Article 17, paragraph 1, of the Convention stipulates that “the Conference of the Parties may, at any ordinary session, adopt protocols to the Convention”. Article 17, paragraph 2, provides that “the text of any proposed protocol shall be communicated to the Parties by the secretariat at least six months before such a session”. In accordance with these provisions, Costa Rica, by a letter dated 5 June 2009, transmitted the text of a proposed protocol to the secretariat as the basis for further negotiation, in the event that the Parties collectively decide to adopt a protocol to the Convention, at the fifteenth session of the Conference of the Parties in December 2009. Consequently, on 6 June 2009, the secretariat will send a note verbale containing this text to National Focal Points for climate change and Permanent Missions to the United Nations, in accordance with the requirements of Article 17, paragraph 2, of the Convention. It is the practice of the secretariat also to communicate proposed protocols to the signatories to the Convention and, for information, to the Depositary. The Conference of the Parties is invited to consider this proposal for a protocol at its fifteenth session