DENMARK: Georgia, Croatia and Albania speak at climate change conference in Copenhagen
Record ID:
561517
DENMARK: Georgia, Croatia and Albania speak at climate change conference in Copenhagen
- Title: DENMARK: Georgia, Croatia and Albania speak at climate change conference in Copenhagen
- Date: 18th December 2009
- Summary: COPENHAGEN, DENMARK (DECEMBER 17, 2009) (POOL) CONFERENCE IN PROGRESS DELEGATES AT CONFERENCE GEORGIAN PRESIDENT MIKHEIL SAAKASHVILI WALKING ON STAGE SAAKASHVILI ADDRESSING SUMMIT (SOUNDBITE) (English) GEORGIAN PRESIDENT MIKHEIL SAAKASHVILI, SAYING: "We must act with resolve and determination and take concrete actions for our long term good, for future generations to come. Everyone must be obliged by what everyone decides together. But those who have more, must share with those who have less. But at the same time, I'm not speaking here about money, but also transfer of technology and expertise. There can be no country that should neglect, no matter what the problems of the country are, no matter what the poverty is, should neglect its responsibilities. Nobody should try to hide behind the backs of the others. Ladies and gentlemen I come from Georgia. A country that has been invaded and a country that is now partially occupied by hostile foreign troops of a country hundreds times of our size. I am coming from a country which suffers from ethnic cleansing and war crimes. A country of less than five million people, we had to deal with 500,000 internally displaced persons, with daily provocations. And at the same time, nevertheless, all the tragic challenges my people faced in the past and continue to face while I'm speaking here today, all these challenges, do not prevent us and do not give us even the slightest right to, from seeing and understanding that universal truth, global warming, is threatening our planet. No matter how aggrieved a country might be, no matter what the suffering is, still we have to take responsibility. My region, the south Caucasus already suffers from climate change, with shrinking glaciers, sea-level rise, reduction and redistribution of river flows, decreasing snow fall and upward shift of the snow line. More extreme weather events have also characterised the region throughout the last ten years, with floodings, landslides, forest fires and coastal erosion. Ladies and Gentlemen. Georgia will stand among those many countries that take targeted, effective measures in fighting the effects of climate change. My country's fully committed to the objectives of the United Nations' framework convention and its Kyoto protocol." DELEGATES AT CONFERENCE CROATIAN PRESIDENT STJEPAN MESIC WALKING ON STAGE (SOUNDBITE) (Croatian) CROATIAN PRESIDENT STJEPAN MESIC, SAYING: (ACCORDING TO OFFICIAL TRANSLATION) "Time is up, and now is the time to act. Not tomorrow. Not the day after tomorrow, but today. The deplorable scenes from Copenhagen that we all could see on TV screens in recent days cannot be exclusively attributed to activities of minor groups wanting to vandalise and foment trouble. No, they are a sign of the frustrations of ordinary people that are growing from day to day. The message that our people, our citizens are sending us is this. This cannot go on. This shouldn't go on. My country, Croatia, is not one of the major polluters. Our greenhouse gas emission level is below the European Union average and we don't belong to those countries that are already now feeling the direct, dangerous impact of the destruction of the environment and climate change, so why am I here? Briefly, to applaud the first steps in the right direction that we are witnessing at this conference and to confirm my country's awareness of the need for a co-ordinated and binding agreement aimed at curbing climate change, which, should it continue, jeopardises the existence of the human race and life on the earth." DELEGATES APPLAUDING ALBANIAN PRIME MINISTER SALI BERISHA WALKING TO STAGE BERISHA ADDRESSING SUMMIT (SOUNDBITE) (English) ALBANIAN PRIME MINISTER, SALI BERISHA, SAYING: ''Ladies and gentlemen, my government goal is to turn Albania into a small, green, energy super-power producer in the region. My country's energy sources, energy consumption - 'til now 95 percent comes from hydro power. Water potentials are enormous. It's yet more than two thirds to be exploited in this context. We plan to build around 440 new hydro-power stations, altogether more than 20 billion kilowatt hour capacity. Around 130 contracts are signed, companies from all over the world are working in my country. Recession and crisis has slowed down the financial flows to them. I kindly ask your country's financial institutions and international institutions to help these companies continue their work. It would be highly profitable for Albania, but for all the region.'' DELEGATES AT CONFERENCE
- Embargoed: 2nd January 2010 12:00
- Keywords:
- Location: Denmark
- Country: Denmark
- Topics: International Relations
- Reuters ID: LVA51QXC0EX422XH3C5L4FON7NZ7
- Story Text: Croatia says there is no time to waste in the fight against climate change, while Georgia says no country can hide from its responsibilities in tackling global warming.
Georgia, Croatia and Albania called on other world leader's to support measures to prevent global warming, as they spoke at the climate change conference in Copenhagen.
Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili said the world must act with resolve and determination to fight climate change.
"Everyone must be obliged by what everyone decides together," he said.
"But those who have more, must share with those who have less...I'm not speaking here about money, but also transfer of technology and expertise. There can be no country that should neglect, no matter what the problems of the country are, no matter what the poverty is, should neglect its responsibilities. Nobody should try to hide behind the backs of the others," he added.
Saakashvili said that his own country had many challenges, but it was still committed to taking measures to stop global warming.
"I come from Georgia. A country that has been invaded and a country that is now partially occupied by hostile foreign troops of a country hundreds times of our size. I am coming from a country which suffers from ethnic cleansing and war crimes. A country of less than five million people, we had to deal with 500,000 internally displaced persons, with daily provocations. And at the same time, nevertheless, all the tragic challenges my people faced in the past and continue to face while I'm speaking here today, all these challenges, do not prevent us and do not give us even the slightest right to, from seeing and understanding that universal truth, global warming, is threatening our planet. No matter how aggrieved a country might be, no matter what the suffering is, still we have to take responsibility," he said.
Saakashvili said Georgia, which is already seeing the effects of climate change, was committed to the objectives of the United Nations' framework convention and its Kyoto protocol.
Croatian President Stjepan Mesic said there could be no delay.
"Time is up, and now is the time to act. Not tomorrow. Not the day after tomorrow, but today," he said.
"The deplorable scenes from Copenhagen that we all could see on TV screens in recent days cannot be exclusively attributed to activities of minor groups wanting to vandalise and foment trouble. No, they are a sign of the frustrations of ordinary people that are growing from day to day. The message that our people, our citizens are sending us is this. This cannot go on. This shouldn't go on," he added.
Mesic said that while Croatia was not one of the world's major polluters, he supported the steps being taken at the conference.
"Why am I here? Briefly, to applaud the first steps in the right direction that we are witnessing at this conference and to confirm my country's awareness of the need for a co-ordinated and binding agreement aimed at curbing climate change, which, should it continue, jeopardises the existence of the human race and life on the earth," he said.
Albania's Prime Minister Sali Berisha said his country was at the forefront of sustainable energy supply.
"My government goal is to turn Albania into a small, green, energy super-power producer in the region.... We plan to build around 440 new hydro-power stations, altogether more than 20 billion kilowatt hour capacity. Around 130 contracts are signed, companies from all over the world are working in my country," he said, adding that the recession had slowed down the flow of money into such energy projects.
"I kindly ask your country's financial institutions and international institutions to help these companies continue their work. It would be highly profitable for Albania, but for all the region," he said.
About 120 world leaders and 193 countries are meeting in Copenhagen to agree a new global climate deal, the basis for a full climate treaty next year.
A new pact would replace the Kyoto Protocol whose present roundin 2012. - Copyright Holder: POOL (CAN SELL)
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