ENB:11:24
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PLENARY
The Plenary, chaired by Martti Lujanen (Finland), convened in the afternoon to resume consideration of Agenda Item 2 on accreditation of NGOs and Local Authorities (A/CONF.165/PC.3/2, Add.1, Add.2, Add.3, Add.4, and Add.3/Corr.1). The Chair said further consultations would be needed on two NGOs listed in Corr. 1 (the Federation of Westtrace Turks in Europe and the Tibetan Rights Campaign).
The US expressed concern that the US-based Tibetan Rights Campaign was to be moved to the list not approved for accreditation (Add.4). He had been informed that the Campaign had not been accredited for FWCW but this should in no way imply their rejection for Habitat II. The NGO was a member of the US Network for Habitat. China said he was firmly against the accreditation of NGOs whose objective was to question the sovereignty of a member of the United Nations. The US said China had not presented evidence. The US asked for consultation. Canada said she was not in full agreement with specific judgements with regard to NGO accreditation. Chair Lujanen said a new Corrigendum was to be prepared for Friday and deferred decision.
The US proposed reopening discussion of NGO accreditation decisions taken by the Committee on February 5, in line with Rule 81, to raise the question of accreditation of the NGO International Energy Foundation (Libya) (A/CONF.165/PC.3/2/Add.1)(Add.2). He said delegations had not received documentation in time, and his delegation was concerned that the IEF was not operating consistently with the UN sanctions regime imposed on Libya. The IEF had acted as a cover for the Libyan Government and had facilitated the consulting/instructional service of experts to assist in the Government of Libya's missile proliferation programme, calling into question its NGO status. India supported the US request and said it also had difficulty with some NGOs not qualified to participate. The Chair outlined rules of procedure for reopening a decision, deferring a decision until Friday to allow delegations to receive instructions from their capitals. Chair Lujanen invited the Committee to consider Item 5, the Provisional Agenda (A/CONF.165/PC.3/5). Australia, supported by Canada, Denmark and Norway, asked the Secretariat to make arrangements to ensure that a place is found on the Habitat Agenda to call attention to the UN Decade of Indigenous People. The Provisional Agenda was adopted.