Agenda 21 has Hard Road Ahead

rio de janeiro, jun 5 1992 (ips/luis cordova) -- delegates at the rio de janeiro earth summit began tackling one of their most difficult tasks friday: negotiations on agenda 21, a sweeping action plan to improve the environment in the next century.

early disagreements became apparent as five ''contact groups'' discussed some outstanding points of the document.

according to sources, the united states has proposed reopening negotiations on points already approved, drawing criticism from the group of 77 (g-77), a confederation of 128 third world nations, and the european community (ec).

the closed-door negotiations are based on a draft of agenda 21 approved during the final earth summit preparatory conference held in new york in march and early april.

it was hoped that debate in rio could be confined to points not resolved in new york, including the contention over mechanisms for implementing and monitoring the plan.

jamsheed marker, president of g-77, told ips that the agenda was basically ''a set document'' to be signed by the heads of state attending the summit, officially called the united nations conference on environment and development (unced), from jun. 3-14.

marker said that g-77 opposed reopening negotiations on previously approved points, saying now was the time ''to come up with the means of putting the plan into practice.''

chief of the ec delegation, laurens jan brinkhorst, echoed this point of view, saying ''we must concentrate on the most pressing issues.''

brinkhorst said that reopening negotiations ''would not be very constructive,'' but pointed out that every nation had the right to question the document.

along with the treaty on biodiversity and the global warming accord, agenda 21 represents a measure of the fragile consensus present in rio, and the increasing isolation of the united states.

the united states has been widely criticised for its antagonistic posture on these two other accords. many nations complain that the global warming accord, first presented for signing on thursday, is a weak and ineffective document, having been watered down to accomodate u.s. demands.

furthermore, the united states has said that it will not sign the biodiversity treaty, which aims to protect the planet's existing biological treasures.

brinkhorst announced that 11 of the 12 ec nations were committed to signing the biodiversity treaty, opened for signing on friday, and that the twelfth, the united kingdom, had yet to decide.

the ec leader added that he was hopeful that all ec nations would sign the document by the end of the summit.

despite the conflicts and disputes, earth summit negotiations are underway in 'riocentre,' a convention centre located 40 kilometers outside this brazilian city, in preparation for the conference's climax on jun. 12 and 13, when over 100 world heads of state gather to sign the final documents.

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