The First Intergovernmental Meeting

REPORT OF THE MEETING

Introduction
1. The First Intergovernmental Meeting was held in Yokohama from 19 to 20 March 1998.
2. The Meeting was attended by representatives of the following countries: Indonesia, Japan, the Republic of Korea, Malaysia, Mongolia, the Philippines, the Russian Federation, Thailand and Vietnam. The representative of China attended the meeting as an observer.
3. Representatives of the following international organizations also attended the meeting: the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) and the World Meteorological Organization (WMO).
4. A list of participants is attached in Annex 1.
   Opening of the Meeting
5. The Meeting was opened with remarks by Mr. Koichi Yamamoto, Parliamentary Vice Minister for Environment (Japan). He emphasized the importance of the meeting and expressed his expectations for its outcome.
   Election of officers
6. Mr. Kiyotaka Akasaka (Japan) was elected as chairman, Dr. Sirithan Pairoj Boriboon, (Thailand) was elected as vice-chairman, and Mr. Seok-Young Choi (Republic of Korea) was elected as rapporteur.
   Adoption of the Agenda
7. The Meeting adopted the provisional agenda that had been prepared by the second meeting of the working group (EANET/WG 1/3).
   Report on the preparatory activities for the intergovernmental meeting
8. Mr. Saburo Kato (Japan), who chaired the four expert meetings, reported on the four expert meetings on the proposed Acid Deposition Monitoring Network in East Asia, which were held prior to the preparatory activities for the intergovernmental meeting.
9. Preparatory activities for the intergovernmental meeting, i.e. two meetings of the working group, were reported by the Secretariat.
10. The Meeting expressed its appreciation for the preceding activities by the expert meetings, including the preparation of the guidelines and technical manuals on acid deposition monitoring.
11. Dr. Rezaul Karim (ESCAP) and Dr. Alexandre V. Soudine (WMO), respectively, presented on their organization's ongoing activities that have possible implications for the Acid Deposition Monitoring Network in East Asia. They expressed their support for the initiatives of the Acid Deposition Monitoring Network in East Asia, as well as their willingness for cooperation with the Network.
    Review of the draft document for the "Design of the Network"
12. Presentation was made by the Secretariat on the working draft "Design of the Acid Deposition Monitoring Network in East Asia (EANET)" (EANET/IG 1/5), which was developed by the second meeting of the working group in Yokohama from 17 to 18 March 1998.
13. The Meeting further developed the working draft and identified the tentative "Design of the Acid Deposition Monitoring Network in East Asia (EANET)" (EANET/IG 1/5 rev.). The tentative Design will be further reviewed and eventually finalized at the second intergovernmental meeting, on the basis of the new findings collected in the course of the preparatory-phase activities.
14. The Meeting also requested the Secretariat to note and, if necessary, further develop the following subjects, in order to facilitate the supplementary discussion on the Design of the Network to be finalized at the second intergovernmental meeting.
    • How to deal with the question of the "impacts on human health" in the OBJECTIVES of the Network.
    • The name and authority of the decision making body of the Network should be defined according to its mandate/function and the organization of the network system
    • The list order, specification of the Scientific Advisory Committee's (SAC) tasks with respect to the item regarding monitoring strategy
    • The technical contents of the QA/QC program and procedures of development, approval and implementation of the QA/QC program
    • The possibility to establish branches of the network center
    • Issues relating to the physical location of the network center and the secretariat
    • Arrangements including the scope of the host country's contribution to the operational costs of the network center and the secretariat
    Review and adoption of the document for the Implementation of preparatory-phase activities
15. Presentation was made by the Secretariat on the draft "Implementation of the Preparatory-Phase Activities" (EANET/IG 1/6), which was developed by the second meeting of the working group in Yokohama from 17 to 18 March 1998.
16. The draft was extensively and thoroughly discussed with particular attention to:
    • The objectives, composition, characteristics and division of tasks of each body.
    • The overall structure of the Network, procedures for submission of questions and provision of information.
    • The supreme decision-making body.
    • The tentative schedule of major events.
    • The implementation of training programs at the national level and by the interim network center.
    • The composition and number of the members of, and tasks of the interim scientific advisory group.
    • The staffing of the interim Secretariat and the interim network center.
    • Assurance of transparency.
17. The Meeting made amendments to the above draft and eventually prepared and adopted the finalized document "Implementation of the Preparatory-Phase Activities" (EANET/IG 1/6 rev.).
18. The Meeting welcomed the proposal by the Government of Japan to host the interim Secretariat and the interim network center, as well as to provide financial assistance for their operation on a voluntary basis.
19. The Meeting agreed on the major activities and tentative schedule during the preparatory phase. The preparatory-phase activities will start in April 1998 on an interim basis and continue until the second intergovernmental meeting to be held tentatively in mid-2000.
    Expression of intent to participate in the preparatory-phase activities
20. The Chairman took note that by adopting the above-mentioned document for the implementation all participating countries have collectively expressed their intention to start the preparatory-phase activities noting the provision that countries may withdraw from the preparatory-phase activities by expressing their intention at any time through diplomatic channels.
21. The Chairman requested the representative of China to inform the interim Secretariat of its intention through diplomatic channels.
    Other business
22. The Chairman referred to the schedule for future meetings, including:
    • The third and forth meetings of the working group
    • The first and second meetings of the interim scientific advisory group
    • The second intergovernmental meeting
23. The Chairman requested the interim Secretariat to prepare the provisional details of the above meetings, including provisional agenda, venues and timetables, and to circulate them among participating countries for appropriate consideration.
24. The Meeting welcomed the proposal by the Government of Japan to host the above-mentioned meetings:
    • The third meeting of the working group and the first meeting of the interim scientific advisory group to be held back-to-back in October 1998;
    • The second intergovernmental meeting to be held tentatively in mid-2000
    Consideration and Adoption of the report of the meeting
25. The Meeting adopted the Report of the First Intergovernmental Meeting on the Acid Deposition Monitoring Network in East Asia (19 - 20 March 1998, Yokohama, Japan).