NATO Meeting in Scotland

[anti-authoritarian]

Read All About It (http://scotland.indymedia.org/newswire/display/5022/index.php)


"Amidst an apparent blackout of world corporate media, Indymedia Scotland has learned that the NATO meeting will take place on the 14th of December, at Craigiehall. The meeting will be attended by defence ministers from 8 NATO countries, and other senior political and military officials who will be discussing the current situation in Afghanistan."

"UK Defence Secretary Des Browne, and the new foreign office minister for Africa, Asia and the UN Lord Malloch-Brown, will be hosting the meeting of defence and foreign ministers from the eight countries involved in the American imperialism in Afghanistan. All the countries that have troops in southern Afghanistan. the Urzugan, Helmad and Kandahar provinces, will be represented at the NATO event. Countries likely to attend are UK, US, Germany, Canada, Australia, Netherlands, Denmark, Estonia and Romania. Defence Secretary Gates will be attending, as will Joel Fitzgibbons the new Australian minister of defence (1)."

"The date and time of the event was discovered after several days of investigation by Indymedia Scotland, after finding corporate media reports indicating that NATO will be meeting in Edinburgh some time this month, and in others that it will be next week (2). A press release with the embargo "not for publication or broadcast before 0001 hours Friday 14 Dec 2007" was discovered on the Google cache for an online newswire (3), containing all the details of the event at Craigiehall."

"This is a significant leak, since it is certain that many important political and military figures will be attending the event, and will represent a security issue for the NATO meeting: however Indymedia Scotland believe that we have a right to be aware of, and to protest at such events to make our voices and opinions heard."

"The NATO event will begins at 10am British Army Headquarters, 2nd Division, Craigiehall, Edinburgh(4), with press advised to arrive at 8.45am."

They've been keeping it secret so we'll have to act fast. As per the G8 they've kept it rural. Map is here:

http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?q=craigiehall+edinburgh

[anti-authoritarian]

Update: (http://scotland.indymedia.org/newswire/display/5024/index.php)

We want to make our voice heard, and make our opinions known, at the NATO summit they tried to keep secret!

Below are initial details of the peaceful protest being planned for the Edinburgh NATO meeting on Afghanistan, an event that will take place on the morning of the 14th of December.

This article will be updated, as plans and details emerge, so check it fairly often.
THE DETAILS SO FAR

There will be a peaceful demonstration as close to the summit as possible: it will be as visible and noisy as we make it! Lets exercise our democratic right to freedom of assembly, and make sure the warmongers visit is as uncomfortable as possible!

LOCATION
NATO will meet at Craigiehall, which is the Headquarters of 2nd Division. It is approximately 5 miles from the city centre, and probably a 30 minute cycle.

(Location on Google maps: maps.google.co.uk/maps)

TIME
Military and Government officials will arrive at about 9am on Friday the 14th of December, many of them will presumably travel from Edinburgh airport to the event. Media have been advised to arrive at 8.30am.

TRANSPORT
@ There will be a bicycle caravan from princes street to the summit, meeting at the corner of Shandwick Pl., Hope St., and Queensferry St., timings soon.
@ A carsharing network, details soon.
@ A regular bus service goes into the City and there is also a local train station at Dalmeny village (3 miles away), with a regular service into the city - details soon!
@ There may also be a minibus provided - but this is not confirmed yet.

NOISE
please bring megaphones, sound systems and horns. we hope to be within earshot of the political and military elite - lets tell them what we think!

This article will be updated, as plans and details emerge, so check it fairly often

[anti-authoritarian]

And more from Indymedia:


According to local press we can expect the NATO nations involved in Americas war in Afghanistan to be meeting in Edinburgh this month - and according to one source it could be as early as next week. At this time there is no public announcement of the exact date or location of this important meeting: a move that appears to be intentionally preventing the voices of dissenters being heard.
Edinburgh is hosting a summit of senior ministers from the NATO countries involved in the anglo-american imperialism in Afghanistan.

The meeting will be held, according to local press, this month; however the Guardian believes it to be as early as next week. Yet there is no public announcement of the exact date and location of this summit. It appears at this stage that there might be a hidden and unaccountable meeting, ensuring that our voices on the question of the war in afghanistan will not be heard.

The war in Afghanistan began in 2001 as a response to the September 11th attacks in New York, with the White House claiming that Islamists involved in the attack were being harboured by the Taliban, the then government of Afghanistan. The justification for invasion was to remove the Taliban regime, and eliminate the terrorists they shelter.

There are two more likely reasons for the war: Firstly the US and the UK wish to build oil and gas pipelines to exploit the rich oil reserves of central asia.
Secondly, the US aims to create permanent military bases, so as to dominate that part of the world.

Afghans are angry at the conflict, corruption and instability in their country, with recent polls commissioned by western TV news channels showing that support for the war amongst afghans is dropping sharply, and in some regions the support for the Taliban resurgence is growing. Afghan civilian casualtues are estimated at between 3,700 and 5,000: well in excess of those who died in the twin towers attack.

Countries likely to be attending the meeting include: UK, US, Germany, Canada, Australia, Netherlands, Denmark, Estonia and Romania.

Link: http://scotland.indymedia.org/newswire/dis.../5017/index.php (http://scotland.indymedia.org/newswire/display/5017/index.php)

[anti-authoritarian]

The leaked press release (due for release on the day of the event).


2007-12-05
[11:20]
UK hosts international Afghanistan conference

PRNewswire-GNN London 5 December

London, 5 December /PRNewswire-GNN/ --

MINISTRY OF DEFENCE News Release (288/2007) issued by The Government News
Network on 5 December 2007

PLEASE NOTE EMBARGO
Not for publication or broadcast before
0001 hours Friday 14 Dec 2007

STRICTLY NOT FOR PUBLICATION OR BROADCAST BEFORE 00:01 FRIDAY 14 DECEMBER

UK Defence Secretary Des Browne is to host a meeting of defence and foreign
ministers from eight countries involved in the international coalition in
southern Afghanistan.

Media are invited to the event in Edinburgh where Mr Browne will be joined
by Foreign Office minister Lord Malloch-Brown. Matters of mutual interest
about the future of southern Afghanistan will be discussed in this meeting.

WHEN: 14 December 2007. Media must arrive by 8.30am to be in the media area
on site by 8.45am.

Delegates will start to arrive at 09:10 and arrivals shots will be permitted.

A "family photograph" between 11:00 and 11:30.

Media will also be permitted to do pieces to camera from outside the venue
during the day, when the meeting is in session.

Des Browne will have a limited time available for one-to-one interviews
after the meeting closes at around 15.30. Media wishing to interview the
Defence Secretary should place their bids with the contacts below.

Media will be able to stay in the building throughout the day, with
refreshments, internet access, and satellite truck access provided.

WHERE: British Army Headquarters, 2nd Division, Craigiehall, Edinburgh,
EH30 9TN.

Media wishing to attend must register their interest in advance by the 11
December with Simon Steel or Rebecca Young in the MoD press office on 020
7218 7909 or 020 7218 5903, or Sara Reed, Defence press officer for Scotland,
on 0131 310 2005.

For security reasons, media must provide full names, date of birth, gender,
occupation, employer and address. A digital photograph is also needed and
can be e-mailed to either [email protected] or [email protected]
Please also indicate whether you wish to bring a satellite truck.

http://scotland.indymedia.org/usermedia/ap...ressrelease.pdf (http://scotland.indymedia.org/usermedia/application/5/1_pr_newswire_pressrelease.pdf)

[anonymous]

FINAL DETAILS of the Anti-NATO Protest

We want to make our voice heard, and make our opinions known, at the NATO summit they tried to keep secret!

Below are Full Details of the protest at the Edinburgh NATO meeting on Afghanistan.

Troops out of Iraq and Afghanistan!
THE DETAILS
There will be a demonstration as close to the summit as possible: it will be as visible and noisy as we make it! Lets exercise our democratic right to freedom of assembly, and make sure the warmongers visit is as uncomfortable as possible!

TRAVEL
the early bird catches the worm!

If going from Edinburgh.
Meet 7am at Rutland Square next to Caledonian Hotel and across Lothian Road from the Peace and Justice Centre. There will be a bicycle contingent but if you can bring a car and offer lifts please do so. Everyone else will take the 43 bus which leaves nearby and goes close to Craigiehall. If on the bus get off at the Riverside Road stop which is marked as Army Barracks.

If travelling direct
Meet up with the bus contingent at Riverside Road just off the A90 at 8am.

BANNER MAKING
Meet at the Peace and Justice Centre, at 6pm on Thursday evening. Some materials will be provided, but please bring as much as you can!

ACCOMMODATION
There are very limited spaces on peoples floors:
meet at the Peace and Justice Centre for the banner making session 6pm on Thursday to meet people with crash-space. Bring a sleeping bag and roll mat!

STUFF TO BRING
This probably goes without saying, but its cold and might be wet on the day, so wear appropriate clothing. You might want to bring food and drink also, and of course banners, and placards!

NOISE!
as well as banners and placards, please bring megaphones, sound systems (there will be one, but more is better!) and horns. we hope to be within earshot of the political and military elite - lets tell them what we think!

contact: protestnato (at) yahoo.co.uk