ENB:05:09
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EVENING PLENARY
When Plenary resumed for its evening session, L.6, the draft decision on progress in the incorporation of recommendations of UNCED in the activities of international agencies was dealt with quickly. Ghazi Jomaa, Chair of Negotiating Group I, introduced the document and it was adopted without discussion.
Returning to the draft decision on finance, the Chair asked Colombia, on behalf of the G-77, to repeat the Group's position in Negotiating Group II on reference to countries in transition to market economies. Colombia explained that it could not give preference to any particular group of countries when many G-77 countries had lower per capita incomes. On a light note, Pakistan suggested that the situation could be resolved if the economies in transition joined the G-77. The text in question was left in brackets.
Plenary then turned to consideration of the draft decision on progress achieved in facilitating and promoting the transfer of environmentally sound technologies, cooperation and capacity-building. Colombia announced that agreement had been reached on a new formulation of paragraph 3(c) (formerly 3(b)bis) that would urge all governments "where appropriate and taking into account national strategies" to identify and implement measures "to encourage and support investment" to promote access to and transfer of environmentally sound technologies. Bracketed references to "biotechnology" were dropped in paragraphs 3(i) (formerly 3(h)) and 10 and a new paragraph 3(j) was introduced that stated: "the Commission recognized the positive initiatives of developing countries in the field of environmentally sound technologies, for example in biotechnology, and urged developed countries and the UN system to support such initiatives." These paragraphs were adopted.
Austria then restated its proposal regarding the intersessional working group. Korea complained about the proliferation of meetings and the lack of substance in the discussions. Germany mentioned the need to include the private sector in discussions on technology transfer. Sweden proposed that an intersessional group be set up provisionally and that it be reviewed at the second session of the CSD. The US proposed a small group or roundtable that would prepare for the next session. Colombia supported the Swedish proposal for a trial period, saying that the objective of the group would be to provide technical input so that the CSD could make political decisions. Following a clarification from the US that this group would use existing resources, paragraph 7 was approved.
Following discussions with Colombia, the Russian Federation proposed new language regarding countries with economies in transition. Colombia was not in a position to agree to this until the G-77 could meet and discuss it. As there are still some unresolved issues and the documents are not yet available in all languages, the final adoption of these documents will take place later in the week.