Notification to the Parties

CONCERNING:

Twentieth meeting of the Animals Committee

1. The Secretariat hereby informs all Parties that the 20th meeting of the Animals Committee will be held in Johannesburg, South Africa, from 29 March to 2 April 2004. The meeting will take place at the following address:

Caesars Convention Resort
64 Jones Road, Kempton Park
JOHANNESBURG, Gauteng
South Africa.

2. Parties interested in knowing more about the subjects for discussion are invited to contact either the Secretariat or the Chairman directly at the following address:

Dr Thomas ALTHAUS
Chairman of the CITES Animals Committee
Federal Veterinary Office
Schwarzenburgstr. 161
CH-3097 LIEBEFELD-BERN
Switzerland

Tel.: +41 (31) 323 85 08
Fax: +41 (31) 323 85 22
Email: thomas.althaus@bvet.admin.ch.

3. Parties are invited to participate as observers. The Registration form attached should be returned to the Secretariat no later than 12 March 2004.

4. Observers from non-governmental organizations may participate in this meeting at the invitation of the Chairman. Requests should be sent to the Chairman at the address indicated in paragraph 2 above at least 30 days before the meeting, that is by 28 February 2004. However, organizations are urged to send their request as soon as possible and not wait until the deadline.

5. Simultaneous interpretation in the three working languages of the Convention (English, French and Spanish) will be provided for the duration of the meeting.

6. Details of hotels will be provided to those who return the Registration form attached to the present Notification. This information will also be posted on the CITES website as soon as it is available.

7. The Secretariat reminds participants that they may need visas to travel to South Africa. In order to facilitate the issuance of visas, they may wish to submit a copy of this Notification together with their visa application. Information on countries whose nationals need South African visas and a table with a list of South African representations abroad are attached to this Notification as Annexes 1 and 2 respectively.

8. Documents to be considered at this meeting must be provided to the Secretariat at least 60 days before the meeting, that is by 29 January 2004. Documents received after this date will not be translated and will be distributed at the meeting as information documents in the language in which they were received. As for meetings of the Conference of the Parties, documents submitted should not be longer than 12 pages.

9. Documents for the meeting will be placed on the CITES website as they become available. Printed copies of all documents available will be sent to members and alternate members of the Animals Committee by 13 February 2004. The Secretariat will also provide copies by post or by email to any pre-registered participant who requests them. However, in order to make savings on printing costs, the Secretariat will not distribute sets of documents at the meeting. Consequently, all participants are requested to bring their own set.

10. A copy of the Rules of Procedure of the Animals Committee adopted at its 19th meeting is provided with this Notification as Annex 3.