Committee of the Whole – Resolution L4: One hundredth anniversary of the opium conventions

CoW Resolution L4: One hundredth anniversary of the opium conventions 

General support for resolution from Russia though some small additions. France urges resolution to be rushed through due to their overwhelming support.

The need for the resolution to include references to the need to supply “Essential medicines” mentioned by Netherlands. Pakistan questions this. Netherlands clarifies that health should be emphasised through this addition.

The Dutch proposal supported by Norway. This may turn out to be a position of conflict on the floor as one can expect a number of other countries to oppose this.
Russia questions the Dutch inclusion of “essential medicines” and proposes a further inclusion highlighting the dangers and “evils” of all drugs.

Some questioning of the inclusion of “all human rights” by Egypt who wants this term to be clarified in relation to drug trafficking. Egypt questions the broadness of this term and wants each human right to be mentioned.
The Russian federation also questioning the term “all human rights” and wants text to refer text from the political declaration.

Norway stands firm on references to “all human rights” in very blunt language, it seems they won’t support its removal. Egypt also opposed to this human rights reference but adds inclusion that the reference to “all human rights” must respect the full sovereignty of all territorial states. Denmark, Norway are insisting on the terms retention. It seems this conflict with the Russian and Egypt delegation will be concluded in private meetings.

France takes a surprising position and questions this debate (around references to human rights) and thinks this is watering down the resolution. (This is supported by Russia)

United States suggests we take a paragraph from political declaration as an operative paragraph which references the human rights standards and thus would allows the removal of the “all human rights” inclusion. A final text will be completed in private meetings.

AFTER INFORMAL MEETINGS:
The resolution amended as many countries had issues with the reference to “all human rights” and instead the paragraph referring to the universal declaration on human rights stays and the resolution is adopted.

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