LYON, France -- Senior police officers and security experts will gather in the Indonesian capital, Jakarta, from 11-13 April 2006 for the 19th INTERPOL Asian Regional Conference. High on the agenda are security and policing issues facing Asian countries.

The conference will discuss ways to support regional and national police forces through INTERPOL's variety of communications services, databases and other specialized programmes and projects.

The meeting will also focus on ways to improve information exchange in the region and in particular on expansion of access to INTERPOL’s databases via its global police communication system. Known as I-24/7, this is a high security system using secured Internet connections for heavily encrypted criminal data and police messages.

The conference opening, scheduled for 9.00 a.m. on 11 April at the Jakarta Hilton hotel, will be open to the media. Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono will deliver an opening address, as will INTERPOL’s President, Jackie Selebi.

The subsequent keynote speech by INTERPOL's Secretary General, Ronald K. Noble, is closed to the media, but highlights of his remarks will be available to journalists covering the first day of proceedings.

A press conference, at which the INTERPOL Secretary General and senior Indonesian officials will be present, is planned for 11 April at approximately 10.00 a.m. Interviews with high-ranking police officials, and press briefings on law enforcement topics, will also be organized during the three days of conference proceedings.

Simultaneous interpretation of press conferences and public sessions will be available in English, Indonesian and Arabic.

Journalists wishing to cover the conference are advised to apply immediately for accreditation by submitting the following information to the Indonesian National Police:

• the name of their media organization,
• family name and forenames of attending journalists,
• nationality, date of birth and place of residence.

The contacts in Jakarta for press and accreditation matters:

Journalists must carry their press credentials and official identity documents or passports with them when they arrive at the conference security desk at the Hilton hotel.