Take the arrival, for instance. Only the motorcades of the 25 or so invited foreign delegations will be permitted to cross police lines. Each guest needs a special pass. For security reasons, the pass cannot be delivered until the guest formally accepts the invitation. To make sure that no president sits fuming in his limousine out of earshot of the fifes and drums, each motorcade will be assigned a priority.
Timing is critical, which means coordination among people talking into radios across town.
We've asked that a protocol be assigned. It depends on who's being carried, if it's a secure package or a highly secure package. The package is a motorcade, and inside the package is a person. Maybe Bulgaria's head of government or the leaders of Azerbaijan or Ukraine or Latvia. The dinner, sponsored by the summit host committee and the Committee to Expand NATO, is being held in honor of the Partnership for Peace countries, all aspiring alliance members.