Stewart Eldon, Permanent Representative, UKDEL NATO:
 
1300 Friday afternoon.  Arrive in Strasbourg with portable IT and the latest documents after a 31/2 hour drive from Brussels.  We thread our way through various security cordons to the hotel and then to the Conference Centre.  A session of the North Atlantic Council is called to take forward a couple of key Communiqué issues.  It’s unsuccessful; people are still linking too many subjects to too many others.

1530 Strasbourg Airport.  I wait for the Prime Minister’s plane to arrive.  After meeting and greeting back to the hotel with the Foreign Secretary, updating him on developments as we go.  Then, after a quick turn-around, to the Helipad for the flight to Baden Baden with other Ministers and officials in a formation of German Police Helicopters.  Beautiful flying conditions and excellent symbolism.

2000 Baden Baden.  A good beginning to the evening.  I touch base with senior officials to put the final touches to briefing for the dinners Heads of Government, Foreign and Defence Ministers will have later on.  Then, a marvellous concert by Anne-Sophie Mutter offered by Chancellor Merkel and President Sarkozy.  Finishes with some Copeland in tribute to President Obama, who makes a great impact. 

0015 Baden Baden.  In the bus on the way to the airport for a short French Air Force flight back to Strasbourg (security means we can’t go by road).  De-briefed successfully on the dinners.  Some documents settled, but a lot still to do. 

0930 Strasbourg.  Back in the Conference Centre, after a short night.  Do some work behind the scenes to settle Communiqué language on the NATO Comprehensive Approach.  One less linkage left, but the drafters still have some work left. 

1400 Strasbourg.  A quick lunch after a good formal session on Afghanistan which registers significant progress on military and other contributions and strong support for the US Strategy Review.  Earlier, Heads had undertaken a symbolic walk across the Rhine at Kehl.  Communiqué and the other key Summit documents now settled, but we’re not done yet. 

1530 Strasbourg.  Heads have just met on their own to discuss the next Secretary General. At the end,  Anders Fogh Rasmussen’s appointment announced – the last piece in a successful Summit jigsaw. 

1800 Strasbourg.  Sitting in the Delegation office in the Conference Centre having just finished my overview report. People are circling, waiting to begin dismantling it.  The Delegation team have performed magnificently both on policy and logistics.  I’m proud of them.

1845 Strasbourg.  We’ve given in and left the building.  Sitting with the remains of the UK Delegation on a park bench in the garden, enjoying a lovely Spring evening waiting for the cars to get back from the airport.  Should be back in Brussels before midnight.  I’m tired but feel we’ve made real progress.  A Summit job well done.

Rob Contractor, Communiqué co-drafter, UKDEL NATO:

After 3-weeks of drafting at base, negotiations move on to the Summit venue. On arrival in Strasbourg on Friday morning, we're straight onto a designated bus for the venue. Before we know it, we're off and running on communiqué drafting once again. This continues until 2230, when we then wait another half an hour for an updated revision to appear. That bagged, it's time to head back to the hotels, including, for some delegations, a nice little 70k trip to Baden Baden! We're told transportation awaits outside. Indeed so, but finding the right vehicle for the right destination isn't straightforward - at this stage of proceedings we opted for the somewhat basic approach of walking down a long line of vehicles yelling as loud as possible where we wanted to get to, keenly watching for any reaction.  We eventually make it to the hotel.  The surprises aren't over for the night - the Deputy PermRep puts his hand in his pocket for a round of drinks – then shock and awe all round. Flashing lights outside, the doors to the bar area, just off the main lobby, are locked - but things could be worse, we're the right side of the door and they're still serving!  More flashing lights on the doorstep of the hotel. It's our PM.  We judge our moment and then pounce, snatching a few chosen words with a key member of the UK party. We then learn the PermRep has been delayed and will be at least another hour. Deputy PermRep agrees to await the boss's return, and graciously allows the other two members to head back to their hotel. No chance of a vehicle making it through the numerous road blocks, so we're on foot again. Even then our progress is hampered by extremely conscientious gendarmes - it turns into a long, scenic walk. Collapse into bed at 0330 - alarm call at 0530. We kick-off the final leg of negotiations at 0700 – Deputy PermRep a bit calmer at this point - coffee and croissants tracked down immediately on arrival (which no other delegation managed to achieve - a significant Summit deliverable for one member of the UK team!). Bat through till midday-ish, and, after much toing-and-froing, we eventually get the finished product. Not bad from our perspective, if I do say so myself. One or two urgent holidays needed now...!

Philip Hall, Defence Counsellor, UKDEL NATO:

Saturday morning: 1100 (?) After too much time watching Deputy PermRep progress to the 21st draft of the communiqué (plus a bit of furious negotiation in the sidelines) my note-taking moment has come.  They're off!  I'm in the listening room, watching the Council on two large screens, and listening through headphones.  The formal session of the North Atlantic Council begins with the Secretary General leading a tribute to the servicemen and women of the Alliance - a sobering reminder of why we're here.  Then welcomes from President Sarkozy and Chancellor Merkel, and a special welcome from President Obama (the US is the depository state for the Washington Treaty) to Albania and Croatia who have just joined the Alliance.  A short word from Mr Tanner, the President of the NATO Parliamentary Assembly, then it's down to business in the closed session.  I scribble away until called out for a brief meeting to finalise one document, then scribble again.  It's all over by about 1400, so then I'm off to the delegation area to dictate the report of the meeting, and try to get down who's promised what.  All done by 1630, when I set off for the train station.  All the vehicles for the delegation are needed to get the party to the airport, so I look for transport.  No taxis.  No bus.  No tram.  Strasbourg is completely closed down.  So it's a half run, half walk to the station, running along with my overnight case and brief case.  The Prime Minister's convoy roars past. The gendarmes tell me it's 45 minutes by foot, but I manage it in a sweaty 25, grab a bottle of water, and collapse into a train.  Summit over.  Lots of waiting.  Not much sleep.  Still more of my life spent in meeting rooms.. but the results are good, the weather's good, and tomorrow's a day off.

Judith Betterton, PA to the PermRep, UKDEL NATO: