PREAMBLE

The following agreement between the Department of Public Information (DPI), Department of Safety and Security (DSS), the Office of the Spokesperson of the Secretary-General (OSSG), the United Nations Correspondents Association (UNCA) and the Office of the President of the General Assembly governs media access at United Nations Headquarters, as of 1 July 2010. During times of heightened security, different modalities may apply.

The purpose of this agreement is to grant as much access as possible to members of the press while safeguarding and protecting the United Nations Headquarters complex (UNHQ) and ensuring the safety, security and comfort of all of its occupants: staff, delegates and press alike.

While ensuring safety and security is the starting point of all policies at UNHQ, it is equally true that journalists play an essential role in the United Nations work and therefore their ability to cover United Nations activities must be facilitated to the greatest extent possible.

Correspondents who are granted access to UNHQ must abide by the policies in place. Those, if any, who violate the ground rules will risk a withdrawal of their accreditation.

The parties to this agreement will meet as needed, to review the guidelines, which can be revised, and which should be applied based on a spirit of mutual cooperation and respect for the two simultaneous requirements of security and access.

Access by Various Categories of Correspondents

The following agreement between the Department of Public Information (DPI), Department of Safety and Security (DSS), the Office of the Spokesperson of the Secretary-General (OSSG), the United Nations Correspondents Association (UNCA) and the Office of the President of the General Assembly governs media access at United Nations Headquarters, as of 1 July 2010. During times of heightened security, different modalities may apply.

The purpose of this agreement is to grant as much access as possible to members of the press while safeguarding and protecting the United Nations Headquarters complex (UNHQ) and ensuring the safety, security and comfort of all of its occupants: staff, delegates and press alike.

While ensuring safety and security is the starting point of all policies at UNHQ, it is equally true that journalists play an essential role in the United Nations work and therefore their ability to cover United Nations activities must be facilitated to the greatest extent possible.

Correspondents who are granted access to UNHQ must abide by the policies in place. Those, if any, who violate the ground rules will risk a withdrawal of their accreditation.

The parties to this agreement will meet as needed, to review the guidelines, which can be revised, and which should be applied based on a spirit of mutual cooperation and respect for the two simultaneous requirements of security and access.

1.   Correspondents "P"

1. Correspondents may only access through the Visitors’ Entrance at 46th Street and 1st Avenue between 08:00 and 19:00 hours. They may access through the 42nd Street Entrance when the Visitors’ Entrance is closed.
2. Correspondents may access authorized areas of the building unescorted after they and their equipment have passed through security screening, unless DSS has declared a heightened period of security. These correspondents may use the fast lane for UN personnel on the far right side of the security tent at the Visitors Entrance.
3. A dated security clearance sticker will be placed on all equipment.
4. Correspondents are not permitted to sign in guests.
5. Correspondents will be required to read these guidelines and sign an agreement that they will adhere to them.
6. Correspondents are represented with a green coloured letter "P" (as in Press) printed on their badge.

2.  Temporary / Day-Pass Card Holders

1. Temporary Pass-Holders may access only through the Visitors Entrance between 08:00 and 19:00 hours.
2. Temporary Pass-Holders are not permitted to sign in guests.

3.  Resident Correspondents

1. Resident Correspondents may access all entrances except the Delegates Entrance.
2. Resident Correspondents may access through the 45th Street Gate (Post 105) and the Delegates Entrance only if accompanying a senior diplomat or senior UN official without equipment and only at the discretion of the Duty Officer at the Delegates Entrance.
3. All correspondents accessing the premises with equipment must pass through security screening.
4. All camera crews accessing the premises with equipment must use the Visitors Entrance between 08:00 and 19:00 hours daily. They may enter through the 42nd Street Entrance at all other times.
5. Resident Correspondents may sign in up to five (5) guests.
6. Resident Correspondents are represented with a white coloured letter "P" (as in Press) printed on their badge.

Media Access to Restricted Areas in UNHQ

1.  Additional Access Privileges

1. Resident print correspondents may interview UN officials anywhere except on the Secretary-General’s floor, unless they have a scheduled appointment. However, resident broadcast correspondents must notify MALU prior to the interview.
2. Resident broadcast correspondents conducting TV “stand-ups” outside the UN buildings but within the UN premises should notify MALU, who will notify Security prior to the event; in case this is not feasible, the correspondents must notify the Security Coordination Office directly (3-6666).
3. All correspondents may access the first and second floor of the North Lawn Building.
4. The media may not congregate or conduct interviews at the Delegates’ Entrance except in the stakeout area.

2.  Security Council

1. All correspondents may access the Security Council stakeout area without a MALU or DPI escort.
2. When a speaker is using the microphone, or when the arrival of a speaker is imminent, correspondents must remain within the cordoned off areas.
3. TV camera crews must remain at the rear of the stakeout area at all times when the Security Council is in session, unless escorted by MALU. The front portion is reserved for UNTV, print/broadcast media and still photographers. 
4. On the record questions should be addressed to the Council Members in front of the stakeout microphone.
5. No cameras or photographers will be allowed in the cordoned off area by the stairs.
6. All correspondents can have access to the stairs, but the stairs cannot be used to conduct interviews or for TV crews to carry equipment up and down or be blocked in any way.
7. Regarding the First Floor Delegates’ entrance, the press should wait within the stakeout area except when they are engaged with delegates.
8. On those occasions when MALU anticipates a large number of correspondents, secondary passes may be issued. MALU will be responsible for the distribution of the allocated passes for all correspondents on a first-come, first-serve basis. Security will ensure that the number of allocated passes do not exceed the capacity.
9. During times of heightened security, additional restrictions may apply.

3.  Delegates Lounge (NLB), Corridor & General Assembly Stakeout

All correspondents may have access to the Delegates’ Lounge but only hand-held voice recorders may be used for interviews No camera equipment is permitted in the Delegates Lounge.

4.  Indonesian Lounge

All correspondents have access to the Indonesian Lounge only by invitation of a delegate.  Broadcast crews require an escort from MALU.

5.  General Assembly Hall

1. All correspondents may have access to the General Assembly Hall for stand-ups or interviews only if the General Assembly is not in session and with prior approval and escort from MALU.
2. Correspondents and Resident Correspondents with cameras are permitted to stake out the General Assembly Hall entrance at the East Foyer only with MALU escort.
3. Photographers may have access to the designated photo booths and bridge area of the General Assembly Hall only with escort by MALU.

6.   Stake-out in the North Lawn Building (NLB)

With the approval of UN Security and MALU a stakeout area for journalists and TV crews will be made available on the second floor of the NLB when high-ranking officials are holding meetings of significant news value as determined by the Spokesperson’s Office.  

7.   Open Meetings

All correspondents are permitted access to open meetings in designated areas within the conference rooms.  If these areas are in addition to the fixed press areas, they will be designated by MALU in consultation with the Chairperson of the meeting.

8.   General Access for TV Crews

Resident TV correspondents and their crew are permitted to film and interview diplomats and officials, with their consent, in areas of general media access, such as the Secretariat lobby areas, the Visitors’ Lobby and Visitors’ Plaza. All other areas will require a MALU escort. Non-resident correspondents will require a MALU escort to film in all areas. TV crews will not be permitted in the Delegates’ Dining Room. Filming in these areas is only permitted after prior consultation with MALU.

9.   Photo Ops

1. Photo ops are limited to one minute maximum. If there is a large presence of visual media, they will be taken in two batches: first, the photographers, to be followed by the TV camera crew, or vice versa.
2. MALU personnel will always be present at the photo ops. No questions are permitted during these photo ops.

10.  Stakeout Locations

1. Fixed: MALU presence is required.
   1. Delegates Entrance
   2. Security Council
   3. 2nd Floor of NLB
2. Discretionary: MALU presence is required.
   1. Ad-hoc as needed with approval of HQ Security.
   2. East Foyer (opposite 2nd floor entrance to GA Hall)