NEW REVISED MEDIA ADVISORY: SOUTH PACIFIC WHALE WORKSHOP, APIA, SAMOA, 18-20 APRIL (19-21 APRIL NEW ZEALAND STANDARD TIME), 2001

(Note: The NZ High Commission in Apia has advised that all the previous mobile numbers are incorrect; the new mobile numbers are included in this latest advisory.)

In October last year, the New Zealand Prime Minister Rt Hon Helen Clark suggested to the Pacific Islands Forum that a meeting be convened to progress the South Pacific whale sanctuary proposal, and to develop a strategy for its establishment. The outcome is the consultation meeting to be held in Apia this week.

Hon Sandra Lee MP, New Zealand Minister of Conservation will be in Apia with

- Hon Jim McLay, New Zealand commissioner to the IWC

- Kevin Smith, Senior Conservation Adviser to the Minister of Conservation

- Anaru Vercoe, Senior Policy Analyst, Te Puni Kokiri (the New Zealand Ministry of Maori Development)

- Wilbur Dovey, New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade

- John Larkindale, New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade

- Mike Donoghue, New Zealand Department of Conservation scientific adviser

Media contact points:

Aggie Grey's Hotel Ph: (685) 22 880 Fax: (685) 23 626

for Hon Sandra Lee, Hon Jim McLay, Kevin Smith, Anaru Vercoe

Kitano Tusitala Hotel Ph: (685) 21 122 Fax: (685) 23 652

(the conference venue)

for Wilbur Dovey, John Larkindale, Mike Donoghue

Kevin Smith Mobile: (685) 76 946 (Note: Mobile will be

Hon Jim McLay Mobile: (685) 76 947 switched off if the holder is

Craig Hawke Mobile: (685) 73 327 inside the meeting)

New Zealand High Commission Ph: (685) 21 711 Fax: (685) 20 086

for Acting High Commissioner Craig Hawke; Rod Tyson, Nikki Reid

SPREP meeting itinerary for Hon Sandra Lee (all times are NZ Standard Time)

Tuesday 17 April

10.05pm Arrive Faleolo International Airport (11.05pm, Monday 16 April, Apia time)

Wednesday 18 April

6am Working breakfast followed by informal briefings/meetings (7am, Tuesday 17 April, Apia)

9-10am Delegation pre-conference meetings (10-11am Apia)

10am-5pm Courtesy calls (11.am-6pm Apia)

4.30pm Official opening of SPREP meeting at Kitano Tusitala Hotel (5.30pm)

4.45pm Speech to conference by Hon Sandra Lee (5.45pm Apia)

5.30pm SPREP hosted welcoming function at Kitano Tusitala (6.30pm)

7.30-10pm Informal networking dinner (8.30-11pm Apia)

Thursday 19 April

6am Working breakfast followed by informal briefings/meetings (7am, Wednesday 18 April, Apia)

7.20am Arrive conference venue for first day of conference (8.20am Apia)

11.30am-12.30pm Working lunch at Kitano Tusitala Hotel (12.30-1.30pm Apia)

5.35pm NGOs hold function at Kitano Tusitala to network with and brief FIC delegations on "whale watching in the pacific" (6.35pm Apia)

9.30pm Debrief of day's events (10.30pm Apia)

Friday 20 April

6am Working breakfast followed by informal briefings/meetings (7am, Thursday 19 April, Apia)

9.30am Full day of conference workshops starts: Session 1, South Pacific Whale Sanctuary (SPWS) national perspectives and components; Session 2, SPWS international IWC component; Session 3, SPWS regional component; Session 4, SPWS, Summary of the day's proceedings.

6pm Attend formal ministerial dinner (7pm Apia)

9.30pm Debrief of day's events (10.30pm Apia)

Saturday 21 April

6am Working breakfast followed by informal briefings/meetings (7am Apia, Friday 20 April, Apia)

7.20am Arrive conference venue (8.20am Apia)

7.30am Final workshop session; Plenary session: Whale watching in the SPREP region (from 8.30am onwards, Apia))

11.30am-2pm Working lunch at Kitano Tusitala Hotel followed by meetings (12.30-3pm Apia)

1pm Presentation of current research programmes on humpback whales in the South Pacific (2pm, i.e. during extended lunch break, Apia)

4pm Final plenary session expected to end sometime around now (5pm Apia)

6pm Attend formal reception (tba) (7pm Apia)

9.30pm Debrief of day's events (10.30pm Apia)

ENDS

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