CL 127/LIM/2

Council

Hundred and Twenty-seventh Session

Rome, 22 - 27 November 2004

INVITATIONS TO NON-MEMBER NATIONS TO ATTEND FAO SESSIONS

1. Paragraphs B-1 and B-2 of the “Statement of Principles relating to the Granting of Observer Status to Nations”,¹ indicate that States which, while not Member Nations or Associate Members of FAO, are members of the United Nations, any of its specialized agencies or of the International Atomic Energy Agency may, on request, and subject to the provisions of paragraph B-4, be invited by the Conference or the Council to be represented by an observer at a session of the Conference or Council. Such non-Member States may, on request and with the approval of the Council, attend regional or technical meetings of the Organization.

2. In cases of urgency, however, when there is insufficient time to consult the Council, the Director-General may on request invite such Non-Member States to send an observer to such meetings.

I. INVITATIONS TO THE HUNDRED AND TWENTY SEVENTH SESSION OF THE COUNCIL (FOR DECISION)

3. A request was received on 26 October 2004 from the Russian Federation to attend in an observer capacity the Hundred and Twenty-seventh Session of the Council (Rome, 22-27 November 2004). An invitation was issued on 16 November 2004 subject to approval by the Council.

4. The Director-General requests Council approval to admit the Russian Federation as an observer at the Hundred and Twenty-seventh Session of the Council.

II. ATTENDANCE BY NON-MEMBER NATIONS AT PAST FAO SESSIONS (FOR INFORMATION)

5. The Director-General informs the Council that since its Hundred and Twenty-sixth Session, on being so requested, invitations have been issued as follows:

RUSSIAN FEDERATION

Twenty-third Session of the European Inland Fisheries Advisory Commission (EIFAC), Wierzba. Poland, 26 May - 2 June 2004. Invitation to Russian Federation dated 2 April 2004.
Technical Consultation on the Use of Subsidies in the Fisheries Sector. Rome, Italy, 30 June - 2 July 2004. Invitation to Russian Federation dated 23 June 2004
Invitation to the Technical Consultation to Review Progress and Promote the Full Implementation of the International Plan of Action to Prevent, Deter and Eliminate Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated Fishing and the International Plan of Action for the Management of Fishing Capacity. Rome, Italy, 24-29 June 2004. Invitation to Russian Federation dated 23 June 2004.

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¹ See FAO Basic Texts, Volume II, Section L (Appendix).