the Media Accreditation Office upon presentation of a valid ID card or passport and a valid press card (or letter of accreditation from a recognized media organization).

9. Passes must be worn visibly at all times, and secondary identification may be requested at any time by security personnel. Media representatives are informed that security personnel will examine and may test equipment and personal effects carried onto the site and are advised to arrive with sufficient lead time to clear security checks.

10. Television and radio broadcasters, wire services and photo agencies using bulky equipment are particularly urged to bring it into the Media Centre before 12 noon on Thursday, 2 April 2009.
ACCESS TO THE EVENTS

11. For events being held in Germany, media representatives may only attend after first undergoing a security check at the Media Centre in Strasbourg. A shuttle service has been arranged for persons who have been granted access to the Baden-Baden or Kehl events (see “Programme and Pools” section below). For reasons of practicality and security, they will not be allowed to use their own transportation to go to these events.
OPENING HOURS
Accreditation Office Media Centre
Wednesday 1 April 08:00–22:00 /
Thursday 2 April 08:00–22:00 09:00–end of operations
Friday 3 April 08:00–22:00 07:00–end of operations
Saturday 4 April 07:00–15:00 07:00–end of operations
Sunday 5 April Closed 07:00–12:00 noon

MEDIA CENTRE FACILITIES

12. The authorities are planning to make one thousand seats available to journalists and delegations in the press hall, with the necessary telephone and internet connections. In addition, there will be at least 25 stand-up positions in the Strasbourg Press Centre, and a dozen conference rooms for the Heads of State and Government. Finally, 110 television editing booths and 30 radio editing booths will be made available to the media.
PROGRAMME AND POOLS

13. Details of the programme of meetings of the Heads of State and Government will be available at the last minute. A working dinner has already been scheduled for 3 April 2009 in Baden-Baden, Germany. The Council will meet in Kehl, Germany and Strasbourg, France on Saturday, 4 April 2009. The detailed programme and a handbook will be handed out to media representatives when they collect their accreditation.

14. All the events, including those being held on the margins of the Summit starting on 2 April, will be shown on Media Centre CCTV, broadcast live whenever possible.

15. Some media events are open to all media representatives, others are restricted. Press briefings are typically open media events. Restricted events include coverage of opening sessions of Council meetings, the official photographs and official arrivals. Restricted events can be covered by photographers and cameramen only, via a system of pool cards.

16. When a media representative accepts a NATO pool position it is with the strict understanding, in accordance with international practice, that the act of accepting the credential to be in a NATO pool implies explicit and unconditional agreement by that media representative that he/she will share immediately and upon request with other media credentialed to the NATO event all information collected, and/or all material produced, while in that pool. It also implies explicit agreement that the media representative will share the material with no impediment from their own news organization, at no charge to other journalists and with no restriction on the use of the material for legitimate news purposes.

17. Media representatives can only accept the pool credential if they have the explicit backing of their employer to all of the conditions on providing pool material as the basis of accepting the pool position.

18. Media representatives and the news organizations that employ them who accept any material from a pool accept it with the explicit and strict understanding that it must be identified as pool material any time it is used, that it can be used only for legitimate news purposes and that the receiving party has no right to sell pool material or otherwise profit from it.

19. Pool passes are delivered to the media by the Delegation press officer of the country from where the media comes. Delegation contact details will be published in the second media advisory in March. Media from countries with no invited official delegation can apply for a pool pass through the NATO Media Coordinator.

20. Applications for pool passes must be directed to the news organization’s national press officers or the NATO press service. Pool passes will be distributed in Strasbourg no earlier than 2 April 2009. Further information will be provided at a later date.

21. Those who do not gain access to pools can nonetheless obtain photographic and video material from NATO and/or the Host Nations. The main point of contact for that is the Information Desk at the Media Centre, or the Websites of the Host Nations and NATO.

22. The list of main events where a pool system will be in place for photographers and television cameramen has not yet been finalized but is likely to include:

* Keynote address by the NATO Secretary General at a youth event
* Protocol and informal arrivals in Baden-Baden, Strasbourg and/or Kehl
* Opening of the working dinner
* Opening of the North Atlantic Council meeting
* Official photograph
* Opening of possible meetings of the Allies in other formats
* Possible visits of NATO events or exhibitions on the margins of the Summit
* Possible official commemorative ceremonies

BILATERAL MEETINGS

23. Many national delegations are expected to take the opportunity of the Summit to schedule bilateral meetings and, in some cases, they will solicit certain media to cover such encounters. These bilateral meetings are not Summit media events per se, and it is therefore up to each individual delegation to identify media and to arrange with Host security the invited photographers’ or cameramen’s access to the meeting venue.
PRESS CONFERENCES

24. The French and German authorities have made 13 rooms available to the delegations for their press conferences. All of these rooms are equipped with lighting and sound systems for television and radio, including connection points for sound recordings and wi-fi coverage. The seven largest rooms have interpretation equipment. The main press conferences that will be held in the main press hall will also be broadcast live on CCTV.

25. Detailed plans will be published in the media handbook, and the exact schedules will be shown on CCTV. The national delegations must contact the NATO Media Coordinator to reserve spaces and time slots for their press conferences.

26. Access to press conferences is normally open to all accredited media without pool passes; delegations reserve the right to restrict access to their national media only.
REQUESTS FOR INTERVIEWS

27. Requests for interviews with the Secretary General should be directed to the NATO Spokesman’s Office. The point of contact is Mrs Hedwige Lauwaert (e-mail: lauwaert.hedwige@hq.nato.int).

28. Requests for interviews with representatives from Delegations should be directed to the Delegations themselves. Detailed information about the delegations’ contact points in Strasbourg and Baden-Baden will be published in the media handbook handed out at the time of accreditation.
TELEVISION HOST BROADCASTER

29. The host broadcaster for the Summit will provide coverage of delegation arrivals, the opening session, official photographs, evening events and the main international news conferences. A complete international broadcasting centre and master control, with interior and exterior stand-up positions and television interview studios, will be available.

30. Eurovision will provide comprehensive broadcast facilities, including stand-up positions for live programme inserts, tape playout (multiple formats), editing and distribution of the pool audio and video signals in unequipped work spaces and TV editing booths.

31. Booking requests for EBU/Eurovision stand-ups, tape playout, editing studio time and/or use of a dedicated TV editing booth should be addressed to:

Lance NEWHART
Eurovision Operations
Telephone: + 41 22 717 2841
Mobile: + 41 79 244 6527
E-mail: newhart@eurovision.net

32. In addition to the stand-up position dedicated to EBU clients, a number of positions will be available for media using their own equipment. Booking requests for those spaces should be sent to the French Task Force via the following contact point: Jean-Louis Jourdes, Tel.: +33.6.11.03.01.28, e-mail: jean-louis.jourdes@wanadoo.fr.
RADIO HOST BROADCASTER

33. Radio studios, editing booths and sound distribution points will be made available to radio media representatives. EBU Radio will manage booking requests, provide signal and technical assistance as required. For EBU services, full specifications and rates, please contact Ms Julia Lonicer, Tel.: +41.79.230.15.08, e-mail: lonicer@ebu.ch.

34. ISDN lines for radio transmissions will be available. They will be in “Euro ISDN” standard. Please check if you need an adapter to use Euro ISDN lines. For additional technical information and technical support, please contact Ms Lonicer.
UPLINK TRUCKS

35. Uplink trucks will be given access to the Media Centre, in the car park located alongside Halls 20 and 21. To facilitate access in the centre of the city, the TV stations are highly recommended to indicate no later than 24 March the registration number, make and dimensions of the uplink trucks that will be used.

36. The French point of contact is Mr Jean-Louis Jourdes, Tel.: +33.6.11.03.01.28, e-mail: jean-louis.jourdes@wanadoo.fr .
CUSTOMS

37. Media representatives from EU countries may come in and out of France and Germany without having to pass the Customs procedures for their personal belongings or professional equipment.

38. For media representatives from non-EU countries, both their personal belongings (reasonably necessary for the trip) and those needed for their professional activities during the Summit (sound, image and data supports, equipment meant for TV and radio production and broadcasting and the vehicles specially adapted for the above-mentioned purpose, together with their related equipment) are to be the subject of Customs procedures for temporary admission, with total exoneration from import duties. Having an ATA/CPD licence for these goods is highly recommended.
ACCOMMODATIONS

39. The Host Nations wish to centralize hotel room bookings for media representatives as much as possible to ensure adequate service and supply. Accommodation in France is being managed by the BEYOND company. This service is provided to media representatives free of charge. The Beyond company has opened an internet web site for media – http://www.otan-hotels.strasbourgkehl2009.org, in which a listing of hotels for media is proposed within Strasbourg. Moreover, the website proposes practical information for media representatives. Bookings can be made via internet or telephone: media@strasbourgkehl2009.org and +33.4.93.68.76.00.

40. Because of the limits of hotel capacity in Strasbourg, the BEYOND company urges media representatives to reserve as soon as possible, and requests will be honoured on a first-come-first-served basis. In addition, preferential rates on rooms are proposed to media representatives who make a booking request before 27 February 2009. After that date, the rates may be higher.
ENQUIRIES AND CONTACT INFORMATION

Mrs Evelyne Richard
French Government Press Service
French Media Operations Officer
French Summit Task Force
Telephone: +33.1.42.92.81.00
Fax: +33.1.42.92.80.01
E-mail: evelyne.richard@elysee.fr

Dr Tilman Seeger
German Government Press Service
German Media Operations Officer
German Summit Task Force
Telephone: +49.1888.272.21.16
Fax: +49.1888.272.21.19
E-mail: tilman.seeger@bpa.bund.de

Mr Damien Arnaud
NATO International Staff Press Service
NATO Media Operations Officer
NATO Summit Task Force
Telephone: +32.2.707.50.38
Fax: +32.2.707.50.57
E-mail: strasbourgkehl2009@hq.nato.int

National Contacts for NATO Allies
Delegation press officers’ contact details will be published in an update to this press advisory in March.

Tel: +32 (0)2 707 50 41 - Fax: +32 (0)2 707 50 57
press@hq.nato.int - http://www.nato.int

Source: http://www.nato.int/docu/pr/2009/p09-008e.html