Consensus eludes `equitable` accord on climate change

Betwa Sharma
Copenhagen, Dec 16 (PTI) Consensus eluded negotiators
Wednesday to stitch an equitable and just accord on climate
change in the last lap before the summit on Friday with no
headway being made to iron out sticking points on carbon
emission cuts, mitigation targets and long-term financing.
"The BASIC group -- comprising India, China, South
Africa and Brazil -- is united and we would like to reiterate
that we want an equitable and fair agreement to emerge out of
Copenhagen. But if for some reasons there are disappointments,
BASIC will not be to blame," Indian Environment Minister
Jairam Ramesh told reporters here.
His statement came as Indian Prime Minister Manmohan
Singh arrives here Thursday for the final leg of the 12-day
climate change summit, which is also expected to be attended
by US President Barack Obama.
"We will resist in united manner any manipulation to
weaken in any way the troika of the UNFCC, the Kyoto Protocol
and the Bali Action Plan," Ramesh said.
In Washington, Obama held a conference call with
leaders of Britain, France and Germany, besides calling
Bangladeshi and Ethiopian Prime Ministers in his last ditch
effort to arrive at a successful deal on climate change.
"The President believes that we can get an operational
agreement that makes sense in Copenhagen over the next few
days," White House spokesman Robert Gibbs told reporters. MORE
PTI