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IN THE CORRIDORS

On Monday there were no meetings open to either press or NGOs, except the interminable speeches in Plenary. For everyone, the task of following the frantic pace of negotiations taking place in the contact groups, sub-contact groups, small offices and the corridors, was frustrating. With perseverance, and a lot of luck, it was possible to glean news of what was actually happening behind closed doors.

In the morning, consultations were held on the issue of storage and disposal of radioactive waste near the marine environment. This paragraph remained bracketed at the end of PrepCom IV because one delegation was unable to accept language implying that international organizations, rather than states, would be responsible for determining the risk of such practices. Compromise was achieved yesterday, when it was clarified that states, in cooperation with international organizations, would assess whether scientific evidence indicates that storage or disposal of radioactive waste near the marine environment poses any unacceptable risk to people and the marine environment.

In other consultations, Main Committee Chair Tommy Koh met with interested parties to discuss the issue of calling for a convention on desertification. Some delegates are calling for a regional convention to address desertification solely in Africa, whereas others prefer a global instrument. The issue was discussed throughout the day in the corridors and by late afternoon, according to one delegate, compromise was close at hand. The nature of this compromise, however, has not yet been revealed.