Issued by: Department of Foreign Affairs
The next Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) will take place in Edinburgh, Britain, from 24-27 October 1997, which President Nelson Mandela will attend. The venue will be the Edinburgh International Conference Centre (EICC). The CHOGM Media Centre, with facilities for written and broadcast media, will be located in the Scottish Power Building, Dewar Place, adjacent to the EICC.
Heads of Government will be on Retreat in the town of St Andrews on Sunday 26 October 1997, returning to Edinburgh the same day. Press Pools will be assigned to cover the St Andre's Retreat on a limited basis. A separate Pool Schedule will be issued nearer the time.
ACCREDITATION
Access to media facilities will be available only to accredited media representatives. Accreditation is open to bona fide journalists, roadcasters, photographers, film and television camera crew and technicians. Appropriate accreditation forms are available at the Media Directorate of the Department of Foreign Affairs, Pretoria, Tel: 012-351 0174. Applications must be accompanied by a letter on headed paper from your organisation indicating your function, signed by a senior executive confirming that the appliication. You must also include two passport-sized photographs.
Interested journalists should please return their completed application forms together with supporting documentation to the Media Directorate of the Department of Foreign Affairs before 10 September 1997. These will then be lodged with the Commonwealth Secretariat, via the South African High Commission in London.
MEDIA FACILITIES
Rooms in several hotels in Edinburgh have been booked for use by visiting media. A transport shuttle service, provided by the host government, will operate between the main press hotels, other designated stops, the Commonwealth Centre for NGO's and the Media Centre.
To guarantee hotel accommodation RESERVATIONS MUST BE MADE BEFORE 1 SEPTEMBER 1997. First choice accommodation cannot be guaranteed after 1 September and will thereafter be dealt with on a first come, first serve basis.
The Commonwealth Secretariat is not responsible for hotel reservations. Reservations are dealt with separately through the following company:
CHOGM Media Accommodation Reservations First Option Hotel Reservations Ltd Grand Central Square 44 Wellington Road South Stockport, Cheshire, SK1 3TA Britain Tel: +44 161 475 2062 Fax: +44 161 480 4467 Email: chogmhlts@Cordex.co.uk
It is suggested that news organisations make their own reservations and that they provide the Department of Foreign Affairs with details of their accommodation requests in order that the High Commission in London may follow-up and confirm on their behalf. Early booking is advisable.
ARRIVAL
Most international flights to Britain arrive at London Heathrow or Gatwick Airports. Regular air shuttle services operate to Edinburg from both airports, with flight times of approximately one hour, from 0700-2000 hours at Heathrow and 0700-1845 hours at Gatwick. Travel by train from King's Cross Station, London, to Waverly Station, Edinburgh, takes around four and a half hours. Trains run throughout the day with a sleeper service also available.
Bus services from Edinburgh Airport to Edinburgh city centre run approximately every 10-15 minutes. The journey takes approximately 25 minutes and costs 3.50 British Pounds. Taxis to the city centre cost between 12-15 British Pounds.
Help desks will be open at key times at Edinburgh Airport and Waverly Station to assist you to find your way to the city centre, hotels or Media Centre.
VISAS
No visas are required by South African passport holders.
HEALTH REQUIREMENTS
Any equipment or other item brought into Britain from a non- European Community country, which has a value of more than 145 British Pounds, must be declared to Customs at your point of arrival.
For further details, please contact the British High Commission on Tel: 012-433121.
PROHIBITED ITEMS
Certain goods are prohibited or restricted to protect health and the environment. We have listed some of the items below:
Unlicensed drugs; offensive weapons; obscene material; counter- feit and copied goods; firearms, explosives and ammunition; animals; live birds; endangered species; meat, poultry; certain plants; radio transmitters.
The list is not comprehensive. For full details of current British requirements please contact the British High Commission.
ST ANDREWS RETREAT
Heads of Government will spend Sunday 26 October 1997 on retreat in St Andrews. This will be a day for private, informal discussions and recreation, limited to Heads of Delegation and their spouses. Selected Press will be permitted to cover the official Retreat on a limited pool basis and a small media centre for their use only will be set up. Further information will be available from the Pools Desk in the Media Centre at Edinburgh.
Because of the nature of the Retreat day, the number of participants in the Pools will be kept to a minimum. However, Host Broadcaster TV and stills pictures will be constantly relayed to the Media Centre throughout the day.
Those outside the pooling arrangements will find access to St Andrews restricted.
ISSUED BY THE DEPARTMENT OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS PRETORIA 6 AUGUST 1997