'US can't interfere in India's domestic climate actions'

(Incorporates Govt reax)

New Delhi, Dec 22 (PTI) The US claim that India's
domestic climate actions can be challenged was dismissed by
the Government as a remark of a "spin doctor" for domestic
consumption while a top climate expert said the Copenhagen
accord brooked no such interference.

Environment Minister of India Jairam Ramesh while
responding to queries by members in the Upper House of Indian
Parliament (Rajya Sabha) on his statement om Copenhagen accord
made light of comments by White House senior adviser David
Axelrod that the stated climate change goals of India and
China can be held to close scrutiny.
The remark was that of a "spin doctor" aimed at domestic
consumption, Ramesh said, adding he would rather believe
President Barack Obama that the Accord was not legally binding
and allows each country to show to the world what it was
doing.
"He (Axelrod) is the spin doctor of Obama Administration.
He is the Arun Jaitley (BJP leader) of US. I go by what
President Obama has himself said and nowhere he has said this
accord is meant to control or strangulate China or India."
Ramesh said Axelrod's statement was made for "domestic
consumption" and to appease the unions by claiming that India
and China have to abide by verifications.
R K Pachauri, Chairman of the Intergovernmental Panel on
Climate Change (IPCC), made it clear there was no power
granted to the US in the Copenhagen accord for any
interference as claimed by Axelrod.
Axelrod said the climate accord allows US to not only
unilaterally review India's progress but also challenge the
country if it failed to meet its domestic climate targets.
Pachauri rejected the observation as an attempt by the
Obama administration to "win domestic favour" and
categorically stated that "there is no provision in the accord
for such interference." (MORE) PTI AMI
ANU


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