22 May/mai 2007	NOTE
	PR/CP(2007)054

Euro-Atlantic Partnership Council Security Forum

Ohrid, the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia[1]

28 – 29 June 2007

1.         Information

The second Euro-Atlantic Partnership Council Security Forum with the participation of Foreign and other ministers of NATO and Partner countries will take place in the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia on 28-29 June 2007. The NATO Secretary General, Mr. Jaap de Hoop Scheffer, will chair the Forum to be held in the city of Ohrid, and the Government will be the host.

2.         Programme and Pools

The detailed Media Programme for the EAPC Security Forum will be available upon accreditation. Via a system of pools, a restricted number of writing press will be invited to participate in the panels and the plenary sessions. This year the panels will focus on Afghanistan, Kosovo and the Balkans, and Energy security. Pools will also be constituted to bring visual media to the beginning of each of these events. Panel and plenary sessions in their entirety will be covered live and transmitted to the Media Centre via close-circuit television. Pool cards will be available for pick-up at the information desk of the media centre beginning at 16h00 on Thursday, 28 June 2007.

3.         Venue

The EAPC Security Forum will be held in the Inex Gorica Hotel in Ohrid. The Media Centre will be located on-site, and the Media Accreditation Office will be in the Hotel Millenium Palace, Kej Marchal Tito b.b., 6000 Ohrid (tel/fax: +389.46.263.361; email: millenium_palace@mt.net.mk). The Accreditation Office is near the historic centre of town and within 10-15 minutes by shuttle bus from the media centre.

4.         Accreditation and Security Checks

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

The 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 22 June 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 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 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 on 27 June and no later than 10 a.m. on 28 June 2007.

6.         Broadcasting

Television editing booths and Radio ISDN lines 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 close to the Media Centre.

The Host Television Broadcaster, Macedonian Radio Television (MRT), will provide live coverage of arrivals of delegations, the public sessions of all meetings and panel discussions and international news conferences. For enquiries, or to book a TV editing booth, please contact :

Mr. Blazo RISTOV

National TV Broadcasting MRTV

Telephone: +389.23.23.95.20 (Office), +389.70.33.83.62 (Cellular)

Email: blazo.ristov@mt.net.mk

The host Radio Broadcaster, MRT, will provide the signal and technical assistance. For enquiries, or to book the radio studio or a radio ISDN workstation:

Mr. Dimac Mitkovski

National TV Broadcasting MRTV

Email: dimac_mk@yahoo.com

7.         Communications

Laptop computers need to be equipped with RJ 45 plugs in order to connect to the high-speed internet. ISDN lines will also be available for radio transmissions. Please check if you need to use an adaptor in ‘Euro ISDN’ standard. Electricity in Ohrid is 220 Volts and plugs have two round pins

8.         Accommodations

Media representatives are encouraged to stay in Ohrid and are advised to book their hotel rooms as soon as possible.

Millennium

www.mileniumpalace.com.mk                       e-mail: millenium_palace@mt.net.mk

tel. ++ 389 (0) 46 263 361                           fax ++389 (0) 46 267 010

Address: Quay Marshal Tito b.b. 

Donco

www.hoteldonco.com.mk                               e-mail: flamengo@mt.net.mk

tel. ++ 389 (0) 46 262 610                           GSM. 389(0)71 222 668

address: Blvd Turisticka 92

Lebed

www.hotellebed.com.mk                                e-mail: tani@mt.net.mk

tel. ++ 389 (0) 46 25 00 04                          fax 389 (0) 46 26 36 07                               

address: Quay Marshal Tito b.b.

Riviera

www.rivierahotel.com.mk                               e-mail: hotel_riviera@mt.net.mk

tel. ++ 389 (0) 46 26 87 35                          fax 389 (0) 46 25 41 55                               

For further information, please contact Mr. Milan Janakievich :

Office Phone: +389.23.282.144

Cellular Phone: +389.70.279.992

Email: janikijm@mk.pims.org

9.         Transport

The host nation will organise transport to and from designated media hotels and the Accreditation Office and to the Media Centre, via a shuttle bus system whose schedule will be available at the hotels, the Accreditation Office and the Centre.

Furthermore, a limited number of seats is being reserved on the NATO plane travelling to Ohrid directly from Brussels on 28 June for members of the press permanently accredited to NATO. Requests to book a seat on the NATO plane should be addressed to the Head of Media Operations at NATO Headquarters in Brussels, Mr. Damien Arnaud, via electronic means only on press-at-ohrid@hq.nato.int. The persons travelling to Ohrid that way can also return on the NATO plane on 29 June after the end of the last scheduled event.

10.       Enquiries

Ms. Vesna Poposka                                                 Mr. Damien Arnaud

EAPC Security Forum Media Coordinator            NATO Media Coordinator

Telephone: +389.71.237.854.                                 Telephone: +32.2.707.5038

Email: eapcmediamk@mt.net.mk                          Email: press-at-ohrid@hq.nato.int