Status of Negotiations on 15 June 2012 Friday afternoon almost at the
closing of the Third Session of Negotiations in Rio
Although negotiators and UN staff keep saying in the corridors this
Friday that negotiations on the Rio+20 outcome document (“The Future We Want”)
are advancing, and that we are in the right direction, in reality the opposite
is happening here. In most splinter
groups each paragraph is meticulously negotiated and the discussion often gets stuck on the choice of quite
words. Some criticize that the choice of words makes no difference for the final
outcome, while others sustain that each word counts as they will be the basis
for action. Rumours are beginning to
spread that the way the negotiations evolve it is becoming unlikely that a final
document can be adopted by consensus.
What would happen if countries do not reach an
agreement?
In case no agreement is reached on the final document, Brazil as the
host country could use the option of tabling an alternative text to be signed by
all UN Member States.
This scenario is splitting opinions in the corridors as some are
beginning to think that this might be the only way to “save” Rio+20, while
others find this option rather risky since, in case the Host´s text is rejected,
there would be no time left to craft an alternative. With several ministers arriving in Rio and
with the G20 Summit in Los Cabos ready
to start (after which most Heads of State will fly straight to Rio) tension is building up.
In the daily press confererence today, Brazil´s chief negotiator
Ambassador Luiz Alberto Figueiredo strongly denied that Brazil is working on an
alternative text. However, he made it
clear that in case negotiations stall, Brazil will suggest alternative language
for the most contentious paragraphs.
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