MILLENNIUM MEDIA ARRANGEMENTS BRIEFING BY UNITED NATIONS SECURITY CHIEF

Press Briefing

MILLENNIUM MEDIA ARRANGEMENTS BRIEFING BY UNITED NATIONS SECURITY CHIEF

Primary access to the United Nations for press and media during the week of the Millennium Summit, scheduled for 6-8 September, will be via the Forty-eighth Street entrance on First Avenue, Michael McCann, Chief of Security and Safety Service, told correspondents at a Headquarters press briefing Friday afternoon.

From a screening point at that entrance, Mr. McCann said, everyone would proceed to the garden doors at the first basement level, where entrance would then be permitted to the United Nations complex and the Conference building.

The Chief of Security said there would be a crossing point at the north-west corner of Forty-second Street and First Avenue, where the Host Government, United Nations Security and the New York Police would be located. Only media with resident correspondent passes but carrying no equipment would be able to use that crossing.

According to Mr. McCann, the second crossing point would be on Forty-sixth Street and First Avenue, and that was for delegations. “We are asking staff and everyone else to stay away from there and to use the primary crossing at Forty-ninth Street.” There should not be any restrictions there, he said. From that primary crossing, persons would cross over to the eastside of First Avenue and proceed south to Forty- eight Street where “you will see a very friendly face in a blue uniform. He or she will welcome you to the United Nations, invite you into the grounds and send you over to a metal detector.”

At that point, said Mr. McCann, personnel would be directed to go into the first basement through the rose garden entrance. That entrance was near Conference Room E and the offices of the Advisory Committee on Administrative and Budgetary Questions (ACABQ). Forty-ninth and Forty- eighth Streets would be open at all times, for delegates, staff and the media, he added.

The Chief of Security said the restricted area would be the second floor of the Conference building beyond the cordoned-off area, including the Trusteeship and Economic and Social Council Chambers, the North Delegates Lounge, and the General Assembly. The Delegates Entrance and the Visitor's Lobby in the General Assembly Building would also be restricted. The latter area had been set aside for bilaterals, he said.

The final restricted area, said Mr. McCann, would be the first basement near the Viennese Café, since roundtable discussion would be held in Conference Rooms 5 and 6. That area would be closed off to accommodate Heads of State and Government who would be participating in

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the talks there on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday. There would also be a restriction on Thursday 7 September for the Security Council Summit, which is scheduled to last two hours. The Council area would thus come under the restricted areas.

Responding to a request for clarification about the restrictions, Mr. McCann said that no media would be allowed past the restricted points unless they were either in a pre-designated area and pre- positioned.

Asked about time limits on entering and exiting the building, the Chief of Security said "we will be opening Forty-eighth Street very early". If entrance or exit was required before that street was open or after it was closed, then persons would have to go through the Forty- second Street entrance.

A correspondent wanted to know if there would be certain times when First Avenue, even at the crossing points, would be frozen, so that crossing would not be permitted even at a designated position. Mr. McCann said he was somewhat hesitant to respond, since all the questions pertaining to First Avenue should be answered by the New York City Police Department (NYPD), the City of New York and United States Government authorities.

Mr. McCann generally believed, however, that First Avenue from Forty-second to Forty-sixth Street would be closed to vehicle traffic starting sometime on Sunday 27 August. Commencing Wednesday, there would be an additional restriction on First Avenue, which would be more restrictive, more dramatic and would extend lower than Forty-second Street and higher than Forty-sixth. It would also prevent pedestrians from crossing the street through checkpoints positioned all the way from Forty-second through to Forty-ninth streets.

Another correspondent wanted to know whether media would be able to walk up First Avenue, cross at Forty-second Street and get into the building -- or would there be frozen periods when people either had to be in at a certain point or lose out. The Chief of Security said, "you will be able to walk up the westside of First Avenue and cross to the eastside of Forty-second Street if you have a resident correspondent's pass".

Crossing, Mr. McCann stressed, would not be permitted when motorcades, particularly the more high-risk ones, were arriving. When that was happening he was sure the police would close First Avenue. That was why the Forty-eighth and Forty-ninth Street entrances would be open at all times. He suggested that correspondents get to Headquarters before seven a.m. to avoid running into the high-risk arrivals.

Asked whether there would be restrictions on the area which housed Conference Rooms 1, 2 and 3, the Chief of Security said that

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area would offer normal access. Room 1 was set aside for the media, 2 for press conferences and 3 for delegates, which made it off limits.

A correspondent wanted to know if the Delegates’ Dining Room would be open and whether visitors would be allowed into it. Mr. McCann said it would not be open to visitors. The Complex itself would not be open to guests, tours or the public from 1 p.m. on Monday 4 August until the end of the Summit. The Dining Room would only be open to delegation staff and anyone else with valid credentials.

Asked whether garage access would be impeded, Mr. McCann said that anyone who was now allowed to park there would be permitted to do so. The garage, however, would be closed starting on Sunday, 3 September and would reopen on Monday, 4 September at 4 a.m. for delivery trucks and at 6 a.m. for staff and delegates who were returning. Canine teams would conduct searches at that point.

A correspondent wanted to know whether the freezing of sections of First Avenue would impact the FDR Drive. The Chief of Security said there would be times when the FDR would be closed. Most such closures would take place around noon, except for Wednesday 6 August, when the Drive would be closed some time around 8.30 a.m.

Sonia Lecca, Chief of the Media Accreditation and Liaison Unit, said the stakeout area would be at the Delegates’ Entrance from 7 a.m. until 9. The space was very limited and would be on a first-come-first- serve basis. She suggested that anyone who wanted to be there should be in position by 7 a.m., as the Heads of State would arrive at around 7.30 a.m.

Ms. Lecca said there would also be a small platform at the Delegates’ Lounge and a receiving line where the Secretary-General and his wife would receive the Heads of State. Only still photographers from the major news agencies and newspapers would be allowed. There was no place for television crews and the event would be carried only by United Nations Television.

At a breakfast for Assistant Secretaries-General, Foreign Ministers and Permanent Representatives, there would be some photo opportunities as well. There would also be a noon briefing and press conferences in Conference Room 2. Most of the action would be at the liaison desk, on the third floor at the entrance to the booth in the Assembly, where she suggested that most of the photographers and camera crews that would cover the Heads of State should gather.

In that area, Ms. Lecca continued, there would be a desk dealing with bilateral meetings, speeches in the General Assembly as well as the signing of treaties. There was an extensive list of treaties that would be signed. So far there were about 68. “We expect to have about 75 signed by Heads of State and Foreign Ministers.”

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Ms. Lecca said that during the Security Council Summit, only still photographers would be allowed inside the Council chamber. United Nations Television would cover the proceedings live. In the stakeout location a small pool of correspondents, some still photographers and probably fewer than seven crews would be allowed.

Ms. Lecca said there was also a state-of-the-art media centre, as had been indicated in a note to correspondents on 12 July.

Ivan Stoynov, Head of the United Nations Television, said the Summit was going to be covered in collaboration with NHK (the Japan Broadcasting Corporation) in high-definition television. Those who were interested in receiving the signal should contact NHK and it would be provided. Monitors around the building would display that high- definition signal.

Mr. Stoynov said 28 cameras would be used to cover the event, 14 of which would provide high-definition signals. The signal would however be down-converted to digital, enabling everyone to enjoy it on their television sets.

Mr. Stoynov said four additional channels had been allocated on which it would be possible to view events such as arrivals, receptions and luncheons.

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