Madrid 1983 They will decide without undue delay upon visa applications from journalists and reexamine within a reasonable time frame applications which have been refused. Moreover, journalists wishing to travel for personal reasons and not for the purpose of reporting shall enjoy the same treatment as other visitors from their country of origin. They will grant permanent correspondents and members of their families living with them multiple entry and exit visas valid for one year. The participating States will examine the possibility of granting, where necessary on the basis of bilateral arrangements, accreditation and related facilities to journalists from other participating States who are permanently accredited in third countries. They will facilitate travel by journalists from other participating States within their territories, inter alia by taking concrete measures where necessary, to afford them opportunities to travel more extensively, with the exception of areas closed for security reasons. They will inform journalists in advance, whenever possible, if new areas are closed for security reasons. They will further increase the possibilities and, when necessary, improve the conditions for journalists from other participating States to establish and maintain personal contacts and communication with their sources. They will, as a rule, authorize radio and television journalists, at their request, to be accompanied by their own sound and film technicians and to use their own equipment. Similarly, journalists may carry with them reference material, including personal notes and files, to be used strictly for their professional purposes*. (…) The participating States will, where necessary, facilitate the establishment and operation, in their capitals, of press centres or institutions performing the same functions, open to the national and foreign press with suitable working facilities for the latter. They will also consider further ways and means to assist journalists from other participating States and thus to enable them to resolve practical problems they may encounter. Co-operation and Exchanges in the Field of Culture They will endeavour, by taking appropriate steps, to make the relevant information concerning possibilities offered by bilateral cultural agreements and programmes available to interested persons, institutions and non-governmental organizations, thus facilitating their effective implementation. * In this context it is understood that import of printed matter may be subject to local regulations which will be applied with due regard to the journalists’ need for adequate working material. OSCE Human Dimension Commitments 39