WORLD TRADE WT/MIN(96)/INF/5

26 September 1996
ORGANIZATION (96-3857)

MINISTERIAL CONFERENCE
Singapore, 9-13 December 1996

MINISTERIAL CONFERENCE

Communication from the Permanent Representative of the

Republic of Singapore to the United Nations in Geneva

You will find attached a communication that we have received from the Permanent Representative
of the Republic of Singapore to the United Nations in Geneva.
WT/MIN(96)/INF/5
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Permanent Representative of the

Republic of Singapore to
the United Nations
Geneva

18 September 1996

Dear Colleagues,

WORLD TRADE ORGANIZATION (WTO) MINISTERIAL CONFERENCE (MC),

SINGAPORE, 9 TO 13 DECEMBER 1996

1. I am pleased to take this opportunity to update you on the accommodation arrangements for
the WTO MC.

2. The Housing Bureau of the WTO, which has been appointed to serve you has been receiving
block bookings of rooms from a number of delegations and has already sent confirmations of bookings
to various delegations.

3. Almost half of the 2,000 rooms in hotels which are located within walking distance from the
Singapore Suntec Centre (SSC), where the convention will be held, have already been blocked by various
country delegations with two hotels, Pan Pacific and Marina Mandarin already being full. We still
have about 1,000 rooms left in close proximity to the SSC and almost 3,000 rooms in hotels, which
are at most 20 minutes drive by coach to the convention centre. I would like to urge all delegations
which have yet to make bookings to do so as soon as possible and for those delegations who have made
bookings but not paid deposits to do so soon, in order to receive confirmation of bookings. The cut-off
date for the reservation is 1 October 1996, after which the Housing Bureau may not be able to guarantee
confirmed rooms. I would also like to take this opportunity to alert you to the following operational
details:

4. Sleeping Rooms

4.1 Even if you have already made a group booking and received an acknowledgement from the
Housing Bureau of the block booking, you are still required to submit a separate form for each
member of your delegation once you have finalized the complete list of delegates from your
country. A copy of the form (Hotel Reservation Form - Delegates) is attached for your easy
reference. Should you have any special requirements, please indicate these in section D of
the Hotel Reservation form, example fax machine, direct telephone line, data port (for use
of portable computers) etc. Please note that where changes are applicable, these services will
be charged to your delegation.

4.2 The Housing Bureau will be sending hotel luggage tags to all delegations through the delegate
contact person, whom you have nominated in the form (Hotel Reservation Form - Delegates).
It is important that all delegates use these luggage tags as it will greatly facilitate the delivery
of luggage to the hotel that the delegation is staying in. We would like to request you to
nominate a representative from your delegation to be responsible for identifying the luggage
upon arrival at the airport and to accompany the luggage from the airport to the hotel.
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4.3 The block booking of rooms that your delegation makes with the Housing Bureau should only
be for your official delegation members and accompanying persons e.g. spouses. Please note
that there are separate procedures for other participants like press, observers and NGOs.

4.4 If your delegation members are travelling with their spouses or any other accompanying persons,
you may wish to draw to their attention the special social programmes we are organizing for
them. The social programme brochure was disseminated to you during the recent briefing
in Geneva. We are pleased to inform you that no additional room charge will need to be
incurred for spouses and accompanying persons occupying the same room as the delegate, as
the hotels will be charging the same attractive room rates for single or double occupancy.

5. Meeting space

5.1 If your delegation needs meeting room facilities at the hotel you are staying in, please liaise
directly with the hotel. You may wish to advise the hotel of any special requirements you
may have for meeting rooms like direct telephone lines (specify if it is for local or international
calls) and equipment required (e.g. computer, photocopying machines, typewriters etc.). In
normal periods, the hotels may be able to service such requests on availability basis during
the arrival of your delegation. However, we anticipate that during the WTO MC period there
will be high demand for these facilities and there could be instances that the hotel may not
be able to service such requests if they are made only upon arrival for the delegation. We
would therefore like to facilitate the provision of such services by your alerting the hotels of
these needs so that arrangements can be made in advance. For your convenience, we have
attached a form (Form I) which you can complete and send directly to the hotel that has been
arranged for your delegation.

6. For more information on accommodation, please feel free to contact Ms. Margaret Heng of
the Housing Bureau at Tel: (65) 339 9918 or Fax: (65) 339 3795 or Ms. Chandrika Shantilal
of the Accommodation and Hospitality Committee at Tel: (65) 831 3748 or Fax: (65) 736 9423.

With best wishes

Yours sincerely

K. KESAVAPANY
Permanent Representative of the
Republic of Singapore to the
United Nations
Geneva
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HOTEL RESERVATION form

for DELEGATES

MINISTERIAL CONFERENCE OF THE WORLD TRADE ORGANIZATION

9-13 December 1996, Singapore

INSTRUCTIONS

Please provide all information as requested on the form. Complete one for each room required. For
a large room block, please submit all the forms attached together.

PRINT or TYPE names of ALL persons occupying the room, last name first.

All reservation requests MUST originate through the Housing Bureau in Singapore. If you contact
the hotels directly, you may be advised that they are sold out, as rooms have already been blocked
for the World Trade Organization Ministerial Meeting and assignment would be through the Bureau
only.

Reservations are taken on a first-come-first-served basis. As the room situation is rather tight in
Singapore, you are kindly advised to send in your completed reservation form for accommodation before
1 October 1996. For any request for reservation received after the cut-off date of 1 October 1996,
the Housing Bureau may not be able to guarantee a confirmed room.

You may select your hotel from three different categories. Please indicate your choice in the section
provided. Depending on the availability of rooms, you will be allocated your choice of hotel on a
first-come-first-served basis.

Please send your reservation form for housing to:

By mail: Ms. Margaret Heng

WTOMC Housing Bureau
c/o Singapore Hotel Association
11 Mt. Sophia
Blk C, John Wesley Centre
Singapore 228461

By fax: (65) 339-3795

DEPOSITS

All reservations must be accompanied by a deposit equal to one room night's rate. The payment may
be by a bank draft or cashier's order in Singapore Dollars. The deposit is to be payable to "Hotel
Reservations (S'pore) Pte Ltd". Payment by credit card may also be accepted. Please complete the
relevant section for payment by credit card.

CANCELLATION/CHANGES

Any change (i.e. name changes, arrival/departure revisions, etc.) or cancellation should be made in
writing to the Housing Bureau before 1 October 1996. Any cancellation after 1 October 1996 is liable
to forfeiture of the deposit made.
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(A) Hotel selection (Please see attached map/list for rates and locations)

Choice 1: ____________________ Choice 3: ____________________

Choice 2: ____________________ Choice 4: ____________________

If my choices are unavailable, please make my reservation according to:

lowest available room rate

closest proximity to Convention Centre

(B) Type of accommodation desired

Single (1 person/1 bed) Suite (1 parlour/1 bedroom)

Double (2 persons/1 bed) Suite (1 parlour/2 bedrooms)
Twin (2 persons/2 beds) Suite Presidential or equivalent

(C) Accommodation details

Please supply names of all delegates/accompanying persons occupying the room. Please PRINT or
TYPE.

Name Passport Arrival date/time Departure date/time Status*

number (please include flight details) (please include flight details)
________________ _______ ____________________ ____________________ _______

________________ _______ ____________________ ____________________ _______

*D-Delegate, O-Observer, W-WTO Official, S-Spouse, A-Accompanying person
(For D, O and W, please indicate designation as well)

(D) Special requests

Accommodation: ______________________________________________________________________________

Social events (Dietary requirements) ______________________________________________________________

(E) Mode of payment (for 1-room night deposit)

Payment is by: Bank draft Cashier's order Credit card

Credit card guarantee

Visa Master Card American Express

Card number: ________________________ Name: _______________________________

Expiry date: _________________________ Signature: ____________________________

(F) Contact person (on behalf of delegation):

Name: _________________________________________________________________________________

Organization: ____________________________________________________________________________

Address: _______________________________________________________________________________

Telephone: ____________________________________ Fax: ____________________________________

For official use:

Date of payment: ___________________________________________ Mode of payment: ____________________________

Entered into system by _______________________________________ Date of entry: ________________________________

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Form I

WORLD TRADE ORGANIZATION (WTO)

MINISTERIAL CONFERENCE
9 TO 13 DECEMBER 1996

To*: ____________________

Hotel: ____________________

Via fax: ____________________

List of equipment needed for the meeting room you may have booked in the hotel your delegation
is staying at:

Direct telephone line (number of lines: ____________________)

Only local (Please tick as necessary)

Local and IDD (International

Direct Dial) (Please tick as necessary)

Fax line (number of lines): ____________________)

Only local (Please tick as necessary)

Local and IDD (International

Direct Dial) (Please tick as necessary)

Any other equipment:

- Photocopying machine

- Computer

- Printer

- Typewriter

- Other equipment (Please list) __________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________

If you have not yet booked meeting space with hotel but require such space please indicate your
requirement below:

Date Time No. of persons

_____ a.m. to _____ p.m. or
24 hours basis

* Please address this form to the hotel representative of your allocated hotel. The relevant fax
numbers are in the acknowledgement letter or you should have received them from the WTO
Housing Bureau (Singapore Hotel Association).