United Nations

Note No. 5960
9 September 2005

Note to Correspondents

Media Arrangements for UN High-Level Plenary Meeting, 14-16 September, and General Debate of Sixtieth Session, 17-28 September

NEW YORK, 8 September (UN Headquarters) -- The High-level Plenary Meeting of the General Assembly's sixtieth session will take place at United Nations Headquarters from 14 -16 September.  It will be followed by the Assembly's general debate which will begin on Saturday, 17 September, and continue through Wednesday, 28 September.

The Headquarters Building will be closed to the public from 4 p.m. on Sunday, 11 September, until 9 a.m. on Thursday, 29 September, and access will be restricted to those media representatives who are accredited and wearing a United Nations grounds pass.

Access for accredited media, with a valid United Nations grounds pass, will be through the gate at 42nd Street, the Visitors' Entrance at 46th Street and the 48th Street gate, with restrictions from 13 to 16 September (please see "Entry and Screening Procedures for High-level Meeting on page 2).  Non-resident correspondents, resident correspondents with heavy equipment, camera crews accompanying resident and non-resident correspondents, as well as all categories of temporary correspondents, must use the 48th Street entrance where they and their equipment will be passed through security screening. Correspondents with equipment will be issued colour-coded "screening passes", which they must surrender to Security Officers inside the Building, at level 1-B.  Should they have to leave the premises, these persons will be given a special pass, to avoid having to go through the screening process again.

Media Accreditation

Correspondents already in possession of a valid United Nations grounds pass will not need additional accreditation for the High-level Plenary Meeting and general debate.  All others must make arrangements to receive accreditation by contacting:

Media Accreditation and Liaison Unit (MALU)
Room S-250
Tel.: 1(212) 963-6934 or 1(212) 963-7164
Fax: 1 (212) 963-4642

Correspondents can begin the registration process online by logging on to the MALU website, at www.un.org/media/accreditation.  Application forms, in the other official languages, are available at the following sites:

www.un.org/arabic/media/accreditation , www.un.org/chinese/media/accreditation , www.un.org/french/media/accreditation , www.un.org/russian/media/accreditation  and www.un.org/spanish/media/accreditation .

For the duration of the High-level Meeting and general debate, the Media Accreditation Office will be located in the North Lawn tent, at 48th Street and First Avenue.  The hours of operation will be, as follows:

All media personnel are advised to arrive early to allow sufficient time for processing of passes and security procedures.  Last-minute arrivals will encounter delays, including road closures for motorcades.

Entry and Screening Procedures for High-Level Meeting

The designated press entrances for the High-level Plenary Meeting are, as follows:

Media Centre and Other Facilities

The facilities available in the "media work space" area on the third floor of the Secretariat Building will include television monitors, telephone, fax, audio dispatches and Internet access at commercial rates.  The Ex-Press Bar on the third floor of the General Assembly Building will serve as an overflow area for the media, particularly the official photographers and cameramen waiting to enter the booth assigned to them.  These locations will also be equipped with electrical outlets and a television monitor showing the proceedings in the Plenary Hall.

For the three-day High-level Plenary Meeting, the United Nations will establish a Media Centre for the local and visiting media in Conference Room 1, on level 1-B, which will provide the following technical services:

-- Television monitors carrying live proceedings on closed-circuit television of the plenary sessions of the High-level Meeting, Security Council meetings, press conferences of Heads of State, arrivals of motorcades at Headquarters and gatherings of Heads of State for the round tables.

-- Video distribution in NTSC and PAL standards, with the "floor" and English tracks.  Media organizations must provide their own video recording decks.

-- Audio distribution to record official proceedings will be available, with provision for language selection, including "floor" audio and English interpretation.

-- Paging system for general announcements to the media.

-- Telephone lines (credit cards required) and 110-volt electrical outlets; journalists using their own laptops must provide their own modems.

-- Computers with Internet access.

-- Wi-Fi Internet service.

-- Documents distribution (including statements and press releases).

An information desk in the Media Centre will be staffed from 13 to 16 September, to assist correspondents with both substantive and organizational questions.  For queries, call the Media Centre, at the following numbers: 1(212) 963-9611/9612/9613.

Wi-Fi connection is also available in the following locations:  Delegates' Lounge; Neck area (in level 1-B, between the elevators and the Viennese Café); Security Council; Trusteeship Council; Economic and Social Council; Viennese Café; the entire second floor area of the General Assembly Hall; GA-27; Audio Room; South Lobby (lounge area near the first floor cafeteria); SA-1B-30 (level 1-B, past the Post Office, near the language classrooms); Conference Rooms 1 to 10; Conference Rooms A to C, and the hallway outside Rooms A to D.

United Nations Audiovisual Materials

The offices providing audiovisual materials -- photographs, videotapes and audiocassettes -- will open at 9 a.m. during the High-level Plenary Meeting and general debate.

Photographs will be available to accredited media free of charge.  Photographs of morning speeches will be available during the afternoon of the same day, and photos of the afternoon speeches on the morning of the following day.  Please direct photo inquiries and requests to:

United Nations Photo Library
Room S-805 L
Tels.: 1(212) 963-6927 and 1(212) 963-0034
Fax: 1(212) 963-1658

Videotapes of speeches are available for a fee in NTSC VHS and NTSC Betacam SP.  Advance tape orders will generally be available on the day of the speech.  Tapes ordered afterwards will be available as soon as possible, usually within one or two days.  To request a videotape of a speech, contact:

United Nations Television
Tels. 1(212) 963-1561 and 1(212) 963-1563
Fax: 1(212) 963-3860 and 1(212) 963-4501
E-mails: gonzalezm@un.org  and tanj@un.org

Direct your requests to both e-mail addresses to ensure prompt attention.

Live television feeds will be available through commercial carriers.  For information, please contact:

United Nations Television
Tel.: 1(212) 963-7650
Fax: 1(212) 963-3860

Please note that only pool television production services will be available from United Nations Television during the High-level Plenary Meeting.

Broadcasters interested in accessing UN Television's live coverage of the High-level Meeting and general debate should contact James Ludlam at 1(212) 963-7650.  If they wish to book a TV studio, call 1(212) 963-7653 or 1(212) 963-7650.  A detailed schedule of live and ENG coverage will be e-mailed to broadcast clients in advance of the Meeting.

Audio cassettes and a selection of digital audio files will be available, free of charge from:

United Nations Audio Library
(Located on the first basement concourse, level 1-B, in Room GA-27)
Tels: 1(212) 963-9270, 1(212) 963-9272 and 1(212) 963-7262
Fax: 1(212) 963-3860

Speeches are normally available in the original ("floor") language in which they were delivered.  Special requests for recording of the interpreter's track in one of the six official languages (Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Russian and Spanish) should be made in advance, and are subject to the limitations of the recording facilities.

Accredited correspondents are provided with audio cassettes of news items free of charge.  Delegates may request one cassette of each speech free of charge.  Additional copies, back orders and other special requests are subject to charge and are handled by the Sound Recording Unit, Room GA-13 C.  Tel: 1(212) 963-9272.

United Nations Radio broadcasts live 15-minute daily weekday programmes from UN Headquarters in six official languages.  Broadcasters worldwide are free to use each segment individually or transmit the programme in its entirety through a variety of distribution methods, including satellite, telephone feed and electronic file transfer (FTP).  Internet users can listen to programmes on http://www.un.org/radio , shortly after it is produced.  For details about current partner stations in English and other languages and shortwave frequencies/transmitters/schedules in Africa and the Middle East, contact:

Audio-visual Promotion and Distribution

Room S-805A
Tel: 1(212) 963-6982 or 1(917) 367-5007
Fax: 1(212) 963-6869
E-mail: audio-visual@un.org

Internet

The UN Website ( http://www.un.org ) through a dedicated portal webpage will provide coverage of the Security Council, General Assembly and other meetings, conferences, press briefings and events in the six official languages, including background information, press releases, news stories, documents, photos, and access to radio programmes, webcast videos and statements.

The UN News Centre, at www.un.org/news , serves as a main portal for UN news, and is continuously updated.  It also provides a wide array of links to related source materials, including press releases, selected reports of the Secretary-General, Security Council resolutions and presidential statements, and other documents on major United Nations issues.  On the UN News Centre, visitors can also subscribe to a free e-mail news alert service that will bring stories on the latest UN developments straight to their mailboxes or desktops.

The UN Webcast Service ( http://www.un.org/webcast ) provides daily live and on-demand broadcasting over the Internet of UN open meetings, conferences, press briefings and events. The High-level Plenary Meeting and sixtieth General Assembly will be covered live in English and the original language of the speaker (floor).  The archived webcast video will be made available on the Webcast website, along with the text of statements.  Queries should be directed to the UN Webcast at: 1(212) 963-6733.

Other Arrangements

Pool coverage:  Nearly all visual media coverage will be done by selected media pools due to logistics and space considerations.  The pools are reserved exclusively for United Nations Television, United Nations photographers, international wire services and photo agencies.  In the case of print media, the United Nations Correspondents Association (UNCA) will notify the Department of Public Information (DPI) of its representative.

The official media accompanying a Head of State or Government or head of delegation, including the official photographer, will not be permitted to participate in these pools.  One exception will be the luncheon in which their Head of State or Government or head of delegation participates, in which case, the official photographer will be allowed to join the pool, and will be subject to direction by the media liaison staff.  Please note that all media pools will be accompanied by media liaison staff.

Stakeouts will be located in the following areas:  the Delegates' Entrance, the Secretariat Entrance and on the second floor near the Security Council Chamber.  Other stakeout areas are being considered for a very limited number of correspondents.  For further information, call 1(212) 963-6934 or fax to 1(212) 963-4642.

Television and photo coverage in General Assembly Hall:  Official photographers and television crews will have an opportunity to cover the speech of their Head of State and Government or head of delegation on a rotational basis, from the press booths surrounding the General Assembly Hall.  Owing to space limitations, they may not remain to cover other speeches.  A limited number of still photographers, escorted by DPI liaison staff, will also be allowed to take photographs during speeches from the bridge located in the rear of the General Assembly Hall.  These operations will be coordinated from the Liaison Desk situated on the third floor in the General Assembly Building.  For queries, call the Media Liaison Desk at:  1(212) 963-7756 or 1(212) 963-3353.

Tickets to the press gallery in General Assembly Hall:  Fifty-three seats are available for media representatives in the press gallery of the General Assembly Hall.  The Media Liaison Desk will distribute tickets on a first-come first-served basis 30 minutes before the morning and afternoon meetings.  Correspondents leaving the press gallery before the end of the meeting are asked to return their tickets to the Liaison Desk for use by others.

Studio for TV interviews:  A small, quiet room will be available for ENG taped interviews.  Broadcasters need to bring their own portable lights.  For bookings/inquiries, contact the Media Liaison Desk at 1(212) 963-7756 and 1(212) 963-3353.

Radio studios:  Limited radio facilities are available to accredited correspondents.  For radio studio availability, contact UN Radio by e-mail: chia-rubin@un.org , martinich@un.org  and otienno@un.org .  Please direct requests to all three to ensure prompt attention.

Copies of speeches for press:  The text of speeches by Heads of State or Government or heads of delegation are made available by the relevant delegations in the Media Centre in Conference Room 1 (located in the first basement, level 1-B), and at the Media Documents Centre counter in the third floor press area of the Secretariat Building.

United Nations press release coverage:  The Department of Public Information will provide press release coverage in English and French of open meetings.  Press releases may be obtained from the third floor racks in the Media Documents Centre, and on the Internet at www.un.org/news .  Queries should be directed to the Press Service, at 1(212) 963-7211 (English) and 1(212) 963-2360 (French).

Background Materials and Other Queries

For media materials about the High-level Plenary Meeting, general debate and key issues, see the United Nations website at www.un.org.  The site will also provide up-to-date information about documents, the overall programme, special events, NGO activities and a listing of live webcasts of certain segments of events.

For additional information, suggestions for interviews and other related assistance, contact the Strategic Communications Division of the Department of Public Information, at 1(212) 963-5851, 1(212) 963-2932 or 1 (212) 963-8264. Fax: 1(212) 963-0536.  E-mail: mediainfo@un.org .

Press Conferences and Briefings for Correspondents

Briefings will be held daily in Room S-226 at noon by the Spokesperson for the Secretary-General and the Spokesperson for the Co-Chairs of the High-level Meeting.  Press conferences by senior UN officials, delegations and Permanent Missions of Member States will also take place in the same room or in Conference Room 2.  The list of press conferences will be announced daily by the Office of the Spokesman for the Secretary-General and posted at www.un.org/news/ossg/conf.htm , as well as on the website of the Media Accreditation and Liaison Unit at www.un.org/media/accreditation .

Coverage of Bilateral Meetings

Photo opportunities will be available for bilateral meetings that are open for coverage.  Media representatives covering these meetings will be asked to assemble at the third floor Liaison Desk, from which point they will be escorted by a media liaison officer.

Coverage of Treaty Signature/Ratification Event

Media representatives will be able to cover the signature and ratification of treaties during the High-Level Meeting from a special platform near the Delegates' Entrance (ground level).  There will be space for a limited number of photographers.  For information, contact the Treaty Section, Office of Legal Affairs, at 1(212) 963-5048.

Dining Facilities

The following dining facilities will be accessible to the media during the High-level Plenary Meeting and general debate:

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