It is now clear that it will be possible to carry through the summer meeting of the Nordic Prime Ministers in Molde, Norway 12-13 May, in spite of a strike in the hotel and restaurant sector. Participants will be Prime Ministers Kjell Magne Bondevik (host), David Oddsson (Iceland), Paavo Lipponen (Finland), Göran Persson (Sweden) and Anders Fogh Rasmussen (Denmark). Parts of the meeting will also be a Nordic/South African summit, as President Thabo Mbeki will be participating on 12 May.

Due to strike at the intended meeting hotel, Quality Hotel Alexandra, meetings and press conferences on 12 May will take place in rooms at Molde Stadium. The Prime Ministers and their spouses will, as planned, stay at the former county governor residence Nøisomhed, at Fannestrandvegen 125; and so will President Mbeki. Delegations will stay at Comfort Hotel Nobel and Rainbow Hotel Knausen. Accredited press who have themselves booked rooms at Alexandra Hotel, have been shifted to Rainbow Hotel Knausen.

Press who have applied for accreditation may pick up their cards at the meeting’s press centre at Molde Stadium – entrance at lower level facing the sea - from 08.00 on Sunday 12 May. The press centre will be open until approximately 20.30 on Sunday 12 May. Norwegian press contacts during the meeting are Gunnar Husan, state secretary, tel. 91 12 12 16, and Øivind Østang, head of information, tel. 91 34 64 70.

As of today the programme is as follows:

Sunday 12 May:
At about 09.45 press transport leaves the press centre at Molde Stadium for Molde Airport, for accredited press intending to cover the arrival of the Prime Ministers and the President. Arrivals are expected to be follows: Prime Minister Lipponen at 10.20, Prime Minister Fogh Rasmussen at 10.45, Prime Minister Persson at 11.15 and President Mbeki at 11.45. (Prime Minister Oddsson will have arrived at 18.00 on Saturday 11 May).
At 11.30 press transport leaves from Molde Airport for Molde Stadium, for press intending to cover the opening of the meeting of the Nordic Prime Ministers.
At about 12.00 press transport will leave Molde Airport for Molde Stadium, for press having covered President Mbeki’s arrival.
At 12.00 the Nordic Prime Ministers meet in Molde Stadium’s restaurant, entrance 10 on level 1 facing the sea. Photo opportunity for accredited press.
At 14.00 the Nordic Prime Ministers meet for a joint press conference at Molde Stadium’s press room.
At 15.00 the Nordic Prime Ministers meet with President Thabo Mbeki in Molde Stadium’s restaurant, entrance 10 on level 1 facing the sea. Photo opportunity for accredited press.
At 16.30 the Prime Ministers and the President meet for a joint press conference at Molde Stadium’s press room.
At about 17.00 press transport leaves from the press centre at Molde Stadium for Nøisomhed, for photo opportunities and possible press comments after bilateral meetings between President Mbeki and the Prime Ministers. As of today the order of bilateral talks will be: Danish-South African at 17.10, Finnish-South African at 17.40, Icelandic-South African at 18.10, Swedish-South African at 18.40.
At about 19.00 press transport leaves Nøisomhed via the press centre at Molde Stadium for the Romsdal Museum, for photo opportunities before the official dinner there.
At 20.00 Prime Minister Bondevik and his wife host an official dinner for President Mbeki and the Nordic Prime Ministers, in Guildhall at the Romsdal Museum. Photo opportunity for accredited press as guests are arriving. A press pool where Norwegian participants are ANB, NRK, NTB, Romsdals Budstikke and Scanpix, may work also when guests are being seated, during speeches and entertainment.
At about 20.15 press transport leaves the Romsdal Museum for the press centre at Molde Stadium.

Monday 13. mai:
At 08.45 President Mbeki will leave Molde Airport for Oslo, for official visit there. The visit will cover a lecture at the University of Oslo at 11.15, meeting with the Vice President of the Storting, Mr. Inge Lønning, at 12.45, audience and luncheon with HM King Harald V from 13.15, political talks and press conference with Prime Minister Bondevik from 16.30 and government dinner at 19.30.

At 09.15 accredited press intending to cover the Nordic Prime Ministers’ tour of Molde, should meeet at Molde’s guest harbour.
From 09.45 the Nordic Prime Ministers and spouses will visit the Fisheries Museum at Hjertøya (09.50-10.20), the Royal Birch (10.50-11.10) and Molde Cathedral (11.20-11.40). Press transport will accompany the tour.
At 12.00 Prime Minister Bondevik and his wife will host a luncheon for their Nordic guests, at Vardestua Restaurant. Photo opportunity as guests arrive.
At about 12.15 press transport leaves Vardestua for downtown Molde.
At about 13.35 the Nordic Prime Ministers will leave Vardestua for Molde Airport, in order to return to their capitals.

At 16.30 Prime Minister Bondevik receives President Mbeki at the Office of the Prime Minister, in Oslo. Photo opportunity. Following their talks, at about 17.00, the two will be available for press at the same place.
At 19.30 Prime Minister Bondevik will host a government dinner for President Mbeki, at Government Guest House at Parkveien 45 in Oslo. Photo opportunity from 19.00. A press pool where Norwegian participants are ANB, NRK or TV2, NTB, Scanpix and Se og Hør, may work as guests are being seated and during speeches.

President Thabo Mbeki is expected to leave Oslo in the morning of Tuesday 14 May.