Day 2
Day 2, and we didn’t get to bed until 2am when the negotiations finished, not so much in the spirit of compromise, but in desperation to get this over and done with.
One major issue got thrashed out by the Heads of Delegation this morning, and the Secretariat are preparing the revised paperwork for the negotiations to start at about 11am. They managed to provide parts 1 and 2 of the agreed latest draft, but the introduction and part 3 will have to wait. Just as well, as it a nightmare to read through and make sense of.
The fishing Ministers arrived in a great flurry of self-importance – except Ben Bradshaw, who is detailed on “Parliamentary Business” which appears to be code for “I’m being sacked in the reshuffle”. Poor Ross Finnie wanted to be here, but wasn’t allowed to by Westminster, and now the Scottish fishermen are unrepresented. It appears that there are a number of issues where they would need to have a say, but there is no-one to represent them.
The latest draft is still jammed full of caveats, conditions and options and yet more appear at every moment.
Some of the NGO’s are jumping up and down at every occasion, especially Seas at Risk, and as this is really not KIMO’s area it gives me an opportunity to review the process and the attendees and make some comments and observations. That comes next.
Stephen Ladyman MP turns up to cover for Ben Bradshaw, and puts in a very good, if uncomfortable, performance on the shipping issues.
By the end of day 2, the fishing has been done to death, and I don’t feel much better.
Next we go out for dinner, and a change to mingle and lobby. I sit beside the senior Civil Servant in the Shipping Division and discuss Tanker Traffic in the Minch, nuclear shipments from Sellafield and much else besides, and then lobby his boss and Stephen Ladyman on some of the issue for tomorrow. It is clear the UK is going to stonewall, and we are going to have difficulty moving them. However, there are many other countries that have more concern for the environment, and we lobby them too.
Back to the hotel late that evening, and early to bed, as the Shipping matters start very early tomorrow.
One major issue got thrashed out by the Heads of Delegation this morning, and the Secretariat are preparing the revised paperwork for the negotiations to start at about 11am. They managed to provide parts 1 and 2 of the agreed latest draft, but the introduction and part 3 will have to wait. Just as well, as it a nightmare to read through and make sense of.
The fishing Ministers arrived in a great flurry of self-importance – except Ben Bradshaw, who is detailed on “Parliamentary Business” which appears to be code for “I’m being sacked in the reshuffle”. Poor Ross Finnie wanted to be here, but wasn’t allowed to by Westminster, and now the Scottish fishermen are unrepresented. It appears that there are a number of issues where they would need to have a say, but there is no-one to represent them.
The latest draft is still jammed full of caveats, conditions and options and yet more appear at every moment.
Some of the NGO’s are jumping up and down at every occasion, especially Seas at Risk, and as this is really not KIMO’s area it gives me an opportunity to review the process and the attendees and make some comments and observations. That comes next.
Stephen Ladyman MP turns up to cover for Ben Bradshaw, and puts in a very good, if uncomfortable, performance on the shipping issues.
By the end of day 2, the fishing has been done to death, and I don’t feel much better.
Next we go out for dinner, and a change to mingle and lobby. I sit beside the senior Civil Servant in the Shipping Division and discuss Tanker Traffic in the Minch, nuclear shipments from Sellafield and much else besides, and then lobby his boss and Stephen Ladyman on some of the issue for tomorrow. It is clear the UK is going to stonewall, and we are going to have difficulty moving them. However, there are many other countries that have more concern for the environment, and we lobby them too.
Back to the hotel late that evening, and early to bed, as the Shipping matters start very early tomorrow.
No comments:
Post a Comment