Foreign Ministers Meetings

General

1. The North Atlantic Council (NAC) at the level of Foreign Ministers will meet at NATO Headquarters on Tuesday, December 2nd and Wednesday, December 3rd 2008. On the same days, there will also be meetings of the Mediterranean Dialogue (including Invitees Croatia and Albania), the NATO-Georgia Commission (NGC) with Invitees and the NATO-Ukraine Commission (NUC) with Invitees, all at the level of Foreign Ministers.

Programme and pools

2. The detailed Media Programme will be available upon accreditation. The first meeting is foreseen for lunchtime on December 2nd; the last is expected to end around lunchtime on December 3rd.

3. All media representatives wishing to cover the event need to request accreditation, except those who hold permanent accreditation with NATO Headquarters in Brussels (See No. 6 below). Press Conferences are media events that do not require a pool card. The opening remarks of the Council meeting will be transmitted live on the internal CCTV system and can be followed from the press working area; those audiovisual media representatives who wish to cover the opening remarks from inside the Council chamber can introduce a request for a pool card in writing at the email address indicated at the end of this advisory. No confirmation will be sent. Pool Cards for restricted media events will be handed out at the Information Desk of the Media Centre to cameramen and photographers who have accredited on time, from 11h00 on Tuesday, 02 December.

4. By accepting a pool card, cameramen and photographers agree to share their material upon request with colleagues who not had direct access to the venue.

5. NATO Photographers and Cameramen provide audio-visual products of all media events on the NATO website or via the TV/Radio unit (see contact details below).

Accreditation and security checks

6. Journalists holding a valid permanent NATO media pass need not apply for accreditation and will have access as usual.

7. Media representatives not in possession of a valid permanent NATO media pass and wishing to cover the meeting 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.

8. Applications should be made no later than 24h00 on Sunday, 30 November 2008. Applications received after that date will encounter delays and may be rejected. Media representatives having completed the request for accreditation on the internet must bring with them a print-out of the request confirmation. Late requests will not be considered for pools.

9. NATO’s regular Accreditation procedures apply for this meeting. The accreditation process requires media representatives using the system for the first time to create a username and password and to provide a digital picture (3.5 x 4.5 cm passport-size photograph in JPEG format). Furthermore, media representatives residing in Belgium are requested in the application web-interface to provide their Belgian press card number and issuing authority (the Belgian Ministry of Interior or the Belgian Ministry of Foreign Affairs).

10. Access to the Media Centre requires a NATO media pass. 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 recognized media organisation). The Media Accreditation Office will be located in portacabins on the left of the Main site entrance of NATO Headquarters. Passes need to be worn visibly at all times and secondary identification may be asked by security personnel at any time. Media representatives are informed that security personnel will examine and may test equipment and personal effects carried onto the site and are therefore advised to arrive with sufficient lead time to clear security checks.

Facilities

11. Eight television and 8 radio editing booths (each with ISDN, Internet and phone) will be available for radio and TV networks. Please call the TV and Radio unit (contacts below) for reservation on a first-come/first-served basis.

12. Broadcasters, wire services and photo agencies bringing bulky equipment are encouraged to bring it into the Media Centre on Tuesday morning.

Opening hours

Parking

13. Media representatives are advised that they will not be allowed to park their vehicles inside the NATO compound; they will be allowed to park on the “East” and “ West” parking areas, just outside NATO’s Main site entrance. Outside broadcasting vans will park in the dedicated area of parking “East“ or on “parking H” upon request.   

Points of contact