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IN THE CORRIDORS II

In the draft resolution dated 17 January 1995, which was circulated on Tuesday, paragraph six invites the Chair "to make proposals to the Committee, at the seventh session, on the organization of scientific and technological cooperation." The apparent intention of this proposal is to take care of organizational matters during the interim period so that the Committee on Science and Technology (as called for in Article 24 of the Convention) can begin substantive work as soon as the Convention enters into force. The language in the draft resolution could also enable the Chair to convene his own scientific and technological advisory group during the interim period. Members of the OECD group reluctantly supported this proposal. Meanwhile, the OECD group has set up its own small scientific group, consisting of representatives from Canada, Belgium, Australia and Spain. This group will prepare scientific background information for the OECD.

The G-77 and China, on the other hand, find the proposal in the draft resolution questionable because it gives an unprecedented role to the Chair. In their view, there is no need to make this an explicit part of the resolution. Another argument is that governments and NGOs should have the opportunity to give input on these issues and the process should not be controlled only by the Chair. Negotiations continued throughout the afternoon.