308. The Chairman recalled that, at the Council's meeting in June 2002, he had proposed, following consultations, that the Council grant observer status to ARIPO, OAPI and the GCC on an ad hoc basis, i.e. subject to review in the light of any further guidance from the General Council on the grant of observer status to other intergovernmental organizations. However, at that time, not all delegations had been prepared to take a decision on the matter. Given that this remained the situation also at the Council's meeting in September, he had indicated that he would hold consultations prior to the next meeting with a view to finding a solution which would be satisfactory to all delegations. In the light of the consultation he had held on 22 November 2002, it seemed that the situation remained the same and that, therefore, the Council was not yet in a position to take a decision on this matter.
