Notification 2008-025

Dear Madam/Sir, I have the honour to refer to Notifications 2007 124 and 2007-125 dated 23 October 2007 conveying the invitation to participate in the fourth meeting of the Conference of the Parties serving as the meeting of the Parties to the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety and the ninth meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity, which will be held respectively in Bonn, Germany, from 12-16 May and 19-30 May 2008. In this connection, I wish to remind Parties that, in accordance with the rules of procedure of the Conference of the Parties, representatives of Parties must be duly accredited through the submission of credentials to the Executive Secretary. Specifically, Rule 18 of the rules of procedure for meetings of the Conference of the Parties provides that credentials of representatives and the names of alternate representatives and advisers shall be submitted to the Executive Secretary if possible not later than twenty-four hours after the opening of the meeting. Parties are further reminded that credentials must be issued either by the Head of State or Government or by the Minister for Foreign Affairs or, in the case of a regional economic integration organization, by the competent authority of that organization. Finally, please note that separate and distinct credentials are required for each meeting. It should be noted that accreditation of delegates to the meetings will not be possible without proper credentials. You will find attached, for your convenience, sample formats of appropriate credentials for each meeting, which must be signed by the Head of State or Government or by the Minister of Foreign Affairs. Please accept, Madam/Sir, the assurances of my highest consideration.

Executive Secretary

To: All CBD National Focal Points, all National Focal Points to the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety