THREE DRAFT DECISIONS CONCERNING STATUS OF PREPARATIONS FOR HABITAT II APPROVED BY COMMITTEE

Press Release
HAB/109

THREE DRAFT DECISIONS CONCERNING STATUS OF PREPARATIONS FOR HABITAT II APPROVED BY COMMITTEE

The Preparatory Committee for the United Nations Conference on Human Settlements (Habitat II) this morning approved three draft decisions on the status of preparations for the Conference. It also began action on the negotiated text for the proposed statement of principles and global plan of action -- the "Habitat Agenda" -- to be submitted to the Conference for adoption.

In one draft decision, adopted as amended without a vote, the Preparatory Committee agreed that participating States and regional groups of participating States should be invited to make specific statements of national and regional priorities and commitments at the Conference. They should be invited to include in those statements a list of specific actions which, in pursuance of the "Habitat Agenda", they will take by the year 2000. Organizations of the United Nations system and other intergovernmental institutions should also be invited to make their own statements of priorities and commitments.

In two other decisions taken without a vote, the Committee authorized the Bureau to meet in the inter-sessional period before the Conference to resolve outstanding organizational matters. It also took note of the progress report of the Secretary-General of the Conference on the activities of the Conference secretariat.

In addition the Committee approved working group reports on recommended changes to sections of the proposed text for the "Habitat Agenda". The Agenda is comprised of a preamble, a nine-part statement of goals and principles, and a set of six commitments to be undertaken by governments in support of the objectives of Habitat II. The individual sections of the Agenda have been the subject of various working group negotiations during the two-week session.

The Committee will meet again this afternoon at 3 p.m. to continue action on the remaining sections of the proposed text of the "Habitat Agenda".

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