FCCC/CP/1997/7 English formulation of the additional sub-paragraph; on the advice of the Chairman of the Committee of the Whole, the President did not propose this text for adoption. Some technical corrections to the text of the Kyoto Protocol were proposed orally and accepted by the President; these deleted paragraph 11 of Article 12 and footnote 1 in Annex B and amended the title of a column in that Annex. The Executive Secretary requested Parties to submit any further technical corrections in writing to the secretariat, so that the final authentic texts of the Protocol could be completed in time for its opening for signature on 16 March 1998. 81. The Conference of the Parties then proceeded to adopt decision 1/CP.3 entitled "Adoption of the Kyoto Protocol to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change", including the oral amendment proposed by the President, thereby adopting the said Protocol which was annexed to that decision. At the same meeting, the Conference also adopted decision 2/CP.3 on methodological issues related to the Kyoto Protocol and decision 3/CP.3 on implementation of Article 4, paragraphs 8 and 9, of the Convention. For the texts of these decisions, see Part Two, section I, of this report. The Conference of the Parties further decided that, for the purposes of Article 25 of the Protocol relating to entry into force, a table indicating the total carbon dioxide emissions of Annex I Parties in 1990, to be prepared on the basis of secretariat documents relating to first national communications, should be annexed to the report of the Conference (see the annex to Part Two of this report). 82. The representative of Luxembourg, speaking on behalf of the European Community and its member States, stated that the European Community and its member States would implement their respective commitments under Article 3, paragraph 1, of the Protocol, in accordance with the provisions of Article 4 of the Protocol. 83. The representative of Trinidad and Tobago, speaking on behalf of the Alliance of Small Island States (AOSIS), recalled that three years had elapsed since AOSIS had first proposed the adoption of a protocol to the Convention which would strengthen the commitments of Annex I Parties and would be capable of sending strong and clear signals to the market place. The reductions agreed upon as a result of the compromises reached in the Kyoto Protocol were inadequate to meet the message of science and the emissions allowed to some countries were, in his view, morally questionable. No country should be allowed to buy its reductions and those Parties which had come to Kyoto prepared to accept greater reductions than those eventually agreed upon should continue their efforts to achieve maximum reductions. Many methodological and scientific uncertainties remained and resources would be needed to tackle them. The aspirations of AOSIS had been largely frustrated and Parties should be prepared to return next year with a clearer purpose, in the knowledge that future generations would have to pay the price FCCC/CP/1997/7 Page 30 VI. HIGH-LEVEL SEGMENT ATTENDED BY MINISTERS AND OTHER (Agenda item 6) 84. At the opening of the high-level segment at the 6th plenary meeting, on 8 December, the Conference of the Parties was addressed by Mr. Ryutaro Hashimoto, Prime Minister of Japan; Mr. José María Figueres Olsen, President of Costa Rica; Mr. Kinza Clodumar, President of Nauru; Mr. Albert Gore, Jr., Vice President of the United States of America and President of the Senate; and Mr. Maurice F. Strong, representative of the Secretary-General of the United Nations, who delivered a message to the Conference of the Parties on behalf of the Secretary-General. 85. Statements were made by the President of the Conference and by the Executive Secretary at the opening of the general debate. The general debate was held during the 6th, 7th, 8th, 9th, 10th and 11th plenary meetings, on 8 and 9 December. During that debate, statements were made by 124 ministers and other heads of delegation of Parties, by a minister from one observer State, and by representatives of 5 United Nations offices and programmes, 10 specialized agencies and other organizations of the United Nations system, 6 intergovernmental organizations and 12 nongovernmental organizations. For the list of speakers in the general debate, see annex I below. 54-190 99-35 86. FCCC/CP/1997/7 English VII. CONCLUSION OF THE SESSION (Agenda item 8) A. Adoption of the report of the Conference of the Parties on its third session At its 12th plenary meeting, on 11 December, the Conference of the Parties adopted the draft report on its third session (FCCC/CP/1997/L.4) and authorized the Rapporteur, with the assistance of the secretariat, to complete the report as appropriate. B. Closure of the session 87. At its 12th plenary meeting, on 11 December, the Conference of the Parties, having considered a draft resolution submitted by Bhutan (FCCC/CP/1997/L.6), adopted resolution 1/CP.3 entitled "Expression of gratitude to the Government and people of Japan". For the text of this resolution, see Part Two, section II, of this report. 88. Closing statements were made by the representatives of the United States of America, Luxembourg (on behalf of the European Community and its member States), the United Republic of Tanzania (on behalf of the Group of 77 and China) and Japan. A statement was made by the Executive Secretary. 89. The President, after making a closing statement in which he thanked all participants for their constructive cooperation in the negotiations, declared the third session of the Conference of the Parties closed. |