MINUTES OF THE ISC – FRIDAY, 31 August 2001, from 5:30 pm

1. ATTENDANCE AND APOLOGIES

Present ISC members: Vera, Myrna, Mirek, Stella M., Moshe, Mercia, Nimalka, Paul, Said, Margaret, Khader, Albert, Alberto, Palmira

2. WELCOME AND OPENING

Vera Egenberger took the chairing the meeting.

  1. AGENDA OF THE MEETING

    2. The agenda was adopted as follows:

  2. Adoption of the final documents

  3. WCAR

  4. Any other business (AOB)

  5. Next ISC meeting

  1. ADOPTION OF THE FINAL DOCUMENTS

Stella Makanya reported from the meeting with the Heads of Caucuses. 23 of them (out of 37 existing) took part in the meeting .

Sunilla reported the state of the drafting process:

 

    1. Tomorrow, the plenary session will be co-chaired by Mercia, Stella and Alberto.

      2. Secretaries: Nimalka and Palmira together with all members of the Drafting Committee.

      Assistants: Mirek, Khader, Said (for interpreting and translations).

      A person appointed by the Drafting Committee will introduce the draft documents (30’).

      Co-chairs will introduce the adoption procedure.

    2. The adoption procedure will be as follows:

  1. The final plenary will begin at 10 pm with simultaneous translation in 3 languages, outside of the tents if possible.

  2. Information on caucuses will be announced and all participants asked to join a caucus.

  3. Then the plenary will be adjourned, all caucuses will get time for reading the documents and writing amendments. Interpretation should be provided.

  4. Amendments have to be submitting in writing by 11:30 am.

  5. The amendments may not contain additional text, just changes or deletions.

  6. Any caucus may submit amendments on generic (not specific) issues, such as Labour, Health, Poverty, etc. However, the caucuses representing victims may only forward amendments on the specific issue related to the basis of the own caucus.

  7. Immediately after delivery, each submitted amendment will be negotiated by the Head of the submitting caucus, the Drafting Committee and the Rapporteur of the Thematic Comissions which delivered the original input (chapter).

  8. In case of consensus in the abovementioned negotiation, the amendment is agreed and will only be announced to the plenary.

  9. At 12 noon, the meeting will be reopened. Every caucus will get 5 minutes to present their objections (only written objections from caucuses will be accepted!) or responses.

  10. The conflicting amendments will be put to vote one by one. The decisions will be taken by simple majority of caucuses present (one caucus one vote, based on the list enclosed).

  11. Caucuses not having at least 10 persons at this plenary session will not be given voting credentials. (Exception: the Jewish caucus which asked for it because of Sabbath.)

  12. In case of a tie, the Co-chairs have one casting vote.

  13. The whole documents will not be read.

    1. There will be 6 people nominated who will speak out the problems of the world in the closing session. The following caucuses will provide one name each: Africans and Afro-Descendants, Indigenous Peoples (Maori), Roma, Dalits, Africa/Disabled, Palestinians, European youth. The deadlines for the concrete names is tomorrow, 8:30 am sharp.

 

  1. WCAR

    1. ISC will write a letter with the report from the NGO Forum to the Chair of the WCAR.

    2. Myrna, Palmira and Paul are agreed to present the results of the NGO Forum at the WCAR. If there is not enough time for all of them, they choose who will speak.

  2. ANY OTHER BUSINESS

    1. ISC endorses that I CARE be given 1 NGO pass for full access.

    2. Vera takes the responsibility to clarify the funding of the thanking dinner with the Drafting Committee.

  3. NEXT MEETING

ISC will meet on Saturday, 1st September at 8:00 am in its office at the Kingsmead Cricket Stadium South Stand, 2nd Floor, King’s Club.