Bonn bids for more IGC reps

Date: 07/03/1996

The IGC negotiations are off to a bad start, before they have even officially begun.

Squabbling has broken out over how many people should be in each national delegation. The Italian presidency has proposed four per team, the same formula that was used for the Maastricht negotiations.

But Germany has decided it needs seven or eight seats, and is battling for a derogation. It was given one last time, and was allowed five representatives - one more than everyone else. This time around, Bonn wants even more. However, no one is prepared to give the Germans two or more extra people.

Just to complicate matters, the size of delegations could be a problem in the Justus Lipsius building, where most of the talks are due to take place. A small meeting room can cope with up to four members from each country and the larger ones can squeeze in six each.

But if the Germans insist on having seven on their side, the IGC working group will have to find somewhere else to gather. Perhaps someone should wield the veto while it still exists.