DECISION

PROCEDURE FOR ADDRESSING UNRESOLVED ISSUES

DURING THE FOURTH INTERSESSIONAL PERIOD

The Conference

Recalling that many of the agenda items referred to the Committee of the Whole by the Conference during its first session have not yet been resolved;

Recalling also its decision on how to address unresolved issues during the intersessional period (C-III/Dec.11 dated 20 Nov. 1998) taken at its Third Session;

Noting the progress made on the facilitation process as reported to the Conference by the Chairman of the Committee of the Whole of the Third Session of the Conference of the States Parties (C-IV/COW.1 dated 28 June 1999);

Expressing its appreciation to the facilitators of the Committee of the Whole for their tireless efforts and skilful conduct;

Stressing the importance of improving further the working methods of the organs of the Organisation and the intention to increase the effectiveness of the work of the Executive Council by creating an intersessional working mechanism to address clusters of issues in an open-ended, predictable and structured manner;

Reaffirming the importance of resolving the unresolved issues and concluding the work in this respect at the earliest possible time;

Hereby:

Adopts the following procedures for addressing the unresolved issues:

1. A Working Group should be established under the Executive Council, open to all States Parties, to address the remaining unresolved issues. This working group shall meet on a regular, scheduled basis to allow for maximum participation of experts of the States Parties;
1. All remaining unresolved issues should be transferred to the Executive Council for the intersessional consideration by the Working Group;
1. For those issues, which have already been taken up in the facilitation process, the facilitators’ work should be taken into account by the Working Group. As appropriate, facilitators will be invited to continue their work in the context of the Working Group;
1. The Working Group may prepare, if necessary, the list of issues which may not require any further consideration, for submission by the Executive Council to the Fifth Session of the Conference of the States Parties. Issues requiring a decision by the Conference in accordance with subparagraph 21(i) of Article VIII may not be so set aside, however;
1. The Technical Secretariat shall continue to provide assistance in resolving the remaining unresolved issues;
1. When agreement has been reached on an issue the Chairman of the Working Group shall inform the Chairman of the Executive Council, and shall introduce it to the Executive Council for its consideration and approval and subsequent submission to the Fifth Session of the Conference for its consideration and final adoption;
1. In relation to any issue that may still remain unresolved, the Fifth Session of the Conference shall consider and adopt recommendations developed through the above mentioned process, and might consider whether to retain them on its agenda.

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