From: Self <Single-user mode> Anne, Craig, Steve, Bo & some others, who asked for participation in the Jakarta Conference: as a matter of fact, WHO relates to governments (who pay the membership fees) rather than to people. It's an inter-governmental organization, not an NGO. That's why its conferences are almost always exclusive in terms of participation. One may not like this fact but that's what WHO is all about. What can electronic participation in the Jakarta Conference possibly accomplish? To comment on what papers are given or what recommendations are decided upon? The conference will be prepared excellently in terms of WHO's own standards, i.e. no further input from the outside will be necessary in July 1997. Again, this is not an open forum, this is a closed shop! Individual input could have been given on national level, whatever that means. I never heard about a national conference here in Australia, in which the preparation of the Jakarta Conference was an agenda item. Well, that's not true, I heard of a meeting in December 1996, but then, that seemed to be a closed shop as well, since I have not received an invitation or read a public announcement. Don't worry - everything will be taken care of. Eberhard Wenzel Griffith University Faculty of Environmental Sciences Nathan, Qld. 4111 Australia Tel.: 61-7-3875 7103 Fax: 61-7-3875 7459 e-mail: [log in to unmask]