Informal meeting of NATO Defence Ministers (IDM 2-2007)

1. Information

Defence Ministers will hold informal meetings in Noordwijk, Netherlands, on Wednesday 24 and Thursday 25 October 2007, under the chairmanship of the NATO Secretary General, Mr. Jaap de Hoop Scheffer. The Minister of Defence of the Netherlands, His Excellency Mr. Eimert van Middelkoop, will host the meetings.

2. Programme and pools

The detailed Media Programme will be available upon accreditation. Via a system of pools, a restricted number of visual media will be invited to cover events with limited access. All media events will be transmitted live to the media centre via closed circuit TV. By accepting a pool card, cameramen and photographers agree to share their material with colleagues who have not had direct access to the venue. Pool cards will be available for pick-up from the Media Centre Information Desk from 10:00 on Wednesday, 24 October.

3. Venue

The Grand Hotel Huis ter Duin in Noordwijk located near the seaside, is the venue for the ministerial meetings. The Media Centre will be located in the Palace Hotel, Pickeplein 8, 2202 CL Noordwijk Aan Zee, adjacent to the Conference Site. The Media Accreditation Office will be located in the Alexander Hotel, Oude Zeeweg 63, Postbus 1056, 2200 BB Noordwijk Aan Zee, across the street from the Palace Hotel.

4. Accreditation and Security Checks

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

The Accreditation process requires interested media representatives to create a user name and password and to provide a digital picture (3.5 x 4.5 cm passport-size photograph in JPEG format). Applications for accreditation should be made no later than noon on Friday, 19 October 2007. Applications received after that date may encounter delay or be rejected. Media representatives having completed the request for accreditation on the internet must bring a print-out of the request confirmation.

Access to the Media Centre requires a media pass delivered at the Accreditation Office. Media passes will not be mailed to applicants and must be picked up in person at the Media Accreditation Office upon presentation of a valid I.D. card or passport and a valid press card (or letter of accreditation from a recognised media organisation). Passes need to be worn visibly at all times and secondary identification may always be asked for 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.

Television and radio broadcasters, wire services and photo agencies bringing bulky equipment are particularly urged to bring it into the Media centre prior to 12:00 on Tuesday, 23 October 2007.

5. Hours of Operation

6. Broadcasting

Television and radio editing booths are located in the Media Centre. A Radio interview room and TV stand ups are also available. Satellite uplink trucks and O.B. vans will be parked next to the Media Centre. The Host Television Broadcaster, NOS Eurovisie, will provide live coverage of arrivals of delegations, the public sessions of all meetings, and major international news conferences. For enquiries or to book a TV editing booth, please contact :

• Mrs. Els Felderhof
  Telephone +31(0)35-6773604
  E-mail: mailto:eurovisie@nos.nl

The Host Radio Broadcaster, NOS Eurovisie, will provide the signal and technical assistance. For enquiries, or to book the radio studio or a radio editing booth, please contact:

• Mrs. Els Felderhof
  Telephone +31(0)35-6773604
  E-mail: mailto:eurovisie@nos.nl

7. Communications

Laptop computers will need to be equipped with RJ 45 plugs in order to be able to connect to the LAN high-speed communication network in the Media Centre. ISDN lines will be available for radio transmissions. Please check if you need to use an adaptor in “Euro ISDN” standard. Electricity in the Netherlands is 220 volts and plugs have two round pins.

8. Accommodation

Media representatives are encouraged to stay in Schiphol and are advised to book their hotel rooms as soon as possible. Room reservations to the recommended hotels should be made mentioning NATO to benefit from negotiated rates. The recommended hotels are:

• Sheraton Amsterdam Airport Hotel & Conference Center
  Schipholboulevard 101
  1118 BG Amsterdam
  http://www.sheraton.com/amsterdamair/
  
  Room Rate: EUR 190,00 excluding breakfast Breakfast : EUR 27,00 per person
  Breakfast will be served between 06.00 am and 10.30 am.
  
  Reservations: Cathy Rings, +31(0)20-316 4337 http://www.starwoodmeeting.com/StarGroupsWeb /res?id=0708296141&key=82908
  
  The hotel is directly connected with the airport via a walking bridge. The distance from the hotel to Noordwijk is 30 kilometres
  
  
• NH Schiphol Airport
  Kruisweg 495
  2132 NA Hoofddorp
  http://www.nh-hotels.com/
  
  Room Rate: EUR 179,00 excluding breakfast
  Breakfast: EUR 19,00 per person
  Breakfast will be served between 05.30 am and 10.00 am.
  
  Reservations: Suzanne Klinkenberg, +31(0)20-6550560
  s.klinkenberg@nh-hotels.com
  Please mention NATO when making the reservation.
  
  The shuttle bus from and to the airport leaves between 06.00 am and 00.00 am every 20 minutes. The distance from the hotel to Noordwijk is 25 kilometres.
  
  
• Holiday Inn Leiden
  Haagse Schouwweg 10
  2332 KG Leiden
  
  http://www.ihg.com/
  Room Rate: EUR 150,00 excluding breakfast
  Breakfast: EUR 17,00 per person
  Breakfast will be served between 06.30 am and 10.30 am.
  
  Reservations: Karin van der Kloet, Jacco Stolwijk, Cindy van Westing
  +31(0)71-53 55 300
  stay@holiday-inn-leiden.com
  Please mention NATO when making the reservation.
  
  No shuttle bus is available from and to the airport. The distance to Noordwijk is 10 kilometres.
  
  
• Hotel Schiphol A4
  Rijksweg A4, nr 3
  2132 MA Hoofddorp
  http://www.hotelschiphol.nl/
  
  Room Rate: EUR 89,00 excluding breakfast
  Breakfast: EUR 10,00 per person
  Breakfast will be served from 05.00 am till 11.00 am.
  
  Reservations: Nicolet Lakerveld, +31(0)252-629292
  groepen@schiphol.valk.nl
  Please mention NATO when making the reservation.
  
  The shuttle bus from and to the airport leaves between 06.00 am and 10.30 pm every 40 minutes. The distance from the hotel to Noordwijk is 26 kilometres.
  
  
• Hotel Ibis Amsterdam Airport
  Schipholweg 181
  1171 PK Badhoevedorp
  http://www.ibishotel.com/
  
  Room Rate: EUR 86,00 excluding breakfast
  Breakfast: EUR 11,00
  Breakfast will be served from 04.00 am till 12.00 pm
  
  Reservations: Abbas Zoghary, +31(0)20-5025120
  Reservations can be made due to the enclosed reservations form.
  
  The shuttle bus from and to the airport leaves between 04.30 am and 02.00 am every 20 minutes. The distance from the hotel to Noordwijk is 35 kilometres.
  
  
• For general hotel-related enquiries, please contact:
  Mrs. Monique Verheijden:
  Telephone: +31 (0)20 489 00 33
  Fax: +31 (0)20 489 00 34
  E-mail:mailto:monique@move-consultancy.eu
  

9. Transport

Media representatives are advised to use their own means of transportation to and from the Media Centre in Noordwijk. Some parking will be available at the Media Accreditation Office. Further, a shuttle bus service will be available between recommended media hotels in Schiphol and the Media Centre. Transportation time is estimated at ½ hour. A schedule of the shuttle bus service will be available in the Media Accreditation Office and in the lobby of the recommended media hotels.

10. Enquiries

• Mr. Roger van de Wetering
  Dutch Media Coordinator
  
  Telephone: +31 (0)70 318 86983
  Fax: +31 (0)70 31 87 063
  E-mail: r.vd.wetering@mindef.nl
  
  
• Mr. Damien Arnaud
  NATO Media Coordinator
  
  Telephone: +32 2 707 50 38
  Fax : +32 2 707 50 57
  E-mail:mailto:press-at-noordwijk@hq.nato.int