Richard Guthrie has sent another email update on progress in The Hague, and from the sounds of it they are in for another long night. It is already 7:30pm and much still remains to be done.

“The discussions between around 20 states to try and hammer out a final document are still continuing. Looks like it will take at least another hour or two before a document emerges, although sometimes the very end game can suddenly pick up speed.

Some states outside this “other meeting” are increasingly annoyed at the process and the total lack of transparency (nothing is coming out of the meeting — not even sections of text that have been agreed). Some simply want time to read the final document before agreeing to it, but this could take two more hours. Some are asking for group meetings to discuss it. Others have indicated that they have instructions to send the document back to capital before it can be agreed — which could add many hours.

The Technical Secretariat also will need 2-3 hours to translate the agreed document and print it in the six official languages.

All in all, it looks unlikely that the process will be over before midnight. Some are expecting it to end well into the early hours.”