Informal meeting of NATO Defence Ministers

Budapest, Hungary, 9-10 October 2008

1. Information

Defence Ministers will hold informal meetings in Budapest, Hungary, on Thursday 9 and Friday 10 October 2008, under the chairmanship of the NATO Secretary General, Mr Jaap de Hoop Scheffer. The Minister of Defence of Hungary, His Excellency Mr Imre Szekeres, 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 Thursday, 9 October.

3. Venue

The Marriott Hotel (Apaczai Csere Janos u. 4 – Budapest 1052) is the venue for the ministerial meetings. The Media Centre will be located in the Sofitel Hotel (Roosevelt ter 2 – Budapest 1051) close to the meeting venue. The Media Accreditation Office will be located in the Intercontinental Hotel (Apaczai Csere Janos u. 12/11 – Budapest 1052).

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 6 October 2008. 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 issued 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 organization).

Passes must 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 they 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 Wednesday, 8 October 2008.

5. Hours of operation

	Accreditation Office	Media Centre
Wed 8 Oct	08:00 – 18:00	08:00 – 20:00
Thu 9 Oct	08:00 – 20:00	08:00 – End of operations
Fri 10 Oct	07:00 – 14:30	07:00 – End of operations

 

6. Broadcasting

12 television and 8 radio editing booths are located in the Media Centre. A TV studio, a  radio interview room and 2 inside 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, D&B 2001 Bt, 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 studio or TV editing booth, please contact:

Mr. Miklos Kenderessy
mobile: +36 20 931 2238
e-mail: kenderessy@dbg.hu

The Host Radio Broadcaster, D&B 2001 Bt, will provide the signal and technical assistance. For enquiries, or to book the radio studio or a radio editing booth, please contact Mr. Kenderessy whose contact details appear in the paragraph above.

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. 2 ISDN lines will be available for radio transmissions.

Please check if you need to use a Euro ISDN standard adaptor. Electricity supply in Hungary is at 220 volts and plugs have two round pins.

8. Accommodation

Media representatives are encouraged to book their hotel rooms as soon as possible.  

The recommended hotel is:

Danubius Health Spa Resort Helia	Point of contact: Mr. Gyula Bartos
Kárpát u. 62-64	Telephone: +36 1 889 5816
H-1133 Budapestµ	Fax: +36 1 889 5834
Hungary	E-mail: gyula.bartos@danubiushotels.com

 

Please use this booking form (.PDF/131KB) to make your reservation. This hotel is within easy reach by subway, along the Danube, and a short driving distance from the Media Centre. Reservations are on a first-come first-served basis. As necessary, transport will be organised also to and from the Flamenco, Tas vezer u. 3-7, H-1113 Budapest. It is located somewhat further away from the media centre. Please use this booking form (.PDF/23KB) to make your reservation.

9. Transport

Transport for the media representatives will be provided from the recommended hotel to the event sites and back. Transport from the airport to the recommended media hotel is the responsibility of each media representative.

10. Enquiries

Mrs Enikő VARGÁNÉ EGRY  Hungarian Media Coordinator  Telephone: +36 1 474 1109     Fax: +36 1 474 1110    E-mail: eniko.egry@hm.gov.hu

Mr. Damien ARNAUD NATO Media Coordinator Tel: +32 2 707 50 38 Fax: +32 2 707 50 57 E-mail: press-at-budapest@hq.nato.int

                                                    

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