1. The Fourteenth Session of the FAO Near East Forestry Commission will be held in the International Conference Hall, Bureau for Political & International Studies, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Shahid Bahonar Ave., Teheran, Islamic Republic of Iran, from 1 to 4 July 2000. The Opening Session will take place on Saturday 1 July 2000, at 10.00 hrs.

2. Mr. Adnan Al-Fares, Regional Forestry Officer in the FAO Regional Office for the Near East, is the Commission Secretary.

3. The Session will be conducted in Arabic and English. Simultaneous interpretation into and from English and Arabic will be provided. Participants wishing to circulate statements or other material related to the Agenda are requested to bring sufficient copies with them. Where speeches or statements are to be made, it would help the Secretariat and ensure accuracy in interpretation if four typed copies of the texts were handed to the Commission Secretary beforehand.

COMMUNICATIONS

4. All correspondence related to the Session should be addressed to the Commission Secretary as follows:

5. Correspondence related to hotel reservations and meeting at airport should be addressed to the Liaison Officer at the following address:

A copy should be sent to the Commission Secretary for information.

FORMALITIES FOR ENTRY INTO IRAN

6. Travellers arriving to Iran need no international certificates of vaccination. Closer to the date of departure, information concerning any temporary health regulations in force should be obtained from the airline company.

7. Any entry visa to Iran should be obtained prior to arrival from the nearest diplomatic mission of Iran (Appendix B). Requests for visas should be submitted at least one month before departure. No visa will be granted at the airport.

8. Participants who have given advance information about details of their arrival will be provided with transport to the hotel. Participants are advised to mark their baggage clearly for easy identification in order to avoid inconvenience and delay at the airport on arrival.

FOREIGN EXCHANGE AND BANKING FACILITIES

9. Travellers may bring with them foreign exchange (cash, traveller's cheques, bank drafts) in convertible currencies, to be exchanged for Iranian Rial (IR). The rate in April is 1 US$ = 8,150 IR. Travellers may bring unlimited amount for foreign currency into Iran.

REGISTRATION

10. All members of delegations and observers should register soon after arrival with the Reception Desk at the meeting site, where they will be provided with badges and documents.

11. A Provisional List of Participants will be issued at the beginning of the Session, and revised as necessary. Corrections or additions to the list should be handed to the Commission Secretary.

DOCUMENTATION

12. Working documents of the Session will be sent to all Governments and Organizations invited. Documents prepared during the Session will be obtainable from the Documents Distribution Desk outside the Meeting Hall.

HOTEL ACCOMMODATION

13. Accommodation of participants and their families can be arranged in at the following special rates (all taxes included). Rates subject to change at time of Conference:

14. Participants are advised to make their hotel and flight reservations as soon as possible. They should ensure that they have firm return bookings before departure for Iran, and should reconfirm these bookings soon after arrival in Teheran. A travel office is available at the site of the meeting.

15. Requests for hotel reservation should be made on Appendix A attached and sent to the Commission Liaison Officer at the address shown in paragraph 5 not later than 1 June 2000 with a copy to the Commission Secretary for information.

WEATHER

16. Weather in Teheran is hot. The average daily maximum temperature is 35-40�C and the night minimum temperature is 20-30�C.

ELECTRICITY

17. The voltage in Teheran is 220 volts A.C.

FIRST AID

18. First aid will be available in (or nearby) the meeting premises during session hours.

APPENDIX A

NEAR EAST FORESTRY COMMISSION
Fourteenth Session
Teheran, Islamic Republic of Iran, 1 - 4 July 2000

Hotel Reservation and Notification of Arrival Form

1. Name and Surname ........................................................................................................................................................

2. Title/position: ..................................................................................................................................................................

3. Accompanied by spouse Yes /___/ No /____/

4. Full Address:

..........................................................................................................................................................................................

Tel: ....................................................................... Fax: ............................................................................ E-mail: ............

5. As: Delegate /___/ Observer /____/ Secretariat /____/

6. Will be in Teheran from ................................ to .............................................................................

7. Will arrive on ...............................................at .................................................hours, flight No.........................................

8. Requires hotel accommodation: Yes /___/ No /___/

9. Hotel reservation required:                                                      Single Room                                         Double Room

HOTEL ...........................................................................................                           /____/ /_____/

*****

Note: This form should be completed by each delegate or observer and sent to the Liaison Officer, before 1 June 2000 with a copy to the Commission Secretary.   Participants are requested to send this form without delay. If complete flight information is not available, it can be sent later by fax.

APPENDIX B

Passport Specifications as required by Ministry of Foreign Affairs to Issue Visas to Visitors to the Islamic Republic of Iran