26 February 1997

ENGLISH ONLY

UNITED NATIONS FRAMEWORK CONVENTION ON CLIMATE CHANGE

SUBSIDIARY BODY FOR IMPLEMENTATION

Fifth session

Bonn, 25-28 February 1997

Agenda item 9 (a) and (b)

The Subsidiary Body for Implementation (SBI) at its fifth session, on 25 February 1997, addressed agenda items 9 (a) and (b) on Arrangements for Intergovernmental Meetings. In the course of discussions on the Calendar of Meetings for 1997-1999, Tanzania on behalf of the Group of 77 and China made a statement and requested that it be reproduced by the secretariat as a miscellaneous document.

In accordance with the procedure for miscellaneous documents, this submission is attached and is reproduced in the language in which it was received and without formal editing.

FCCC/SBI/1997/MISC.2

BNJ.97-

_____________

*In order to make these submissions available on electronic systems, including the World Wide Web, these contributions have been electronically scanned and/or retyped. The secretariat has made every effort to ensure the correct reproduction of the texts as submitted.

On the arrangements for intergovernmental meetings: Calendar of meetings for 1997 to 1999. Reference document FCCC/SBI/1997/5 and previous document FCCC/1996/INF.4

(I) The Group of 77 and China would like to reiterate the following position statement made at the plenary of SBSTA on 18 December 1996:

"The Group of 77 and China would like to call your attention to the recommendations included in document FCCC/1996/INF.4. More specifically, the group wishes to state its position regarding the recommendation thereby included to hold the fourth Conference of the Parties in the year 1999.

The Group of 77 and China points out that such recommendation runs against the provisions of the United Framework Convention on Climate Change. The Convention has clear provisions to this regard in article 7.4, which clearly stipulates that .... ordinary sessions of the COP shall be held every year unless otherwise decided by the Conference of the Parties."

Moreover, Article 4.2 (d) on the review of the adequacy of Articles 4.2 (a) and 4.2 (b), stipulates that the COP should, at its first session, review the adequacy of subparagraphs (a) and (b) above, a review which has already taken place, and furthermore that a second review of subparagraphs (a) and (b) shall take place no later than 31 December 1998, a review which is still pending.

Given the fact that all Parties to the Convention must abide by the Convention provisions, and that COP is the only competent body to do a second review, the fourth Conference of the Parties must be held no later than 31 December 1998.

(II) Therefore, in line with the relevant provisions of the Convention, we hereby

- Request that the above mentioned second review, as stipulated in Article 4.2 (d) be placed on the agenda of the fourth Conference of the Parties (COP 4) to be held not later than 31 December 1998,

- Request that the Convention secretariat make all the necessary preparations for the second review by COP 4 of adequacy of Article 4.2 (a) and (b), taking into account the actions taken and progress made since the adoption of decision 1/CP 1, including a compilation of relevant excerpts of the additional communications from Annex I Parties in this regard,

- Further request the secretariat to render all necessary assistance to, and provide all relevant information to SBI and SBSTA in making preparations for COP 4 to conduct the aforementioned second review not later than 31 December 1998, as provided for in Article 4.2 (d) of the Convention.

Finally, we request that this statement be reproduced as a Misc. document.

Thank you.