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Istanbul+5 UNGASS: 5 June
UN Headquarters, New York, 6-8 June 2001

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Update for Tuesday, 5 June:

Delegates gathered at UN Headquarters in New York for two days of informal consultations before Istanbul+5, the 25th UN General Assembly Special Session (UNGASS), which opens on Wednesday, 6 June. Negotiations took place on the seven outstanding paragraphs from the draft declaration. Delegates also discussed the submission of additional text, including a chapeau and two paragraphs proposed by the G-77/China on foreign occupation and refugees. They agreed to postpone negotiations on the additions until finishing the existing text.

At the opening of the morning session, Chair García-Durán made a proposal for the chapeau of the declaration

JAPAN (left), with the US and CANADA, preferred to first address bracketed text in existing paragraphs and opposed the introduction of any new language.
NIGERIA opposed reference to "good governance", stating that it is a relative term.
  The PHILIPPINES supported reference to continuing to consider measures, but opposed including the words "further" and "all." No consensus was reached and the text remains bracketed.
The afternoon session broke for a half hour to allow several delegations to informally confer on a proposal for text regarding ODA. 

Meeting of the Mayors:

United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan spoke at the largest ever gathering of local authorities at the UN. Mayors and representatives from Istanbul, Rio de Janeiro, Addis Ababa, Minnetonka, Athens, Monterrey, Stockholm, Bonn, Casablanca, Albay, Gaza, the World Federation of United Cities, the International Union of Local Authorities and the World Association of Cities and Local Authority Coordination gave brief presentations about the importance of strengthening local governance. 
Opening statement by the Mayor of Barcelona and President of the World Association of Local Authorities Statement by the Allen Lloyd, President of the International Union of Loca Authorities

  

Statement by the Mayor of Athens (left)

Statement by the Mayor of Istanbul.

Statement by the Mayor of Minnetonka

Statement by the Mayor of Rio Statement by the Mayor of Casablanca

Statement by the Mayor of Albay

Opening Statement by the Mayor of Monterrey

Kofi Annan declared that local authorities are among the most important allies of the UN because they are closely in touch with the world's people. He recommended that the UN remain a close partner with local authorities, and called upon them to advocate the Habitat Agenda.

Statement by Anna Kajumulo Tibaijuka, Executive Director of UNCHS

Closing statement by Harri Holkeri, President of the General Assembly of the UN

Opening of the "Urban Millennium" exhibit

Following the Meeting of the Mayors, Harri Holkeri officially opened the Habitat-themed "Urban Millennium" exhibit.
© 2001, Earth Negotiations Bulletin. All rights reserved.