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DRAFT PROGRAMME OF ACTION

Each of the five chapters in the Programme of Action, as contained in A/CONF.166/PC/L.22, has a section on the "Basis for Action and Objectives" and on the "Actions" that national and international actors should take. In response to the overwhelming number of amendments proposed on the first day, the Secretariat prepared a working text, incorporating all amendments on Chapters I to IV with the original L.22 text. Nevertheless, the Group made slow progress. At the beginning of the second week, Amb. Richelle reported that Working Group II was "proceeding at the pace of a snail using full brakes while taking a curve." An informal consultative group was formed, under the chairmanship of John Ashe (Antigua and Barbuda) and Oscar Avalle (Argentina) to negotiate issues that remained bracketed after the Working Group"s consideration.

Chapter V (Implementation and follow-up) was considered by Working Group I. Delegates participated in a quick page-by-page review of substantive disagreements late Saturday, 21 January. The actual negotiations took place in an informal consultative group chaired by Amb. Razali Ismail (Malaysia). Working Group I considered the results of this informal group and approved the majority of its work. The following summarizes each section of the Programme of Action and highlights the issues that remain bracketed.