The Nuclear Security Summit 2014 in more than 100 questions INTRODUCTION The Netherlands is known for its commitment to peace, justice and security around the world. We believe it is important to prevent nuclear terrorism. Many goods and people pass through the Port of Rotterdam and Schiphol Airport, increasing the risk that our country could be used for the transit of smuggled nuclear material. This is why we are and will remain at the forefront of efforts to investigate these activities. We also have a nuclear industry in our country which must have effective security. Nuclear material has an important function. It is used to cure the sick and light our homes. The chance that terrorists will use nuclear material to carry out an attack is fortunately small. But if such an attack were to occur, the consequences for the whole world would be very serious. Governments, companies, scientists and organisations from many different countries are therefore working together to reduce the quantity of nuclear material, improve the security of existing nuclear material and make better international agreements. The Nuclear Security Summit (NSS) is needed to ensure that global cooperation on this issue is effective and thereby to prevent nuclear terrorism. Nuclear Security Summits have been held every two years since 2010 and are attended by the leaders of over 50 countries. They were initiated by President Obama, on whose request the Netherlands is organising NSS 2014. In this way our country is actively helping to make the world a safer place for the benefit of everyone, both now and in the future. NSS 2014 will contribute to the Netherlands' profile as a country of peace, justice and security. It will also give the country an economic boost and create employment, as well as confirming The Hague's position as a conference venue and city of peace and justice.
GENERAL INFORMATION ON NSS 2014 1. When and where will NSS 2014 take place? NSS 2014 will take place on Monday 24 and Tuesday 25 March 2014 at the World Forum in The Hague. Some delegations will arrive earlier and/or leave later. 2. What is the aim of the NSS? The aim of the NSS is to prevent nuclear terrorism by: 1. reducing the amount of dangerous nuclear material in the world; 2. improving the security of existing nuclear material; 3. strengthening international cooperation. 3. Who will attend? The leaders of 53 countries and four international organisations (the EU, the IAEA, INTERPOL and the UN) have been invited to the summit. The European Union will bring two world leaders, bringing the total to 58. The world leaders are expected to be accompanied by 5,000 delegates, and around 3,000 journalists are expected from around the world. 4. Why aren't more than 53 countries attending the NSS? For the first NSS in 2010, 47 countries and three international organisations were invited. In selecting the participants, the aim was to achieve a good regional spread of countries, and to give priority to countries where nuclear material was present and used. Fiftythree countries and four international organisations were invited to the second NSS in 2012. The Netherlands has decided to keep this number of invitations, reasoning that the more participants there are, the more difficult it is to reach an agreement, and the bigger and more complicated the task of organising the event becomes. 5. Why are countries like North Korea and Iran not taking part? Different forums are used to talk to these countries about nuclear security and their role and activities in this area. In the current circumstances the NSS is not the right setting. 6. What is the programme? The delegates are expected to arrive in the Netherlands on Sunday 23 and Monday 24 March.
The summit will begin on Monday 24 March at 13.30. Delegations will be received at the World Forum by the Prime Minister, Mark Rutte. Following the official opening, the plenary session will begin. In the evening there is a reception and dinner with King WillemAlexander at Huis ten Bosch Palace. The plenary session will resume at 9.00 on Tuesday 25 March. There will also be opportunities for bilateral meetings. After the traditional leaders' group photograph and the adoption of the final communiqué, the programme will be rounded off with a press conference in the late afternoon. Most of the delegations will depart on Tuesday 25 and Wednesday 26 March. 7. Is the NSS a public event? No. Only world leaders and their delegations will have access to the NSS. At specific times and places the host broadcaster will make TV recordings that will be made available to all media outlets. A media centre will be set up to enable foreign and domestic journalists to report on the summit. 8. Why was the Netherlands asked to organise NSS 2014? There are a number of reasons why the Netherlands was asked – at NSS 2012 in Seoul – to host NSS 2014: a. Around the world the Netherlands is known for its commitment to peace, justice and security. This is thanks in part to the presence of the International Criminal Court, the International Court of Justice and the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia. Our reputation also stems from other international gatherings we have hosted in recent years, like the Freedom Online conference and the Afghanistan conference. The request for us to organise NSS 2014 confirms our international role. b. The Netherlands is a major player in the nuclear industry. For example, the Nuclear Research and Consultancy Group (NRG) in Petten produces radiopharmaceutical materials and isotopes, while Urenco Nederland in Almelo enriches uranium. c. Many goods and people pass through the Port of Rotterdam and Schiphol Airport, increasing the risk that our country could be used for the transit of smuggled nuclear material. d. Through the Netherlands Forensic Institute (NFI) we have taken the lead in further developing nuclear forensics and promoting international cooperation in this field.
summit? Wouldn't they be a more logical choice? The IAEA has 159 member states while the NSS involves 53 countries and four organisations. The smaller size of this group and the temporary nature of the NSS process allow global agreements on preventing nuclear terrorism to be reached more quickly. The NSS is an initiative of President Obama, who sought to give an extra boost to nuclear security. The presence and direct involvement of world leaders enable the achievement of results that would otherwise only be attained after a long time, if at all. QUESTIONS ABOUT DELEGATIONS 10. Will President Obama (/other world leader) actually attend in person? It is a matter for heads of state and government themselves to confirm their attendance. President Obama and President Hollande have announced that they are coming. 11. Is Michelle Obama coming too? Is there a programme for the partners of the world leaders? There is no programme for the partners of the world leaders. The summit is exclusively focused on the issues. 12. Where will President Obama (/other world leader) be staying / spending the night? For security reasons, no details can be given about where world leaders are staying. We can confirm, however, that contrary to some reports President Obama will not be spending the night on a ship or a drilling platform in the North Sea. 13. When will President Obama (/other world leader) be arriving / leaving? For security reasons, no details can be given about world leaders' itineraries. 14. How many people will there be in a delegation? This will vary greatly and depends on the country in question. In total we expect around 5,000 delegates to accompany their leaders to the Netherlands. For security reasons, no details can be given about the size of a particular country's delegation. 15. Who will accompany the world leaders in March?
Their delegations will include their chief negotiators (sherpas) and other officials. These officials will not only advise them on matters of nuclear security, but will also fulfil roles relating to protocol, personal security and statements to the media. 16. Where will all those world leaders, delegates and journalists be staying? Within a radius of 60km around The Hague, some 8,000 beds have been reserved at around 55 hotels for the expected 5,000 delegates and 3,000 journalists (delegations pay for the accommodation themselves). We cannot say for security reasons which hotels delegations will be staying at. 17. What security arrangements will be put in place for world leaders like President Obama? The deployment of police during the summit will be substantial. We cannot answer specific questions about security arrangements. 18. Can the Netherlands guarantee their safety? The government is doing all it can to ensure the success of the summit. Effective, targeted measures are necessary to maintain security and ensure the event proceeds without disturbances. These measures will affect mobility. At the same time, the government always seeks to strike the right balance between taking the necessary security measures and allowing society to function normally. See also the questions on safety and security. AIRPORTS 19. Which airports will be used? Most guests will arrive at Schiphol Airport on scheduled flights or by government aircraft. Aircraft of delegations will also land and be parked at RotterdamThe Hague Airport, although fewer than at Schiphol. 20. Is it true that Valkenburg airfield will be used? The former Valkenburg airfield will not be used for the arrival or departure of delegations. The runways are now entirely unsuitable for this purpose. However, the site will be used as a base
for Ministry of Defence helicopters and for the police involved in security and traffic management operations relating to the summit. ORGANISATION OF THE NSS NSS 2014 is the biggest summit ever held in the Netherlands. Fiftyeight world leaders, 5,000 delegates and 3,000 journalists will be coming to The Hague. Preparations are in full swing at various government ministries and dozens of partner organisations. Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte will chair the summit. The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Frans Timmermans, is coordinating the organisational and substantive preparations. ORGANISATION 21. Who is organising NSS 2014? Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte will chair NSS 2014. The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Frans Timmermans, is handling the organisational and substantive preparations. 22. How is the NSS being prepared? A project team started making the organisational and substantive preparations in mid2012. A sherpa team of six people is responsible for substantive, diplomatic and preparatory negotiations. Many other organisations and government ministries are also contributing to making the summit a success. LOCATION 23. Where will the NSS be held? The NSS will be held at the World Forum in The Hague. Other buildings in the vicinity will also be used (OPCW, Omniversum, Gemeentemuseum), for example to house an international media centre. 24. Will the buildings surrounding the World Forum remain available for the businesses and organisations that they house? The World Forum is in the international zone, which means that there will be a security cordon
around the location. The buildings within it will be completely at the disposal of the NSS. 25. Many people will be inconvenienced by the fact that The Hague and the World Forum were selected to host the NSS. Why wasn't a different, more accessible venue chosen? The Hague, as the international city of peace and justice, has considerable experience hosting large international events. The venue was selected following a tender procedure in which a number of factors were taken into account, including location. The Hague and the World Forum came out on top. 26. Is the World Forum actually big enough? Yes, the World Forum is big enough for the world leaders and around 1,500 delegates attending the summit. An estimated 3,000 journalists will be accommodated at the press centre close by the World Forum in the international zone. 27. Who will be responsible for furnishing and decorating the venue? The theme of the decoration at the summit, which will cover over 12,000 m² of event space, is ‘a modern twist on Dutch classics'. The tender for floral decorations and event styling at the World Forum has been won by Fraai Projecten and Wolterinck Event Decoration. Every room at the venue will be assigned a distinctive function and the décor will consist mainly of furniture by Dutch designers. Fraai Projecten and Wolterinck Event Decoration are planning to feature a variety of flowers in their designs, details of which will be announced shortly before the start of the Nuclear Security Summit. Fraai Projecten and Wolterinck Event Decoration were among the four competitors for the World Forum tender, in which price, quality and sustainability were key issues. Artwork from The Hague’s Gemeentemuseum may be loaned for display in the World Forum meeting rooms. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs is also considering works from its own collection for the event. The furnishing and decoration of the World Forum will start on 16 March and continue round the clock. 28. Will King WillemAlexander play a role at the NSS? If so, what will that role be? Yes, on Monday evening King WillemAlexander will host a reception and dinner at Huis ten
Bosch Palace. 29. Where will all the world leaders go in the event of a largescale emergency? Hosting an event of this size obviously involves drawing up contingency plans to deal with a wide range of scenarios. For security reasons, no details can be disclosed about where world leaders will go in the event of an emergency. It goes without saying that the contingency plans include arrangements for the public and routes for the emergency services. COSTS AND BENEFITS OF THE NSS Organising a global summit costs money. The Netherlands will be welcoming 58 world leaders to NSS 2014. It must ensure they enjoy a safe stay and provide a dignified and undisturbed setting for their important work. At the same time, the aim is to minimise costs as far as possible. The delegations and media will, for example, pay their own travel and accommodation expenses. 30. How much will NSS 2014 cost? The budget to organise NSS 2014 is €24 million, excluding security costs. These costs will not be disclosed in the interests of the world leaders’ security. As this is the first time the Netherlands has organised such a major summit, the budget is based in part on the budgets for the previous two Nuclear Security Summits, in Seoul and Washington, and the G8 and G20 summits. The €24 million budget will cover the cost of the location, organisation, catering, technology, ICT and transport for delegates. It will be paid from the central government budget, more specifically from the Homogenous Budget for International Cooperation (HGIS, a subbudget within the central government budget to promote cooperation and coordinate various ministries’ expenditure on foreign policy). A number of companies are also willing to act as sponsors in kind. 31. What are the benefits of NSS 2014? This question can be answered on several levels: a safer world and therefore a safer Netherlands; confirmation of the role we fulfil internationally;
positioning of the Netherlands in general and as a country of peace, justice and security in particular; positioning of The Hague as an international city of peace and justice. 32. Why is NSS 2014 being held during a crisis? The costs of hosting the summit are being kept as low as possible. Where reasonable and appropriate, the delegations and media will bear their own costs. They will pay, for example, for their own flights, hotels and (barring a handful of exceptions) travel from the airport to the World Forum and their hotels. They will also pay for their meals outside the World Forum. 33. Will businesses be compensated for loss of turnover or additional costs? No, there is no general compensation scheme. In principle, everyone will bear their own costs. The NSS was announced well in advance through the media, municipalities, industry associations, at special meetings, etc. Everyone has been able to make appropriate preparations. Similarly, compensation is not paid if large events (major fairs, sports events, marathons) partially or completely prevent access to a business. If you nevertheless think you are entitled to compensation in very exceptional circumstances, you should submit a claim to the authority responsible for the decision that caused your losses. The mayor is responsible for the closure of municipal roads, the province for provincial roads and Rijkswaterstaat for trunk roads and motorways. TRANSPORT AND ACCESSIBILITY The Netherlands is welcoming 58 world leaders and 5,000 delegates to the Nuclear Security Summit (NSS) in The Hague on 24 and 25 March 2014. The security and traffic management measures taken to ensure the summit (the biggest ever organised in the Netherlands) runs smoothly will have an impact on accessibility. People travelling on the roads between Amsterdam, The Hague and Rotterdam should expect serious disruption. Long tailbacks on the motorways are possible due to road closures. The roads around Wassenaar, Katwijk, Noordwijk and Haarlemmermeer may also suffer severe congestion. 34. How will I be affected if I live or work in or around The Hague?
The organisers of NSS 2014 are doing all they can to minimise the inconvenience to residents. For security reasons, however, cars will have only limited access to certain parts of the city, chiefly around the World Forum and on the access routes to it, on one or more days. The route to the Hubertus Tunnel and Viaduct will also be closed. Parking will be prohibited in certain streets. You are urgently advised not to drive to The Hague. If possible leave your car at home and take the tram or bus. Extra trams and buses will be in operation. Apart from a handful of diversions, buses and trams in The Hague will be operating as normal. Dutch Railways (NS) will also provide extra train capacity. For local residents, the bicycle is the perfect solution. You could also consider working from home or at different times. The latest information on the measures being taken for the NSS is available at www.denhaag.nl/NSS 2014. 35. How will I be affected as a road user? The organisers of NSS 2014 are doing all they can to minimise the inconvenience to road users. For security reasons, however, some roads and/or lanes will be closed to traffic at certain times. People travelling on the roads between Amsterdam, The Hague and Rotterdam should expect serious disruption. Long tailbacks on the motorways are possible due to road closures. The roads around Wassenaar, Katwijk, Noordwijk and Haarlemmermeer may also suffer severe congestion. All information on traffic measures can be found at www.vanAnaarBeter.nl/voorbereidopweg/nss/. 36. What is the NSS’s estimated impact on traffic? Traffic models indicate that rushhour congestion will be twice as long as normal (‘congestion on top of congestion’). If tailbacks on the motorways in the Randstad are usually 150 kilometres long, they will be 300 kilometres long during the summit. 37. What should commuters and other road users do? ● The government has asked all civil servants who do not live in The Hague to consult their superiors and work at home or from somewhere else outside The Hague if possible. The government is therefore setting a good example to other employers and organisations. If you do not have to be in this part of the Randstad on Monday 24 and Tuesday 25 March, you are urgently advised to work from home or somewhere else. ● Secondly, if you have to travel to The Hague or Schiphol, or to destinations in between, use public transport and travel outside the rush hour.
● Extra rail capacity will be provided on services to The Hague. Dutch Railways (NS) will provide extra rushhour capacity between Amsterdam, Schiphol, Leiden and The Hague on Monday 24 March and Tuesday 25 March. Longer intercity trains will run between 07.00 and 09.00 in the morning and between 17.00 and 19.00 in the evening to carry 22,000 passengers per hour. This is 10,000 more than normal. More details will be provided later. NS will also deploy an additional 600 people to assist passengers at stations and on trains. The longer trains will also travel to Rotterdam. ● If you have to travel by car during the rush hour, expect severe delays and longer journey times. Good preparation is important. Consult www.vanAnaarBeter.nl before you leave, listen to the latest traffic reports and follow diversions as signposted. In any event be prepared for longer journey times. ROAD TRAFFIC MEASURES Which roads will be directly affected? The world leaders will travel from Schiphol to The Hague via a closed route, the A5, A4, A44, N44 and N14 corridor. One or more lanes will be closed for a long period of time. When will the route be closed? As far as we are aware, the route will be closed from 16.00 on Sunday afternoon until 15.00 on Monday afternoon and from 13.00 on Tuesday afternoon until 05.00 on Wednesday morning. We expect traffic to be severely disrupted during these periods. So that’s a total of 39 hours. Why do the roads have to be closed for so long? Traffic measures have to be taken and a thorough security check has to be carried out before the world leaders can use the corridor. That takes time. The second closure – on Tuesday – will be shorter because the route will be subject to strict security checks throughout the NSS and the road closure equipment will remain in place. Furthermore, we will not know when the world leaders will arrive at Schiphol until the very last minute. So traffic will be disrupted both on Sunday afternoon and during the Monday morning and Tuesday afternoon and evening rush hours? Yes. The route will be reserved for the world leaders from 16.00 on Sunday 23 March.
Roads and lanes will be closed to the public and there will be serious disruptions. Why has this route been chosen? Security and the impact on traffic were taken into consideration and it was concluded that it would be better to use the A44/N44 corridor than the A4 to The Hague. What measures will be taken on the A5? The A5 will be closed in both directions between the Raasdorp (A9) interchange and De Hoek (A4) interchange between 16.00 on Sunday afternoon and 15.00 on Monday afternoon and between 13.00 on Tuesday afternoon and 05.00 on Wednesday morning. What measures will be taken on the A4? Three lanes on the A4 will be closed between De Hoek interchange and the Burgerveen interchange heading towards The Hague between 16.00 on Sunday afternoon and 15.00 on Monday afternoon and between 13.00 on Tuesday afternoon and 05.00 on Wednesday morning. The lanes will be closed by a mobile barrier, which can be placed and removed far faster than a conventional barrier. Only two lanes will be available for traffic. For security reasons, Den Ruygen Hoek service station on the A4 heading towards The Hague will be closed from Sunday afternoon until Wednesday morning. Vehicles will not be allowed to stay on the car park. What measures will be taken on the A44/N44? The A44 will be closed between the Burgerveen interchange and Wassenaar heading towards The Hague between 16.00 on Sunday afternoon and 14.00 on Monday afternoon and between 14.00 on Tuesday afternoon and 05.00 on Wednesday morning. What measures will be taken on the N14/N440? The N14/N440 (Sytwende route, via the Hubertus Tunnel to the World Forum) will be closed in both directions from Sunday afternoon 23 March until Wednesday morning 26 March. The route will be closed from the A4. It will still be possible to reach Leidschendam.
Why will lanes heading towards The Hague be closed on Tuesday afternoon? Aren’t the delegates returning to Schiphol? To make use of the security and traffic measures already taken, it has been decided to use the same route. The delegates will therefore travel against the normal flow of traffic on Tuesday afternoon, heading north in the western lane. Which slip roads on the route will be closed? The slip roads at Hoofddorp (3), HoofddorpZuid (3a) and NieuwVennep will be closed. How will slip roads be closed? Slip roads will be closed by means of fences and barriers. Will it be easy to reach Schiphol on these days? It will be exceedingly difficult to reach Schiphol. You are advised to travel to the airport by train. To take the world leaders from Schiphol to The Hague, the A4 heading south will be reduced from five lanes to two. The first lane will be closed south of the Schiphol tunnel so that traffic can reach Schiphol using the lane parallel to the A4 (north of the tunnel) for as long as possible. If there is a risk of congestion on the A4 between the Badhoevedorp interchange and the Schiphol tunnel, traffic will be diverted to Schiphol as follows: traffic from the Vinkeveen exit on the A2 will be diverted via the N201 to the A4 and then led from Hoofdorp via Oostbaan to Schiphol; traffic from the Aalsmeer exit (6) on the A9 will be diverted to the A4 via the N232 (Fokkerweg) and the N201; traffic from the Ouderkerk a/d Amstel / AmstelveenOost exit (4) on the A9 will be diverted via Beneluxbaan. Who will inform the public of the NSS’s impact on air passengers? Schiphol will inform the public of the NSS’s impact by means of press releases, its
website, Schiphol TV, etc. If necessary, it will communicate directly with local residents, airport users and businesses. Will measures also be taken on the A13? It may be necessary to close one lane of the A13 to carry delegates from Rotterdam (airport and city). Whether or not the motorway is closed will depend on the volume of traffic. If a delegation can be escorted through the traffic without having to stop, the motorway will not be closed. If there is a risk of congestion, a lane will be temporarily closed so that the delegation can be escorted to The Hague quickly. The route will not be closed from 16.00 on Monday afternoon until 13.00 on Tuesday afternoon. Won’t there be problems? On Monday evening, the world leaders will not return to their hotels until well after the rush hour. We therefore expect few problems for other traffic. The Tuesday morning rush hour will be very busy. Some world leaders will spend the night outside The Hague and be escorted back to The Hague again in the morning but roads will not be closed for long. The brief closure of some motorways and, for example, the N206 (from Noordwijk) may disrupt traffic. ALTERNATIVES ● You are urgently advised not to travel to this part of the Randstad (between Amsterdam and The Hague) on Monday 24 and Tuesday 25 March unless you absolutely have to. You are advised to work from home or elsewhere. The government will ask all civil servants in The Hague to consult their superiors and work from home or somewhere outside The Hague if at all possible. ● Secondly, if you have to be in or near The Hague or Schiphol, travel outside the rush hour. ● If you have to travel to The Hague, Dutch Railways (NS) will provide extra capacity on the trains between Amsterdam, Schiphol, Leiden and The Hague on Monday 24 and Tuesday 25 March. Longer intercity trains will be running to carry 22,000 passengers per hour between 07.00 and 09.00 in the morning and 17.00 and 19.00 in the evening.
This is 10,000 more than normal. Further details will be provided later. NS will also deploy 600 extra people to assist passengers at stations and on trains. The longer trains will also run to and from Rotterdam.
● If you have to travel by car during the rush hour, expect severe disruptions and longer journey times. Good preparation is essential. Consult www.vanAnaarBeter.nl before you leave, listen to the latest traffic reports and follow diversions as signposted. How many extra trains will there be? Extra capacity will be created by running longer trains and providing more standing room. It is not possible to operate additional trains between Amsterdam, Schiphol, Leiden and The Hague. The maximum number is already being operated. Can’t Dutch Railways operate more trains instead of longer trains? The capacity of all routes around The Hague has been studied. Extra passengers are expected chiefly on the route between Amsterdam and The Hague. The trains will be lengthened to provide more room. Additional trains cannot be operated on this very busy route in the Randstad. Why can’t Dutch Railways always run longer trains on these routes? Transport will be a key factor during the NSS. The carriages that will be used to lengthen the trains are not ‘surplus’ but have to be taken from trains on other routes. To improve transport around The Hague, it will be busier than usual on other routes in the Netherlands. There is good cause to lengthen the trains in this exceptional case but it cannot be done all the time. What will happen if a train breaks down? Can Dutch Railways guarantee a service? ProRail will have extra people and equipment ready to deal with incidents. Dutch Railways (NS) will also deploy extra people to deal with incidents and help passengers have a smooth journey. How many more people will Dutch Railways deploy? Dutch Railways (NS) will deploy 600 more people to assist passengers at stations and
on trains. It will also deploy more people to deal with incidents and help passengers have a smooth journey. Where will the extra capacity come from? The extra capacity will come from other parts of the Netherlands. Less capacity will therefore be available on other routes in the country. The extra capacity will be created by making trains longer and providing more standing room. What effect will the longer trains have? Taking the train or working at home could cut road traffic by as much as 30%. This will not be enough to prevent traffic congestion during the NSS but hopefully it will be enough to prevent the Randstad coming to a complete standstill. What else will ProRail be doing on these days? Extra response teams and engineers will be available to deal with problems quickly. Recovery locomotives will also be on standby to provide assistance. This extra capacity should ensure that trains keep moving if there is an incident. Furthermore, ProRail (like Rijkswaterstaat on the roads) has not planned any engineering work on the railway during the NSS. Are you asking all civil servants to work from home? We are asking all civil servants who do not live in The Hague to consult their superiors and work from home on 24 and 25 March if at all possible. Alternatively, you might be able to find a workspace in another government office outside the Randstad. Travelling outside the rush hour will in any event help. You could even take a day off. It is in any event advisable to plan appointments in The Hague on another day. By asking people to work from home, the government is setting a good example to other large employers in The Hague, Leiden and around Schiphol. What is the thinking behind the diversions? Road diversions will be in place between 16.00 on Sunday 23 March and 05.00 on Wednesday 26 March. They will be published on www.vanAnaarBeter.nl and signposted
on the roads. The diversions are intended to prevent traffic that is not going to a destination near Schiphol, Leiden or The Hague from entering in that area. Commuters who normally drive from Amsterdam to The Hague or Rotterdam, for example, will be diverted via Utrecht (A2/A12/A20). Drivers heading from Schiphol/Amsterdam to Breda will also be diverted via Utrecht (A2/A27). There is a high risk of tailbacks on the diversions. To limit them, the traffic that normally uses those routes will also be diverted. Examples: Friesland – Amsterdam via the A6/A1: to relieve the north of Amsterdam (A7/A8/A10); Groningen – Rotterdam via the A28/A50/A15 and Arnhem/Nijmegen – Rotterdam via the A50/A15 to relieve the A12/A20 (especially the GouweTerbregseplein interchange); Arnhem/Ede – Amsterdam via the A30/A1: to relieve the Oudenrijn interchange. The aim is to spread the pain across the country as fairly as possible by spreading the traffic across the motorway network. We expect the biggest problems in the west. That’s why the diversions take traffic to the east. We urge drivers to follow the diversions so that the additional journey time is as short as possible. Follow the diversion signs, not your navigation system. How long will the road delays be? Journey times by road during the NSS will be longer than usual. If people use public transport, hopefully the motorways will not come to a complete standstill. If you must drive, you are advised to prepare well before leaving home. Consult www.vanAnaarBeter.nl, listen to the latest traffic reports and follow the diversion signs. Information will be provided by the municipality of The Hague, many other municipalities, provinces, Schiphol Airport, the ANWB motorists’ organisation and the Traffic Information Service (VID). Will the rest of the Randstad also be inconvenienced by the closures between
Schiphol and The Hague? Yes. On the diversions via Utrecht, for example, it will be busier than normal. You are providing diversions and extra train capacity. Isn’t that sending a mixed message? What’s your advice to drivers? The advice is to use public transport on Monday 24 March and Tuesday 25 March. Take the train instead of the car. You could also work from home. If you have to drive, prepare well. Consult www.vanAnaarBeter.nl for diversions, listen to the latest traffic reports and expect longer journey times. What are the alternatives/diversions in each municipality? We are working on a single integrated traffic plan comprising all measures and diversions. It will be completed in the course of February. The municipalities will announce the local consequences and diversions and inform their residents themselves. Rijkswaterstaat will announce the regional and national diversions, for example on www.vanAnaarBeter.nl. The authorities responsible for managing the roads will share the information with each other. It looks as though some municipalities, such as Wassenaar, will be cut off from the outside world for two days. Is that true? Diversions will also be in place to make sure that Wassenaar and other municipalities affected by the NSS can be reached. But expect journey times to be much longer. AIRSPACE AND FLIGHTS 38. Is it true that the airspace over The Hague will be sealed off for four days? If so, why? All airspace within 50 nautical miles of The Hague will be sealed off and a wider area will be subject to restrictions during the NSS on 24 and 25 March. Further airspace restrictions will be introduced immediately above The Hague on 24 and 25 March. The civil aviation sector has been informed about the restrictions. 39. How will the NSS affect scheduled flights?
With so many delegations to the NSS arriving at Schiphol, scheduled flights to and from the airport will inevitably be affected. The precise impact is currently uncertain. It will depend on the airspace restrictions in combination with Schiphol’s hourly capacity. Flight schedules will probably have to be rearranged. 40. May drones or model aeroplanes be flown near the World Forum or a delegate’s hotel? As soon as they take to the air, all unmanned aircraft, including drones and model aeroplanes, are classified as air traffic and are largely subject to the Aviation Act and Air Traffic Control Regulations. These lay down that recreational/private flights with unmanned aircraft are permitted only above certain areas and certainly not above builtup areas or crowds of people. Unmanned flights are therefore not permitted around the World Forum, hotels or other locations that fall under this definition. 41. What will happen if members of the public or the media nonetheless fly model aeroplanes or drones where they are not permitted? They will be committing a criminal offence and action will be taken. 42. Is this always a criminal offence or only during the NSS? As soon as they take to the air, all unmanned aircraft, including drones and model aeroplanes, are classified as air traffic and are largely subject to the Aviation Act and Air Traffic Control Regulations. These lay down that recreational/private flights with unmanned aircraft are permitted only above certain areas and certainly not above builtup areas or crowds of people. This has nothing to do with the NSS. 43. Will other airports be used apart from Schiphol? Some delegations will arrive at RotterdamThe Hague Airport and their aircraft will remain parked there, although the numbers will be smaller than at Schiphol. 44. How will access to Schiphol be affected? Access to Schiphol by road is expected to be severely restricted at several peak times during the day. Schiphol is warning travellers that they may experience difficulties getting to the airport during the NSS on 24 and 25 March and also on the preceding Sunday afternoon and the
following Wednesday morning. Travellers are advised to take the train to Schiphol. 45. Will it be possible to reach the flower auction and other businesses around Schiphol as normal? Yes, it will be possible to reach the flower auction and other businesses around Schiphol, although not always via the usual routes. Diversions will be put in place and clearly signposted. Special meetings will be organised to inform businesses about accessibility in the area affected. 46. How will people who work at or near Schiphol be affected? People who work at or near Schiphol should expect longer journey times owing to the traffic congestion that may affect the roads around Schiphol. They are advised to travel to work by train. 47. Will the NSS inconvenience people who live near Schiphol? Part of the airport, including the Polder runway, will be reserved to receive the delegations to the NSS. Scheduled flights will be spread across other runways. This may cause extra inconvenience to local residents. Following the NSS, the Polder runway will undergo major maintenance work for four weeks. More information will be posted on the website for local residents, www.bezoekbas.nl. 48. Can I still book a hotel in the Randstad (Amsterdam/Rotterdam/The Hague) during NSS 2014? You can, but there is a risk that many hotels will be fully booked during the NSS. To find out about availability, contact the hotels or an intermediary such as a travel agent or online booking service. SAFETY AND SECURITY General Specific security measures are necessary to ensure that a summit involving 58 world leaders and 5,000 delegation members, being covered by 3,000 journalists from all over the world, can be conducted in a safe and dignified manner, without disruption. Countless organisations are working together closely to ensure that the NSS 2014 can
be held safely and without disruption. The aim is to strike the right balance between safety and continuity, limiting the general inconvenience caused to the greatest possible extent. The risks that an event like the NSS entails have been described in scenarios. On the basis of these scenarios, a range of appropriate measures (both visible and invisible) are being taken in cooperation with the police and the security and intelligence services 49. Are foreign security personnel permitted to bring firearms? When a head of state, government leader or foreign minister visits the Netherlands, armed security personnel are permitted to accompany the delegation. These security personnel require permission to carry firearms. Regulations exist under which firearms licences are issued by the National Coordinator for Security and Counterterrorism (NCTV) on behalf of the Minister of Security and Justice. These licensing regulations will also apply to foreign security personnel at this summit. 50. Will the US secret service be responsible for President Obama’s security? The Dutch government is responsible for the security of all heads of state and government who are in the Netherlands at the time of the NSS. Security will be ensured by the Dutch police, who naturally will work with the leaders’ own security services. 51. Will the US intelligence services (in particular the NSA) be cooperating with the Dutch services? As you can imagine, we will be working with the security services of all countries taking part in the summit to prepare as carefully as possible for the arrival of their government leaders. This will ensure that the summit can be conducted in a safe and dignified manner, without disruption. 52. Will there be any ‘no go areas’ where special units will be able to shoot without warning? Obviously some areas, including the World Forum, will not be accessible to the general public. These areas will be secured in a variety of ways to prevent access by anyone who has no need to be there or ought not to be granted access. The regular Dutch rules on the use of force will apply at all times. These do not permit shooting without warning.
53. Will the residential areas in the vicinity of the world leaders be evacuated? A range of security measures will be put in place in the vicinity of the world leaders. There is no question of evacuating residential areas. We have succeeded in establishing a secure zone without residents being required to leave their homes. However, we have made arrangements with businesses and other organisations at certain locations about staffing on the days in question. 54. What security arrangements will apply at the World Forum? The World Forum and its immediate vicinity will be entirely sealed off during the NSS. Residents in the immediate vicinity (both individuals and businesses) have been informed by the mayor, Jozias van Aartsen, about the implications of the security measures for them. 55. Where will all the world leaders go in the event of a largescale emergency? Hosting an event of this size obviously involves drawing up contingency plans to deal with a wide range of scenarios. For security reasons, no details can be disclosed about where world leaders will go in the event of an emergency. It goes without saying that the contingency plans include arrangements for the public and routes for the emergency services. 56. Is the General Intelligence and Security Service (AIVD) screening those involved in the NSS? If requested by the NCTV, the AIVD will consult its own systems to screen any individuals who are to be given access to the secure area and may therefore get close to world leaders and their delegations. The AIVD will not screen the local residents. 57. Is it true that surfacetoair missile systems will be deployed? If so, where will they be stationed? The Ministry of Defence deploys helicopters and other aircraft in fulfilling its general responsibility for securing the airspace. As a precautionary measure to supplement these arrangements, the Royal Netherlands Army will deploy a landbased missile defence system at a number of coastal locations. We cannot comment at present on the exact deployment locations. However, due care will be taken in informing the local residents. 58. Is it true that security measures are also being put in place at sea and along the
coast? Generally speaking the North Sea will remain accessible to all types of users for the duration of the NSS. Shipping will be able to proceed as normal from a distance of 1 kilometre or more from the coast, and Scheveningen harbour will remain accessible. However, just as security measures will apply in relation to airspace, measures will be adopted in part of the North Sea and along the coast to prevent any threat of disruption from the sea and to maintain order during the NSS. A degree of disruption at sea and along the coast is therefore inevitable on the days in question. The specific aim of the measures taken will be to secure the direct vicinity of hotels by the coast in Scheveningen and in Noordwijk at which NSS guests are staying. 59. What about other events taking place around the same time as the NSS (e.g. football matches) that require the deployment of the police and other security partners? Will there be enough resources available to cover these events given the enormous police deployment required for the NSS? Municipalities have received a letter asking them to discuss any professional football matches planned for the weekend of 2123 March with the home and away clubs and the relevant security partners well in advance. They should consider whether any creative solutions can be found that will enable matches to go ahead as planned without extra police to maintain public order. ROLE OF THE POLICE 60. What role will the police play? The police will also be helping to ensure that this global summit can be conducted in a safe and dignified manner, without disruption. There will be lots of officers on the beat to conduct additional surveillance and the police will accompany delegations at the time of arrival, travel and departure. A summit in which 58 world leaders are taking part involves certain risks. The police will therefore remain constantly alert to any security threats and take any security measures that are necessary. Not all of those security measures will be visible to the public. 61. How many police officers are being deployed? Officers from throughout the Netherlands will assist with this important event. Given the programme as it currently stands, some 13,000 police officers per day will be deployed on conference days. By way of comparison, this is four times as high as deployment on the
occasion of the abdication and investiture. 62. What are the implications for police in the rest of the country? The National Police will not only be involved with the NSS on 24 and 25 March; they will continue to perform their other tasks in the rest of the country. Provision will also be made for any unforeseen circumstances or incidents arising in other parts of the country that require a high level of police deployment. As always, the police will remain on hand to assist anyone who needs help. 63. Have the police asked municipalities to exercise restraint in granting licences for events? Given the high level of police deployment involved, last year the police chiefs asked local government officials to take the NSS into account when granting licences for events. Events licences are a matter for municipalities, but when making their decisions it is important for them to bear in mind that many officers will be deployed in the Randstad on the days of the summit. 64. Can the police cope without the manpower needed for the summit? Every year there are a number of major events that have a big impact on police capacity. Take last year’s abdication and investiture, for example. The police make allowance for this, for instance by scheduling training and courses for other times of the year, thereby helping to ensure the continuity of policing. 65. Are officers receiving special training? How are they being prepared for the NSS? The police always conduct exercises and undertake training to ensure that they are properly prepared for their daily activities and for any events. The NSS is an exceptional event for which specific training and exercises are being undertaken. Sometimes this involves only police officers, but other security partners may also be involved, such as the Ministry of Defence, the Royal Military and Border Police and foreign police forces. 66. How will the police deal with demonstrations? People will have the opportunity to express dissent, since the right to protest is a fundamental right that is essential for a democracy to function properly. Acting on the instructions of the local authorities, the police aim to ensure that demonstrations can be conducted in a safe and
dignified manner. This means talking to the organisers of any protests in advance to agree on how the police can ensure the safety of both demonstrators and the public in general. 67. What measures will the police be taking? The police are undertaking extensive preparations for this global summit and taking all the measures necessary to ensure that it passes off safely. However, we cannot give details of the exact measures being taken. WHAT THE NSS IS ABOUT Introduction Nuclear material has an important function. It cures diseases and lights our homes. Fortunately, the chance that terrorists could use this material to carry out an attack is small. But if it were to happen, the global repercussions would be considerable. With this in mind, governments, businesses, researchers and organisations from many countries are working together to reduce the overall amount of nuclear material, improve security procedures for existing material and make better international agreements. The Nuclear Security Summit is necessary to improve global cooperation and thus prevent nuclear terrorism. 68. What is the aim of the NSS? The 2014 Nuclear Security Summit (NSS) aims to prevent nuclear terrorism worldwide by: • reducing the amount of dangerous nuclear material in the world; • improving the security of existing nuclear material; • strengthening international cooperation. 69. What won’t the NSS deal with? The NSS will not discuss nuclear disarmament, the pros and cons of nuclear power or protection from natural disasters. 70. Why will the NSS include no discussion of nuclear disarmament and nonproliferation? Disarmament is a key issue which is being discussed in many forums. Since the mid20th century, many instruments (the IAEA system of safeguards, the NonProliferation Treaty, etc.)
and export control regimes (like the Nuclear Suppliers Group) have been created for these purposes. The NSS focuses on the danger of nonstate actors (terrorists) acquiring nuclear materials and/or a nuclear weapon. Introducing the subject of disarmament could impede progress on this key issue. 71. How will the NSS affect the situation in Iran and North Korea? The NSS is not about disarmament, but about preventing nuclear terrorism on the part of individuals or groups (not countries). Therefore, the controversial arms programmes of North Korea and Iran will not be discussed here. However, the agreements reached at this conference will ensure that nuclear material, technology and knowledge are better protected. As a result, it will be more difficult for countries that are less open about the intentions of their nuclear programmes to obtain new, advanced technology that could form the backbone of an arms programme. 72. What was achieved at the Seoul Summit in 2012? A great deal. Eighty per cent of the commitments undertaken by countries at the 2010 Washington Summit were fulfilled by the 2012 Seoul Summit. Progress was made in a variety of areas, including the ratification of international treaties, the establishment of training centres for nuclear security personnel and the prevention of smuggling (e.g. by fitting out ports with detection equipment). Enough highly enriched uranium for 3,000 nuclear weapons was downblended in Russia and the US, and 10 countries have already returned their highly enriched uranium to its country of origin (typically the US or Russia). In addition to that, countries undertook a number of new pledges as well. 73. What are the main issues for discussion at this Summit? Different countries want different things. Some of the issues that will be on the table in The Hague: • Plutonium can be used for nuclear weapons, but it is also used to generate fuel for nuclear power plants. • We want to minimise highly enriched uranium (HEU), but at the same time we are well aware that it is used to produce medical products (isotopes). The use of lowenriched
uranium (LEU) for this purpose is more expensive and entails certain technical difficulties. When should we make the transition to LEU? • The government is ultimately responsible for all legislation, but input from the industry can be useful in order to ensure that whatever laws do emerge take account of reallife practices as well as possible. How should industry take part in the development of legislation? • Radiological sources are used in a variety of settings, including hospitals and universities, where they are not as easy to protect. If we want, for example, to minimise the inconvenience to patients caused by security measures, what is the best way to protect these sources? • Exchanging information about nuclear security could serve to boost confidence, but such information can also be misused. How can we shape policy so that it reflects both facets of this issue? 74. What specifically has been achieved through Dutch efforts? The negotiations under the leadership of the Dutch chairmanship on the text of the final communiqué are currently still under way. The communiqué shows what results the participating countries have achieved and what still remains to be done. In addition, shortly before the summit many countries will announce improvements to their own nuclear security, and there are groups of countries that will want to go further than the common or average level of ambition. The Netherlands sees the NSS results as the sum total of the substance of the communiqué and of all these other, supplementary initiatives (‘gift baskets’). 75. Obama has called upon the world to meet certain objectives within four years. Is this going to happen? In 2009, President Obama expressed the desire to ‘secure all vulnerable nuclear material around the world within four years.’ In the intervening years it has become apparent that this is an extremely complex issue which requires a great deal of time to address. Indeed, in some respects it is a neverending process. That said, a number of major steps have been taken in securing nuclear material, and the NSS has played a major role in that regard. 76. Is the NSS a oneoff event?
The NSS is an initiative of President Obama. In a speech he gave in Prague he underscored the global interest in working together to prevent nuclear terrorism. • Following this speech, the first NSS took place in Washington in April 2010 and adopted the Washington Work Plan, which sets out all the specific measures agreed at the NSS. • The second NSS was held in Seoul in March 2012. Here, new measures were added to the Washington Work Plan, as described in the Seoul Communiqué. • NSS 2014 will be the third global summit on this subject. • The fourth and probably final NSS will be held in Washington in 2016. 77. Why is a summit needed? The NSS speeds up the process leading to global agreements on preventing nuclear terrorism. The presence and direct involvement of world leaders enable the achievement of results that would otherwise only be attained after a long time, if at all. 78. Once the summit is over, what will be done to further the fight against nuclear terrorism? The US has indicated its intention to organise a followup summit in 2016. The agreements made in The Hague will thus be implemented over the course of the next two years (just as has been done during the past four years). It is also important to anchor the results achieved in existing forums and mechanisms, such as the IAEA, thereby ensuring that nuclear security will continue to improve even after the NSS cycle has come to an end. NSS SIDE EVENTS Introduction The independently organised side events NIS, NKS and the @TOMIC drill are not officially part of NSS2014, though there is considerable overlap in the subject matter of all four. NUCLEAR INDUSTRY SUMMIT International: the international nuclear sector is actively working to make the world a safer place. National: the Dutch nuclear sector is an important and internationally valued partner in the field of nuclear security.
69. What is the Nuclear Industry Summit? Since 2010 the nuclear industry has been organising Nuclear Industry Summits (NIS). The NIS and NSS are organised independently of one another, with industry and government each taking responsibility for their own efforts. The two events are similar in subject matter, however. After all, the prime concern of the NSS is the security of nuclear and radioactive materials, in industry and elsewhere. The NSS will take note of the results of the NIS and can incorporate its conclusions and recommendations in its own discussions. The NIS will take place on 23 and 24 March at the Beurs van Berlage in Amsterdam, with the participation of about 200 CEOs from Dutch and international nuclear industry firms. NIS 2014 is being organised by the Dutch nuclear industry under the leadership of Urenco Nederland. The Dutch nuclear industry occupies an important place in some parts of the nuclear world. For example, NRG’s High Flux Reactor (HFR) in Petten produces 30% of the world’s medical isotopes worldwide (and 60% of the isotopes on the European market), while Urenco produces a large share of the lowenriched uranium needed for nuclear power plants worldwide. More information is available at https://www.nis2014.org/. 70. Who pays for the NIS? The NIS is organised and paid for by the industry itself. Because of the importance of a successful NIS, the NIS receives a financial contribution from the Ministry of Economic Affairs. 71. What subjects will the Nuclear Industry Summit 2014 deal with? NIS2014 will bring together over 200 highranking representatives of the international nuclear industry to discuss issues related to nuclear security. The conference has three overarching themes: Strengthening security governance: what actions can the industry itself take to safeguard its own security, over and above the statutory measures laid down by the Competent Authority. Managing materials of concern: the move from highly enriched uranium to lowenriched uranium and the protection of radiological sources, with a view to minimising the risk that nuclear material could be misused.
Dealing with cyber threats: digital security in the nuclear industry. How can the nuclear industry reduce the risk of digital incidents? 72. What is the goal/intended result of NIS2014? The formulation of a joint statement. Prior to and during the NIS, a joint statement will be drafted by the nuclear industry. Its conclusions and recommendations will be presented to the NSS as input to the discussion. 73. Who is organising NIS2014? The Dutch nuclear industry, led by Urenco Nederland and supported by the Ministry of Economic Affairs, is the host of NIS2014. 74. How wellprotected are Dutch nuclear installations? The nuclear facilities in the Netherlands comply with Dutch law, which is in line with the international recommendations of the IAEA. In 2012 the IAEA conducted a study on how well nuclear facilities in the Netherlands followed its recommendations. The conclusion was that Dutch nuclear installations were in compliance and indeed that the Netherlands was an example to other countries. NUCLEAR KNOWLEDGE SUMMIT The Nuclear Knowledge Summit (NKS) will take place from 20 to 22 March 2014, bringing together nuclear experts, scientists and NGOs from around the world at a single location in Amsterdam. The NKS seeks to create a forum for discussion and establish an international network that will safeguard nuclear security and support the NSS process. Although the NKS has many substantive links with the NSS and NIS, the NKS aims to move the dialogue forward by looking ahead, asking: what kind of future do we envision for nuclear security? Themes that will be on the NKS agenda will include cyber security and securing nuclear fuel used for noncivilian applications. On Friday 21 and Saturday 22 March 2014 there will be an international NKS expert meeting: the
2014 Nuclear Knowledge Summit: Towards Sustainable Nuclear Security. In addition a number of other events will be organised by Dutch institutions (e.g. the Delft Institute of Technology, Leiden UniversityThe Hague Campus, the Netherlands Forensic Institute, the Hague Security Delta, the Hague Institute for Global Justice and the municipality of The Hague) under the aegis of the NKS. NKS2014 will be organised and financed by the Netherlands Institute for International Relations Clingendael, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Fissile Materials Working Group (FMWG) and the Asan Institute for Policy Studies (South Korea). More information is available at http://www.knowledgesummit.org/ 75.What is the NKS? NKS2014 is an international conference on nuclear security for nuclear experts, scientists and NGOs. The NKS will be the official scientific side event of the NSS. The main organiser is the Netherlands Institute for International Relations Clingendael, supported by the FMWG and the Asan Institute. 76. Who pays for the NKS? NKS2014 will be organised and financed by the Netherlands Institute for International Relations Clingendael, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Fissile Materials Working Group (FMWG) and the Asan Institute for Policy Studies (South Korea). Participation is free, and a limited number of grants will be available to cover travel expenses and accommodation, so as to encourage a wide range of participants. 77. Why have nonNSS countries been invited to the NKS? While 53 countries will be participating in the NSS, the larger aim is to anchor the issue of nuclear security in a universal forum like the IAEA in due course. The scientific and NGO communities are helping to lay the groundwork for this effort. This is why no countries are being excluded in advance by the NKS. 78. Why is the NKS being held in Amsterdam and not The Hague? Because of the large number of participants attending the NSS, it is not possible to reserve
enough hotel accommodation in The Hague. This is why the NKS, like the NIS, has been relocated to Amsterdam. @TOMIC In February 2014 the government will hold a nuclear drill. Organised in Maastricht by the National Coordinator for Security and Counterterrorism (NCTV), together with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, this international crisis exercise has been given the name ‘@tomic 2014’. Over 50 countries, including several which are not participating in the NSS, are taking part, with a total of about 500 people. (@tomic is a side event of the NSS. It had been planned earlier, but in connection with the NSS it is being organised on a larger scale.) During @tomic 2014, international delegations, including participants from ministries, the police, intelligence services, customs agencies, forensic services, official spokespeople, Computer Emergency Response Teams (CERTs) and cyber security organisations will practise responding to a fictional nuclear incident with a cyber component. The goal of the exercise is to strengthen trusted communities, raise the level of knowledge and awareness, and improve cooperation between countries and international sectors. As the @tomic 2014 exercise will not be visible to the outside world, the general public will not notice it. The contacts, experience and knowledge that we gain before and during @tomic 2014 will prepare us to better deal with an actual nuclear incident. In this way we are working together to enhance national and international security. 89. Where in the Netherlands is work being done with nuclear materials? There are several facilities in the Netherlands where work is being done with nuclear materials, such as: a. the nuclear power plant in Borssele, operated by the Electricity Generating Company for the Southern Netherlands (EPZ), which generates electricity for hundreds of thousands of households; b. the High Flux Reactor (HFR) in Petten, operated by the Nuclear Research and
