Civil society expresses concern at state of negotiations

After three very frustrating days of discussions with Member States civil society representatives at the High Level Meeting have gone public with their concern at both the process and possible outcomes of this week's meeting.

In a letter to General Assembly President Jan Eliasson and Secretary General Kofi Anan civil society has expressed 'deep concern about the highly unsatisfactory negotiation process currently in place for developing the proposed Political Declaration.'

In the letter, which the Alliance along with many other non-government and community based organisations has signed, civil society states that it currently feels as though it will have to publicly criticise and dissacociate itself from the Political Declaration unless substantial improvements are made to it.

I've heard from colleagues in the UK and others that the break down in negotiations here at the UN is now receiving widespread coverage in the mainstream media, including on the BCC in the UK and on the World Service.

This wil no doubt help increase the pressure on the President, Secretary General and Co-Chairs of the High Level Meeting. 

It's early morning in New York and I'm about to join civil society colleagues at a check in where plans for how to respond to the latest draft of the Political Declaration will be made.