1.1.1 The Global Observing Systems Space Panel (GOSSP) and the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) Commission for Basic Systems (CBS) Working Group on Satellites (WGSAT) held a joint meeting in Paris, France, 27 - 30 May 1997. The objectives of the joint session were to realise a mutual approach of problems and to obtain coordinated solutions. After the opening joint session, the two groups met separately to deal with their particular agenda. One major aim of the GOSSP meeting was to discover overlap or conflicting data requirements from climate related space-based observations to create a coherent set of data requirements. It was expected that the G3OS, i.e., Global Climate Observing System (GCOS), Global Ocean Observing System (GOOS) and Global Terrestrial Observing System (GTOS) on behalf of the G3OS, will define and clarify their input to the database and discuss a suggested review methodology.
1.1.2 The Chairman of the GOSSP, Mr John Morgan and of WGSAT, Dr John Eyre, opened the third session of the GOSSP and the third session of WGSAT, on Tuesday, May 27th, 1997. The joint meeting was held at the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) building, in Paris, France. The Chairmen thanked the local organiser, the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission (IOC) of UNESCO, for hospitality and secretarial support.
1.1.3 The meeting was introduced with welcoming remarks by Mrs Marton-Lefèvre, Executive Director of the International Council of Scientific Unions (ICSU). She expressed her highest regards for all the efforts being made on inter-organisational work level, noting that the GOSSP is a good demonstration of cross-cutting work in connecting three global observing systems G3OS.
1.1.4 Dr Kullenberg, Executive Secretary of the IOC of UNESCO, welcomed all GOSSP and WGSAT participants. He expressed his appreciation of the link between the international space community and IOC and stressed the importance of panels like GOSSP.
1.2.1 The Chairmen reviewed briefly the agenda items which were accepted by the participants (Annex I). The agenda adopted by GOSSP is in Annex II.
1.3.1 It was agreed that the meeting would be in plenary session to inform both GOSSP and WGSAT participants on the relevant issues. Specific items would be done in separate sessions or in ad hoc groups as needed.
1.4.1 The plenary elected Mr John Morgan as Chairman of the joint session. He invited all participants to introduce themselves.
