|
V.
Facilities and services for delegations
A cloakroom
is available to delegates. It is located in the General Assembly building
to the left of the Delegates' Entrance on the first floor. The United
Nations is not responsible for money, jewelry, negotiable papers and other
valuables left in cloakrooms. Such valuables should be removed from articles
to be deposited. Open from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m., Monday to Friday, starting
15 October until 15 May. Self-service
facilities are also available in various locations; the United Nations
is not responsible for articles left in these areas and signs to this
effect are posted. The delegates'
north lounge, snack bar and south lounge bar are located on the second
floor of the Conference building. The north lounge is open from 11 a.m.
to 8 p.m. and the snack bar from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday to Friday.
From
the first day of the fifty-sixth session of the General Assembly (i.e.
11 September 2001) until its December 2001 recess, members of delegations
are asked not to invite to the Delegates' lounge persons other than those
holding valid United Nations identification. Payment
for service should be made in cash. Credit cards are accepted in the north
lounge bar only. The opening
of the south lounge bar is contingent upon meetings of the General Assembly
and the Security Council. Members
of delegations are reminded that consumption of refreshments is not permitted
in conference rooms or in the Library Auditorium foyer. Dining-room
and cafeteria facilities Delegates'
dining-room The hours
of service are from 11.30 a.m. to 2.30 p.m. The limited accommodation
does not permit the reservation of tables permanently or from the first
day of the fifty-sixth session of the General Assembly until its December
2001 recess. Members of delegations should make reservations by telephone
each morning (ext. 3.7625 or 3.7626). Reservations cannot be held for
more than 15 minutes after the appointed time. Payment
for service should be made in cash or by credit card. Personal cheques
are not accepted. Separate
dining-rooms, which may be reserved for parties of 10 guests or more,
are available for private luncheons. In order to ensure availability of
these facilities, delegation members are requested to make reservations
two weeks in advance. Arrangements required, including for menus, should
be coordinated with the United Nations Catering Service (ext. 3.7098 or
3.7099). Children
under 10 years of age cannot be accommodated in the Delegates' dining-room.
Patrons are not permitted to take photographs. Proper attire is required
at all times. Delegates
wishing to hold evening receptions or functions at Headquarters should
make the necessary arrangements through the United Nations Catering Service
(ext. 3.7098). When
formal invitations are to be sent out, all arrangements should be made
as far as possible in advance of the function. Invitation cards should
stipulate that guests are required to present their cards at the Visitors'
Entrance and then to pass through a magnetometer. Guests will also be
required to present their invitation cards at the entrance to the reception
room. A list of the guests and a sample invitation should be submitted
to the Chief, Security and Safety Service (room C-110B), well in advance
of the reception. Cafeteria The Main
Cafeteria is located on the first floor, South Annex, south side of the
Secretariat building. Hours of service are from 8 a.m. to 8.30 p.m., Monday
to Friday. Breakfast is served from 8 a.m. to 10 a.m.; lunch from 11 a.m.
to 3 p.m. Light snacks and coffee service are available between 3 p.m.
and 8 p.m. Dinner is served from 5 p.m. onwards, and the menu includes
daily specials, pasta and dishes from the grill. From the first day of
the fifty-sixth session of the General Assembly until its recess in December,
the Main Cafeteria will be open on Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. The
Cafeteria is closed on Sundays. Staff
café The staff
café is located on the fourth floor of the Conference building
and can be reached from the 4th floor of the Secretariat building. Hours
of service are from 12 noon to 3 p.m., Monday to Friday. It is closed
on weekends and on United Nations holidays. Payment for service should
be made in cash or by credit card. Personal cheques are not accepted. Vending
machine area Food-vending
machines are available on the third floor (ex-Press Bar) of the General
Assembly building. The area is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week. United
Nations Correspondents Association (UNCA) Club From
the first day of the session of the General Assembly until the end of
the General Debate, the UNCA Club, located on the third floor of the Secretariat
building, is open for snacks from 12 p.m. to 3 p.m., Monday to Friday. Visitors
Coffee Shop The Visitors
Coffee Shop is located on the concourse level of the General Assembly
building. Hours of service are from 8.30 a.m. to 4.30 p.m., seven days
a week. Café
Austria The Café
Austria is located in the First Basement area of the General Assembly
building. The Café Austria is normally open from 9 a.m. until 6
p.m., Monday to Friday. Unaccompanied
guests or visitors wishing to meet a delegate at United Nations Headquarters
will be directed to the Visitors' Entrance located at 46th Street and
asked to pass through a security screening area before admission to the
General Assembly or Conference buildings. To facilitate the screening
of guests of members of delegations, a magnetometer, separate from that
used to screen tourists, has been set up. Members of delegations will
be expected to accompany their guests at all times while on the premises
and escort them back to the visitors' lobby at the time of their departure.
Guests will be expected to deposit a photo identification, which can be
retrieved prior to leaving the visitors' lobby. Staff on duty at the desk
will make arrangements for contacting the delegate. Typists'
rooms are available at the following locations on the second floor in
the Conference building: rooms C-211A and C-211B. In the
event that a United Nations typewriter requires repair, delegates are
requested to advise the responsible official (ext. 3.6262). Photocopier
for delegates' use A photocopier
is available for the use of delegates in the General Assembly Hall, by
the west wall near the documents distribution counter. Written
requests for sound reinforcement systems (microphones, amplifiers, loudspeakers,
etc.) should be directed to the Broadcast and Conference Support Section
(room L-B1-30, ext. 3.9485 or 3.0671). Sound
recordings The Broadcast
and Conference Support Section maintains a verbatim collection of the
proceedings of all plenary meetings, major commissions and committees. Multi-standard
VCRs, television sets and video projectors, as well as slide projectors
and overhead projectors, can be provided on a first-come, first-served
basis. Owing to the limited amount of equipment available, 72 hours' advance
notice is required. Written requests for this audio-visual support equipment
should be directed to the Broadcast and Conference Support Section (room
L-B1-30, ext. 3.9485 or 3.0671). International
video conferencing is possible from several locations at United Nations
Headquarters. Written requests for this service should be directed to
the Broadcast and Conference Support Section (contact: Mr. Alain C. Moerenhout,
room L-B1-30, ext. 3.9485). Delegations
are requested to deposit with the Incoming Mail Unit (room B3-02) any
official correspondence intended for distribution to the Secretariat. Messenger service within the Headquarters buildings is available through the delegates' aide in the delegates' north lounge. During meetings, messenger service may be obtained through the conference officer. The Information
Technology Services Division (ITSD) provides the following computer-related
services to delegations: 1.
Internet service - ITSD provides Internet dial-up accounts for Permanent
Missions. For more information on any of the services listed above, please contact the Missions Support Help Desk at (212) 963-6439 or send electronic mail to missions-support@un.int. Telephone The main
listed number of the United Nations is 963-1234. Extensions within the
UN are preceded by the 963 or 367 prefixes. Direct calls from outside
the United Nations to staff and services can be made by either dialling
the exchange 963 (preceded by the area code 1-212 if required) or the
exchange 367 (preceded by the area code 1-917) followed by the correct
four-digit extension as listed in the United Nations telephone directory.
Direct internal calls can be made by dialling the access code "3"
or "7" plus the last four digits as shown in the directory. It should
be noted that staff members of the United Nations Development Programme
(UNDP), the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) and the United Nations
Children's Fund (UNICEF) are on different exchanges. Direct calls from
outside to UNDP staff may be made by dialling the area code, if necessary,
exchange 906 + the four-digit extension. The exchange number for UNFPA
is 297 and that for UNICEF is 326. Arrangements
have been made for personnel in the UN Secretariat Building to dial directly
to UNDP, UNICEF and UNFPA. Direct internal calls may be made to UNDP by
dialling the access code "4", waiting for the dial tone and
then dialling the four-digit extension; and to UNICEF by using the same
system when dialling the access code "5". Direct internal calls
to UNFPA may be made by dialling 63, waiting for the dial tone and then
dialling the four-digit extension. If the extension is not known, the
operator on "0" will provide the number. In the case of an outside
call, the operator will switch the call to the person required. The number
of the Information Desk in the Delegates' Lounge is 963-8902 or 963-8741.
Incoming calls to the Delegates' Lounge are answered by the Information
Desk and delegates will be paged on the loudspeaker system. Long-distance
calls may be placed from booths located in the Delegates' Lounge or in
the conference areas by dialling "0" to reach the operator.
Local calls may also be made from these booths or from the house telephones
available in the Delegates' Lounge by dialling "9" and the telephone
number. Telegraph The following
communications carrier, which provides telex, cablegram and telefax services
for worldwide communications, has an office situated on the third floor
of the Secretariat building: United
Nations Postal Administration Philatelic
sales United
Nations stamps may be purchased for both postage and philatelic purposes
at the United Nations Postal Administration sales counter on the concourse
level of the General Assembly building (ext. 3.7699). The sales counter
is open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. seven days a week, except when the Headquarters
building is closed to the public. Facilities for posting mail are available
at this counter. The United Nations Postal Administration operates a philatelic
office in room DC2-0625 (ext. 3.7684), which services mail orders for
stamps and other philatelic items. United Nations stamps are issued in
three currencies, namely, United States dollars, Swiss francs and Austrian
schillings and are valid for mailing only from United Nations Headquarters,
New York, the Palais des Nations, Geneva, and the Vienna International
Centre, respectively. A sub-branch
of the United States Post Office is located on the concourse level in
room S-B1-26 (ext. 3.7353) and is open from 9 a.m. to 5.30 p.m., Monday
to Friday. The services provided are the usual postal services for private
or official delegation mailings, including parcel post, air mail, registered
and insured mail, international and domestic money orders, information
about postage rates and regulations concerning entry or dispatch of parcels
to and from various countries. All mail must bear United Nations stamps
in United States denominations. Mail with United Nations stamps affixed
may be deposited at the delegates' aides' desk in the north lounge or
dropped into the letter chutes in the Secretariat building for collection
by messenger and onward dispatch by the Post Office. The Garage
Administration will schedule delegations to apply for and pick up parking
decals. Applications for decals should be submitted to the Protocol and
Liaison Service (room S-0201, ext. 3.7172) with the required attachment
of valid vehicle registration and current United Nations identification.
In addition, all applications must have an authorized Mission signature
accompanied by the Mission seal. After certification by the Protocol and
Liaison Service, the application should be hand carried to the Garage
Administration (room CB-021, ext. 3.6212/3) for processing. Only one decal
will be issued per delegate for use on a vehicle with "D" plates.
Decals will be issued only to members of delegations duly accredited to
the United Nations. Applications
for decals from observer State missions, intergovernmental and other organizations
listed in chapters III, IV and V of the "Blue Book" must be
submitted to the Protocol and Liaison Service and thereafter to the Garage
Administration for appropriate action. The issuance of parking decals
to observer State missions, intergovernmental and other organizations
will be limited to persons enjoying diplomatic status. Vehicles
with "S" plates registered in the name of mission staff will
not be authorized to park in the United Nations compound. Permanent
missions may apply for a temporary identification decal (fuschia) for
the fifty-sixth session of the General Assembly. Special decals may also
be issued to admit vehicles rented from established and bona fide companies
for use by accredited delegates, visiting dignitaries and diplomats officially
attending meetings during the session. Application forms may be obtained
from the Garage Administration (room CB-021) and thereafter submitted
to the Protocol and Liaison Service (room S-0201). The application and
a copy of the rental agreement should be submitted to the Special Services
Unit (room S-0101) for clearance prior to submission to the Garage Administration
for issuance. Parking
decals must be displayed prominently and be clearly visible to security
officers and Garage Administration staff at entry points and while the
vehicles are on the premises. Vehicles not having or displaying a valid
decal are liable to be towed off the premises. Prior
to the issuance of decals for the new General Assembly session, all previously
issued decals to delegations must be returned to the Garage Administration
(room CB-021). Also, decals belonging to delegates who are departing from
Headquarters or issued for vehicles no longer in use must be returned
to the Garage Administration office. Any changes in vehicle usage must
be reflected on the respective decals and as such should be brought to
the Garage Administration for processing. In pursuance
of section II of General Assembly resolution 39/236, parking privileges
of any delegate whose parking fees are in arrears by more than three months
will be suspended as of September 2001. Privileges will be restored once
the arrears have been paid in full. Prior to a delegate's departure, he/she
should contact the Garage Administration office (ext. 3.6213) in order
to settle any outstanding dues. Delegation
cars bearing United Nations diplomatic plates and identification decals
valid for the current session of the General Assembly may be parked on
the first level and in a designated area at the southern end of the second
level of the garage without charge while representatives are on official
business. They may be parked in the garage overnight at the rate of $2.50
per night. Invoices for this service are sent to delegates and to delegations
shortly after the end of every month. These invoices are due upon receipt
and should be settled by cheque paid to the order of "United Nations"
and sent to the United Nations Garage Administration (room CB-021, ext.
3.6212 and 3.6213). Entrance
to the grounds Vehicular
access through the Secretariat entrance located on First Avenue will be
restricted solely to the vehicle, identified by a special sticker, of
the Permanent Representative. All occupants riding in the car will be
required to display valid United Nations identification cards. In order
to reinforce safety measures, temporary stationing of the vehicle of the
Permanent Representative in the Secretariat circle will be limited to
clearly marked parking areas. All other vehicles bearing a decal will
be required to enter through the 48th Street entrance. Delegation vehicles
entering the premises are subject to a security check. Rented
vehicles which have been issued special decals, which permit drop-off/pick-up
only, may enter through the Secretariat entrance located on First Avenue.
Such vehicles will not be permitted to park on United Nations premises. Access
to the garage Chauffeur-driven
cars identified by special stickers issued to Permanent Representatives
may use the ramp at the 43rd Street entrance for access to the garage. Chauffeurs
should remain in the ready room, located in the first garage level, while
on call by delegates. The security officer at the Delegates' Entrance
of the General Assembly building pages chauffeurs whenever they are required. Liability
for loss and damages In arranging
for parking facilities to be available, the United Nations seeks to accommodate
delegations. Garage users are warned that incidents of theft and vandalism
have occurred inside the garage, as it is not possible to have all vehicles
under surveillance all the time. The United Nations does not warrant or
promise the safety of vehicles or property left in the garage, and users
acknowledge and accept that the United Nations cannot guarantee the safety
of any vehicles, or property inside them, left in the garage. The United
Nations does not provide cars for delegations. It is suggested that delegations
requiring local transportation make their own arrangements with local
firms. Travel
entitlements of representatives of Member In accordance
with General Assembly resolution 1798 (XVII), as amended by resolutions
2128 (XX), 2245 (XXI), 2489 (XXIII), 2491 (XXIX), 41/176, 41/213, 42/214,
section VI of 42/225, section IX of 43/217 and section XIII of 45/248,
the United Nations shall pay the travel, but not subsistence expenses,
in the following cases: (a) For
not more than five representatives, including alternate representatives,
of each Member State designated as a least developed country attending
a regular session of the General Assembly; (b) For
one representative or alternate representative of the Member States referred
to in subparagraph (a) above attending a special or special emergency
session of the General Assembly; (c) For
the travel of a member of a permanent mission in New York who is designated
as a representative or alternate representative to a session of the General
Assembly, provided that such travel is within the limits noted in subparagraphs
(a) and (b) above, that it is certified by a permanent representative
to be in connection with the work of the particular session and that it
take place either during or within three months before or after such a
session. The entitlement in respect of a session shall not be increased
by reason of the recessing and resuming of that session. Payment
by the United Nations of travel expenses will be limited to the cost of
journeys actually undertaken. Reimbursement
is limited to the cost of round-trip travel, by most direct route, between
the capital city of the Member State to Headquarters, for a maximum of
one first-class ticket for the head of delegation and four tickets in
the class immediately below first class for journeys exceeding 9 hours
duration by air or four tickets at the least costly economy airfare for
journeys under 9 hours duration by air for other members of the delegation
accredited to the respective session of the General Assembly. When
travel by sea or rail is involved for all or part of the journey, reimbursement
shall be limited to the cost of air travel as specified above, unless
the actual cost is less. Delegations
entitled to reimbursement of transportation costs, in accordance with
the provisions of the Rules Governing Payment of Travel Expenses and Subsistence
Allowance in Respect of Organs or Subsidiary Organs of the United Nations
(ST/SGB/107/Rev.6 of 25 March 1991) may submit claims on form F-56 (Reimbursement
voucher for official travel of representatives of Member States). Such
claims must be accompanied by original receipts, bills, vouchers, used
ticket stubs and boarding passes. If requested, the United Nations would
arrange transportation, wherever possible, between the capital city of
a Member State to the place of the meeting; for this purpose, delegations
should use form PT-137 (Transportation services to delegations) and should
include the fax number and/or email address of the traveller or contact
person. The United Nations will not be liable for any claim for reimbursement
of travel expenses submitted later than 31 December of the year that follows
the closing date of the session of the organ or subsidiary organs to which
the claim relates. Reimbursement claims, requests for issuance of tickets and inquiries on travel entitlements should be addressed to: Executive Officer The official travel
agency of the United Nations in New York, American Express, will assist
delegations, to the extent possible, in making travel arrangements, ticketing
and hotel reservations. The office, which is located in room S-2008, is
open from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. (ext. 3.6280). City
liaison and legal assistance The New York City
Commission for the United Nations, Consular Corps and Protocol is the
official liaison between the Mayor's Office, as well as all city agencies,
and the diplomatic and consular community. Its primary purpose is to provide
information and assistance on a diverse range of matters, from educational,
household and personal concerns to legal and commercial problems. Newly
arrived diplomats and consular officers are greeted and provided with
a kit of information on New York City. The Commission also assists private
citizens and local businesses in interacting with diplomatic and consular
individuals and organizations. All members of the
diplomatic and international community are welcome to call the Commission
for assistance throughout their stay in New York. The Commission is comprised
of the following four divisions: United Nations and Consular Corps Affairs
(which includes the Legal Department), Protocol, International Business,
and the Sister City Program of the City of New York. For further information,
please call 319-9300 or fax 319-3430. The Commission is located at Two
United Nations Plaza (DC-2), 27th floor, New York, N.Y. 10017. The Hospitality Committee
for United Nations Delegations, Inc., is a private self-supporting and
non-political organization devoted to helping delegates and their families
feel welcome in New York and the surrounding area. Volunteers arrange
hospitality in American homes and visits to such places of interest as
museums, schools, hospitals, courts, private art collections and the stock
exchange. Complimentary tickets to cultural and sporting events are often
available. The Committee also
offers courses at their English Language School. The programmes are open
to everyone associated with the United Nations. Four sessions (8 weeks
each) are held between September and June. Information about
these activities may be obtained from room GA-101 (ext. 3.7182, 3.7183
or 3.8751). The Chase Bank maintains
two branches located in the United Nations vicinity: Chase Bank Chase Bank ATM service is offered in English, French and Spanish and requires the use of an ATM card. The following services may be obtained through Chase ATMs: transfers, deposit payments, cash withdrawals, balance inquiries and statement printing of the last five transactions. In addition, the ATM card will access 150,000 network locations, namely, NYCE®, MAC®, Plus®, Cirrus®, Pulse®, MasterCard®/Visa® cash machines, throughout the United States, Canada and worldwide for cash withdrawals and balance inquiries. Delegates may also
utilize the six Automated Teller Machines (ATMs) of the United Nations
Federal Credit Union (UNFCU). Four machines are available 24 hours a day,
seven days a week at the following locations: Secretariat building, first
floor; UNDC-1 building, third floor; and UNDC-2 building, third floor
(two machines). A fifth ATM, located in the UNFCU's Secretariat branch
office on the fourth floor of the Secretariat, is available from 8.30
a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday to Friday. The sixth ATM is located on the 22nd
floor at 633 Third Avenue. All six machines can be used for balance inquiries,
transfers and cash withdrawals. Cards with the following insignias are
accepted at UNFCU ATMs: CashCard, NYCE®, Cirrus®, Visa®, MasterCard®,
Plus®, American Express "Express Cash"®, Discover®,
Pulse® and Honor®. There is a newspaper
and confectionery stand in the lobby of the Secretariat building, which
is open from 8 a.m. to 5.30 p.m., Monday to Friday. It is closed on weekends
and holidays. Over-the-counter services
are available at the United Nations bookshop located in the concourse
area of the public lobby at the north end of the General Assembly building.
In addition to publications by the United Nations and its specialized
agencies, other publishers are represented on themes addressed by the
United Nations. Souvenir postcards, posters and stationery items are also
available for sale. Delegates are entitled to 25 per cent discount on
United Nations publications and 10 per cent discount on all other items
over $3 on purchases made at the bookshop. There is an entrance for delegates
only at GA-032A. The United Nations
publishes over 400 new publications each year, providing an invaluable
source of information on the world's most important issues. Its wide range
of publications keeps readers throughout the world up to date with latest
developments in the areas of international politics, law, social issues,
the environment and economics, as well as provides numerous important
reference works and all the official records of the Organization. Microfiche,
CD-ROM and electronic databases are available in addition to publications.
The United Nations also acts as a distributor for publications by ICJ,
UNICEF, UNITAR, UNIDIR, UNIDO, UNDP, UNFPA, UNU, INSTRAW, UNEP and UNICRI.
Orders for information on United Nations publications can be obtained
by contacting: United Nations Publications, Two United Nations Plaza,
room DC2-0853, New York, N.Y. 10017; tel. (212) 963-8302; fax (212) 963-3489;
email: publications@un.org. The meditation room
is located in the north-west end of the entrance level of the General
Assembly building. The designated hours are from 8 a.m. to 4.45 p.m.,
Monday to Friday. The security supervisor in the area will be available
to assist with access to the room. There is a quiet room
for delegates in the delegates' south lounge on the second floor, Conference
building. The Gift Centre is
located on the concourse level of the General Assembly building. Objets
d'art, handicrafts, costume jewelry, souvenirs, United Nations medals
and flags of Member States are on sale. Delegates are entitled to a 20
per cent discount on all purchases upon presentation of valid United Nations
identification. The Gift Centre is open seven days a week from 9 a.m.
to 5 p.m. from March to December. It is closed on weekends during January
and February. Request
for use of United Nations premises In the interest of ensuring the security and safety of all concerned, as well as in the light of the increasing number of requests for use of facilities, representatives of permanent missions are asked to use the utmost discretion when sponsoring events to ensure that the activities are of a non-commercial nature and consistent with the principles and aims of the United Nations. Missions should note that they are responsible for the content and conduct of any event they may sponsor. Specially when sponsoring events on behalf of non-governmental organizations accredited with the United Nations, representatives of Missions should bear in mind that, notwithstanding the worthiness of the purpose of the event, no substantive business such as the passage of resolutions, holding of elections, presentation of awards or solicitation of funds, nor ceremonies of any kind, may be conducted. Requests for the use of the premises for events should be addressed to the Assistant Secretary-General for Central Support Services (room S-2127B, ext. 3.1889, fax. 963-4217). Once approval has been obtained, a ranking member of the Mission must attend and/or preside over the meeting or event in its entirety. Any and all financial obligations arising from the meeting or event shall be the sole responsibility of the sponsoring mission. |