YUDHOYONO TO ATTEND CLIMATE CHANGE TALKS IN COPENHAGEN

Singapore, Nov 15 (ANTARA) - President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono said he will attend next month's climate change talks in Copenhagen for political and moral support, presidential spokesman Dino Patti Djalal said.

"One thing is significant, President Yudhoyono has said he will attend the Copenhagen talks for political and moral support to make sure that the meeting will proceed as expected by the Bali Road Map," Dino said after accompanying the President at a breakfast meeting with a number of Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) leaders at Marina Mandarin Hotel here.

The President wanted the climate change talks to arrive at a new global consensus after the Kyoto Protocol expires in 2012, Dino said.

It was likely the Copenhagen talks would be as tough as the December 2007 UN climate change conference in Bali where agreement was reached at the last minute of the meeting, he said.

"In fact, the agreement was reached after the Bali meeting was extended for one day. And we see the Copenhagen meeting will be as tough as the Bali meeting," he said.

Dino said President Yudhoyono had unveiled Indonesia's target of cutting greenhouse gas emissions by 26 percent by 2020. The country is also prepared to raise the target by up to 41 percent in case of more significant developments.

"This is a signal from President Yudhoyono to countries all over the world that now is the time to think outside the box," he said.