Net popular for Apec delegates

By John Andrews

Apec security planners are confident infiltrators will not be able to beat their innovative system for accrediting foreign delegates.

Conference organisers are using the Internet to register 500 overseas delegates to Apec's senior officials' meeting (SOM1) which opens in Wellington on Monday.

They believe it is a the first time any Government has used the Internet to register delegates, including photographs, to a big conference.

Jim Butterworth, Apec security coordinator, said yesterday that it was vital for security reasons that only bona fide delegates were accredited to such meetings and that details about visitors remained confidential.

Developed by Wang New Zealand, using the Christchurch-based Jade computer programme, the system is said to meet United States military security standards.

Jocelyn Prasad, Apec communications adviser, said: "The number of people we are registering on the Net far exceeds our expectations.

"We think it will be between 80 and 90 per cent. We were expecting 60 per cent.

The implications are quite extensive.

"Some people have not got ready access to the Internet."

Jocelyn Prasad said that each of the 21 Apec economies had to go through four levels of clearance before they could register their delegates.

"Infiltration of the system is unlikely," she said.

By producing identification cards in advance of SOM1, the burdensome task of vetting foreign delegates on arrival in Wellington will be greatly reduced.

SOM1, involving talks on trade issues, is the first of three similar meetings.