Draft Minutes of the First Meeting of the IAGA Conference of Delegates, 30th June 2003 in Sapporo
Roll Call: There were 14 Chief Delegates present from the 17 voting member countries that had sent accreditation letters before the meeting. A quorum of Delegates (at least half) was therefore present and the meeting could proceed. Two more member countries, from which accreditation letters had not yet been received, were represented, and one delegate from an Observer country (Nigeria) was present. A list of accredited Chief Delegates attending the meeting is given in Appendix A. (Accreditation letters from five member countries arrived after the first meeting.)
President Kerridge called the meeting to order at 1915 and extended greetings to all the IAGA delegates attending the meeting. The Agenda (Appendix B) was approved.
President Kerridge led the remembrance of those IAGA colleagues, who had died since the 2001 Assembly (Appendix C).
The minutes of the Conference of Delegates in Hanoi in 2001 were approved.
President Kerridge presented his report about the developments of IAGA and IAGA science in the two years following the Hanoi Assembly (see Appendix D). He drew attention to the recently completed IAGA flyer.
The Secretary General reported on the actions, of the Executive Committee since the Hanoi Conference of Delegates in 2001 (Appendix E).
R. McPherson, Chairman of the IAGA Finance Committee presented the committee's report (Appendix F).
M. Mandea (France) asked how the allocation of funds from IUGG to IAGA was determined. M. Kono, President of the IUGG, explained the algorithm.
G. Rostoker, Chairman of the IAGA Nominating Committee, reported on the work of the Committee and presented the final slate of Candidates for the Executive Committee (Appendix G). He also described the proposed voting procedures, which were the same as at the previous election in Birmingham in 1999.
D. Baker (USA), a member of the IUGG IGY+50 Committee, reported that to date the Committee had made little progress. He believed that IAGA should take positive action in the time remaining before 2007 to take advantage of the opportunity presented by the 50th anniversary of the IGY. A. Rodger (UK) expressed his support for this. D. Baker asked to be put in touch with representatives of the IAGA divisions to arrange a brainstorming session on possible IAGA activities. (In response to this request, a Task Group was formed following the meeting.)
R. Schlich gave a report on the preparations for the IAGA Scientific Assembly in Toulouse in 2005, on behalf of the Local Organizing Committee. The registration fee is likely to be about 400 EURO. The facilities at the Conference Centre in Toulouse are excellent and well matched to IAGA requirements.
A Resolutions Committee for the Sapporo Assembly had been appointed by the Executive Committee: C. Barton, E. Friis-Christensen, and M. Menvielle.
J. Lastovicka reminded the Conference of Delegates about the IAGA web pages giving a calendar of future meetings of interest for the IAGA community, and asked for more input from IAGA scientists to ensure that it was kept up to date and as comprehensive as possible.
There was a request by the participants at the meeting to have the agenda and supporting documents for the Conference of Delegates posted on the IAGA web site well before future Assemblies.
The President adjourned the Conference of Delegates at 2120.
Bengt Hultqvist
Secretary General
