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FIRST SESSION

SBSTA: The first meeting of the SBSTA was held in Geneva from 28-30 August 1995. Delegates confronted a daunting array of technically and politically complex issues, including: scientific assessments, national communications from Annex I Parties, methodologies, first communications from non-Annex I Parties, activities implemented jointly under the pilot phase, transfer of technology, allocation and control of international bunker fuels, possible contributions to the "Berlin Mandate" process, cooperation with competent international bodies, including the IPCC, proposals on longer term activities, and a workshop on NGO inputs. The SBSTA was also supposed to establish intergovernmental technical advisory panels on technologies (TAP-T) and methodologies (TAP-M). However, the SBSTA did not have time to consider all of these issues. Among the more contentious issues were: definition of the SBSTA's relationship with the IPCC, the terms of reference and composition of the TAPs and the elaboration of guidelines for national communications from non-Annex I Parties. By the end of the meeting, delegates successfully identified areas for cooperation with the IPCC, agreed on a division of labor with the SBI on technology transfer issues, and requested the Secretariat to organize a workshop on non-governmental inputs, among other things. However, no progress was made on the formation of the TAPs and delegates had to resume this discussion at the second session.

SBI: The first meeting of the SBI took place from 31 August - 1 September 1995 in Geneva. The SBI addressed: communications from Annex I Parties; a progress report on in-depth review; institutional and budgetary matters; matters relating to the financial mechanism; and the elaboration and scheduling of the programme of work for 1996-1997. Delegates rapidly adopted the SBI's work programme and recommended that the COP adopt the draft Memorandum of Understanding with the GEF as the financial mechanism, and proposed a draft decision on this item to be adopted by the COP at its second session.