Draft protocol still not ready at biodiversity talks
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Representatives at the ongoing international biodiversity negotiations in the central Japanese city of Nagoya had extended the deadline of a draft protocol once more to Tuesday, local media reported Monday.
The 10th meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity, known as COP10, is set to produce a protocol on access to genetic resources such as medicinal plants and benefit-sharing for the countries concerned.
The conference initially meant to produce a draft protocol by Friday but the deadline was extended until Monday as developing and developed countries remained at odds over the issue, the public broadcaster NHK reported.
Tim Hodges, the chair in charge of the issue, was quoted as saying on Monday that the negotiations need more time.
The envoys are divided on ways to share benefits from products originating from biological resources.
Developing countries are demanding that developed countries pay for benefits they have enjoyed from exploited resources, going back hundreds of years. But developed countries argue that profit- sharing should only cover resources used after the proposed agreement takes effect, the NHK reported.
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