Subsidiary bodies
negotiations continue into the weekend
Due,
in part, to a bomb scare that resulted in the abandonment
of negotiations on Thursday afternoon, negotiators convened
at the Maritim Hotel on Saturday for a number of formal and
informal meetings. The Joint Working Group on compliance issues
completed a first round of exchanges with agreement to have
parties submit suggestions for a questionnaire and to await
an outline work programme to be prepared by the Co-chairs.
In a number of other meetings, negotiators addressed LULUCF,
the AIJ pilot phase, and communications from Annex I and non-Annex
I Parties.
The slow
pace of negotiations as delegations struggle with the growing
complexity of issues before them is of growing concern among
participants and observers. Michael Grub, author of a forthcoming
volume, The Kyoto Protocol: A Guide and Assessment
(1999), speaking at a special event, went so far as to suggest
that complexity may even out-weigh the importance of United
States ratification as an emerging issue. The complexity issue
has particularly serious implications for developing country
participation. The G-77/China has repeatedly reminded other
negotiators in Bonn that the group does not convene during
intersessional periods. The possibility of holding more, informal,
meetings to help the negotiators meet their deadlines for
the Buenos Aires Action Plan is under active consideration.
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