State to prepare positions on various issues discussed during the 

 19-23 June 1989 meeting of experts. Although agreement was not 

 reached on all points, the second meeting of experts developed a 

 text which most members believed could be used as the basis for 

 concluding the protocol at the meeting of the Cartagena Convention 

 Contracting Parties, scheduled to be held in Cartagena, Colombia, 

 on 23-26 October 1989. 



Non-governmental organizations have made substantial contri- 

 butions to efforts to draft and adopt the protocol on specially 

 protected areas and wildlife. For example, the National Wildlife 

 Federation, Chelonia Institute, and Monitor International hosted a 

 meeting on 18 September 1989 involving representatives of non- 

 governmental organizations and Federal agencies. The purpose of 

 the meeting was to identify and exchange views on steps that might 

 be taken to facilitate conclusion and implementation of the 

 protocol. Commission representatives participated in the meeting 

 and subsequently consulted representatives of non-governmental 

 organizations to help identify and determine how best to 

 cooperatively resolve deficiencies in the revised draft protocol. 



The meeting of contracting parties scheduled for October in 

 Colombia was cancelled and now is scheduled for 10-12 January 1990 

 in Kingston, Jamaica. In preparing for this meeting, the 

 Department of State consulted with the Commission and other 

 interested Federal agencies to identify changes in the revised 

 draft protocol that would be necessary or desirable before the 

 protocol could be accepted by the United States. By letter of 5 

 December 1989, the Commission noted a number of drafting as well as 

 possible substantive problems that merited consideration prior to 

 the January meeting. Among other things, the Commission noted that 

 the draft protocol raised questions as to what, if anything, it 

 would obligate parties to do, in addition to that which they are 

 obligated to do by their own domestic laws and regulations. 

 Conversely, the Commission also noted that certain provisions in 

 the draft protocol could be interpreted to impose prohibitions on 

 taking listed species that would be more restrictive than those 

 established by the Endangered Species Act, Marine Mammal Protec- 

 tion Act, and other relevant U.S. laws. The Commission also 

 suggested that the United States propose and seek a meeting of 

 government experts be held within a year after signature of the 

 protocol to identify and begin work on priority issues that will 

 have to be considered by the scientific and technical advisory 

 committee to be established when the protocol enters into force. 



At the end of 1989, the Commission was continuing consul- 

 tations with the Department of State and other Federal agencies to 

 prepare for the 10-12 January meeting to conclude the protocol. 

 Among other things, the Commission was preparing a list of marine 

 mammal species and populations that should be afforded special 

 protection under the protocol. 



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