India won't be deal-breaker at Copenhagen: Sarkozy

Ajay Kaul
Port of Spain, Nov 28 (PTI) Sharing India's views, French
President Nicolas Sarkozy Saturday said the upcoming
Copenhagen meet on climate change should not miss the
opportunity to tackle the problem as it would be a "historic
failure" and asserted that New Delhi will not be a
deal-breaker.
Sarkozy, who held a luncheon meeting with Indian Prime
Minister Manmohan Singh here and discussed climate change,
said he was "fully confident" that the latter would attend the
Copenhagen Summit being held on December 18.
As of now, Singh, who is here for the Commonwealth Heads
of Government Meeting (CHOGM), is not going to Copenhagen
where India's Environment Minister Jairam Ramesh will be
representing India at the meet.
"India has nothing to lose and everything to gain by
being in Copenhagen. If India is to be heard, it needs to be
present," Sarkozy said addressing a press conference here.
Noting that there was a "tremendous sense of urgency"
surrounding the Copenhagen summit, Sarkozy said, "We can't
afford to miss the opportunity. It is imperative that heads of
state and government are present on December 18-19 in
Copenhagen."
His views reflect those of India which has been insisting
that the efforts to take some decision should not be given up
and some results must be achieved at the upcoming meeting.
"We need to get commitments with binding decisions,"
Sarkozy said, adding the industrial and emerging countries
like Brazil must commit to a 50 per cent carbon reduction by
2050.
"We must come up with hard and fast figures," the French
President said, contending that seven to eight binding
decisions will have to be taken at Copenhagen.
"We have to be together at some time. If no decision is
taken in Copenhagen, it will be a historic failure... We
either take all the decisions or none," he added.
Sarkozy said that India would "never stand in the way of
agreements at Copenhagen."
The French President also pitched for extension of
financial support immediately to developing nations to fight
climate change, again reflecting the views of India.
"We must help them (developing countries) financially to
face up to the challenge of global warming," he said.
Sarkozy said he was in agreement with British Prime
Minister Gordon Brown regarding the suggestion that as soon as
possible after Copenhagen, "we mobilise USD 10 billion of
public money" to pump into emerging countries, with 20 per
cent earmarked for combating deforestation. "This would be
over three year period. Immediate financing.".
Asked about development versus climate change, the
President said "Nobody should have to choose between growth
and protecting the environment. We need sustainable growth".
That is what the leaders will be calling for in Copenhagen, he
said. "The only choice is sustainable growth and carbon free
growth."
Addressing the pessimism surrounding the Copenhagen
summit, he said: "During the last three days, things have
started to shift. We have moved into an active negotiation
stage." PTI AKK
MYR