India bailed out China from US-EU ambush at Copenhagen: Ramesh

K J M Varma
Beijing, May 9 (PTI) India bailed out China from isolation
during the Copenhagen climate talks and saved it from getting
ambushed by the US and EU which wanted it to sign an agreement
on verification of emission levels much against its wishes,
Environment Minister Jairam Ramesh said on Sunday.
"Chinese leaders continue to harp on Copenhagen spirit
because we were critical to China during the climate
negotiations. At the Copenhagen talks Chinese in their heart
of hearts know we saved them from isolation," Ramesh, who is
on a visit here, said addressing the Foreign Correspondents'
Club of China.
Asked how India was critical to China for a sustained
relationship, he said New Delhi had not yet reached a stage
where it was critical to Beijing. But the Chinese leaders were
well aware of benefits of friendship with India as established
during the last year's climate negotiations.
During the climate talks, both the US and EU countries
were determined to ambush China and get it sign a legally
binding treaty, the minister said.
"The strategy of the most of the countries was to
ambush China because it is the largest emitter of green house
gases," amounting to 23 per cent of the global emissions, he
said.
The US has not ratified Kyoto Protocol saying that they
would not do unless the Chinese do so.
The strategy, Ramesh said, was to get China sign on "some
international agreement to give legal status" but "it did not
happen."
"Given our English skills and our more cussedness in
negotiating skills we bailed the Chinese out of many a
difficult situations. Chinese know India was absolutely
essential for the fact that China did not get isolated at
Copenhagen," he said, adding that but for the agreement which
was signed by BASIC along with US President Barrack Obama,
Washington would have launched a tirade against Beijing for
scuttling climate talks.
"Had the agreement with Obama was not signed he would
have gone back to the US and painted China a villain of peace.
The fact that he signed (accord), it gave Chinese a way out.
They realised that," he said.
Ramesh also refuted allegations by European commentators
that India and China scuttled Copenhagen talks. He said
developing countries like India and China could have never
signed a binding agreement without firm binding commitment
from developed countries.
Part of the frustration of the Europeans was that they
were completely bypassed by Obama and BASIC -- Brazil, South
Africa, India and China -- during the climate talks, he said.
(More) PTI