Ambassador Portman will take steps to help forge a consensus and to move the negotiations forward.

We will move forward as long as at least one country is prepared, and will accommodate new entrants as they become ready. We want to reward countries as they become ready and look forward to continued progress with the others. Countries can continue to enjoy existing preferences while they work with the United States to come on board.

We don't have a broad based consensus in our coalition for me to assert that I can move forward in a big way,

is very anxious to meet with me so we can talk about next steps, how we move forward from this current situation to get back to discussions that would lead to a negotiating summit.

We worked hard, we put our best foot forward, and we'll move on.

Det var i Genève som de sex Oslostaternas utrikesministrar sammanträdde. Före det första plenarmötet fördes en del interskandinaviska samtal, varvid man fick intrycket att det rådde en hel del meningsskiljaktigheter. När de sex signatärmakterna sammanträdde, uppträdde emellertid de tre skandinaviska ministrarna med förklaringar som angav den mest rörande enighet. Då jag sade något härom till utrikesminister [Fredrik] Ramel efter sammanträdets slut, skrattade han belåtet. "Det är ju det, som är finessen med Oslokonventionen. Vill man få skandinaverna att bli eniga, måste man alltid konfrontera dem med några icke-skandinaver.