The Convention’s First Review Conference, which shall be convened in 2004 in accordance with the provisions of article 12 (1), presents a unique opportunity to focus the world’s attention on the enormous accomplishments made since the Convention was established. It also provides an opportunity to intensify efforts to universalize the Convention. Based on the review of the Convention’s accomplishments, the Review Conference would need to assess and further strengthen commitments on cooperation and assistance deemed necessary to achieve the Convention’s humanitarian objectives and universality. It will also need to consider how to improve the structure of the Convention’s intersessional work programme as well as its meetings of States parties to achieve its agreed objectives and meeting its legal obligations by 2009, at the time of the Second Review Conference.
To enable us to address these substantive elements, consideration of a number of matters pertaining to a preparatory process for the Review Conference is important. At the Fifth Meeting of the States Parties (5MSP), decisions may, therefore, be required on matters related to such a process.
To facilitate this work in 2002-2003, it would be useful to provide the President of the 4MSP with the mandate to undertake informal open-ended consultations on matters related to a Review Conference preparatory process, which could be considered by States parties at the 5MSP. These consultations could cover all areas related to actions to be considered by the States parties with respect to a preparatory process for the Review Conference, particularly:
The purpose of the Review Conference is set out in article 12 (2) of the Convention. Given the nature of the issues to be addressed in accordance with the purpose of the Review Conference, the timing and duration of the Conference could be similar to a meeting of States parties. The venue of the Review Conference also needs to be finalized. Facilitated by informal open-ended consultations by the President of the 4MSP, States parties need to consider these issues and work towards a decision to be taken thereon at the 5MSP. This could contribute to practical preparations for the Review Conference to be undertaken in an efficient and timely manner.
At the 5MSP States parties may wish to designate a President and Vice-President(s)
for the Review Conference. It could also be desirable to articulate the role of the President-designate with respect to the preparatory process. In addition, given the widespread interest amongst States parties to ensure the success of the Review Conference, consideration could be given to engaging all the actors in work related to the preparations for the Conference.
States parties may wish to consider taking a decision at the 5MSP on the timing, duration and venue of the formal preparatory process. The formal preparatory meeting(s) for the Review Conference could also be chaired by the President-designate. As in the case with preparatory meetings of other conventions, such a meeting(s) would need to consider procedural issues such as the agenda, programme of work, budget and rules of procedure of the Review Conference. A discussion could also be held at the formal preparatory meeting(s) on the anticipated outcome of the Review Conference.
In the interest of efficiency and cost-effectiveness and given the nature of the issues to be discussed, formal preparatory meeting(s) could be held back-to-back with the meetings of the Standing Committees in 2004.
The outcome of the work of the Standing Committees could have a substantial impact on the outcome of the Review Conference, especially in relation to the overview of the implementation of the Convention in key areas such as victim assistance, stockpile destruction and clearance of mined areas. In addition, consideration would have to be given to the role the intersessional work programme needs to fulfil between the First and Second Review Conference. It is important therefore to consider how the intersessional work programme in 2003 and 2004 would interface with the Review Conference.
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