ENB:04:90
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PLENARY
INCD Chair Bo Kjellén noted the following nominations for changes to the Bureau: Vladimir Ovchinnikov (Uzbekistan) for Rapporteur; Alock Jain (India); and Samvel Baloyan (Armenia) for Vice-Chair of Working Group II. All were elected by acclamation.
The Chair asked if delegates agreed to recommend the additional NGOs for accreditation, based on A/AC.241/9/Add.12. After he noted that the room was in agreement, the US said its flag had been raised before agreement was reached to request that the issue be taken up at the next Plenary. The Chair said agreement had been reached, but that the US could try to reopen the issue then.
Executive Secretary Diallo noted that the recent CCD ratification by the Central African Republic brings the total to forty-three. China, Ghana, Tanzania, Brazil, Turkministan, Cameroon, Ethiopia, Argentina and Mozambique reported on their own progress in ratifying the CCD, which many anticipated would be completed this year.
Diallo then reviewed the situation as regards extrabudgetary funds (A/AC.241/59 and Add.1), outlining various financial expenditures including: donor country contributions since the INCD began; activities funded over the last biennium; developing countries funded at INCD-9; and the Secretariat’s staffing situation.
Greece, on behalf of the OECD group of countries, commended the quality of the Report and requested the Secretariat to submit a work plan for each biennium and to clarify whether fellowships and grants from the trust funds are recurrent expenditures. The Netherlands has earmarked one million guilders (US$660,000) to fund technical and institutional support to affected countries. It was agreed the responses would be given at Wednesday’s Plenary.
Kjellén said a formal decision is being drafted regarding Italy’s offer to host COP-1 in Rome in 1997. On the decision regarding the location of the Permanent Secretariat, a contact group is being constituted comprising the five members of the main Bureau, Chairs of the working groups and representatives from the three bidding cities.