ZAGREB SUMMIT PRESS-CENTRE STARTS OPERATING

ZAGREB, Nov 22 (Hina) - The press-centre of the Zagreb Summit, located at the museum 'Mimara' in the Savska Road in downtown Zagreb, started receiving first reporters on Wednesday morning. The biggest political event in Croatia will be covered by about 1,000 accredited reporters, including 800 foreign reporters from 200, mostly European, media companies, Foreign Ministry spokesman Goran Rotim said. The working area in the museum's basement has 120 working places for the press and every desk is equipped with a phone with a line for international calls, a lap-top connection and two sockets. The use of phones is free for reporters. In the museum's lobby, there are about a dozen computers linked to the Internet, several fax and copy machines and a big screen via which reporters will be able to follow the events at the "Intercontinental" hotel, which hosts the summit. Briefing rooms are at disposal of all heads of delegations, ministers and spokespersons. The press-centre has seven such separate rooms for special press conferences. Boxes for radio stations and news agencies are in the museum's basement, equipped with phone i.e. ISDN lines, and monitors receiving audio-visual signals from the hotel. The working area for TV reporters is in the gymnasium of a school which is part of the museum building. The platform for TV reporters was set up in front of the museum building along the Savska Road. The Croatian and Zagreb Tourism Boards have opened stands in the museum lobby offering tourist materials on Croatia in Croatian, English, German, Italian and French. Gift packages for journalists, with numerous catalogues on Croatia and Zagreb, also include a CD-ROM on Croatia, a sponge dived out from the Adriatic Sea near the island of Krapanj, a lavender bag and a gingerbread heart souvenir. The stand with four hostesses will be open from 8am to 9pm during the summit. Reporters will also be able to rent cellular phones and buy Croatian Telekom (HT) cards. HT rents phones with deposits of 1,500 and 1,800 kuna. The other telecommunication company, VIP, is not present. Reporters who wish to shop during their breaks can do so at the "Art Museum Shop" which offers graphics by renown Croatian painters, as well as lace, and gold and silver coins. Those wishing to refresh can visit a coffee shop at the museum's premises. (hina) rml,