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AGENDA ITEM 4 — DATES AND VENUES OF FUTURE MEETINGS

The Co-Chair noted that when the Panel was created, four sessions were envisaged. The first and fourth sessions should be in New York. The proposed dates for the second session are 11-15 March 1996, in Geneva. The dates and venue for the third session and the dates for the fourth session have not been fixed.

The US said that the calendar for 1996 is crowded and proposed that the third session be in Geneva in October in light of the proposed dates of the Finnish expert meeting. SWITZERLAND stated that it would contribute to developing country participation for the Geneva meeting. SPAIN, on behalf of the EU, supported the US regarding dates. Regarding the duration of the next Panel session, it will be important to consider the budgetary implications of extending the meetings. He said that the third session may require two weeks because the questions will be more complex. He suggested that the third session should be in October in 1996.

The PHILIPPINES approved the dates and venue of the second session, but preferred that the third session take place before the third week of September to precede the General Assembly.

PORTUGAL expressed the need to address desertification and offered to host a meeting of experts on this issue in 1996. He stated that any such meeting would be in full conformance with Item I.4 and anticipated that it would involve a review of national strategies related to desertification.