DENMARK: China welcomes 100 billion U.S. climate fund but says talks remain critical
Record ID:
572294
DENMARK: China welcomes 100 billion U.S. climate fund but says talks remain critical
- Title: DENMARK: China welcomes 100 billion U.S. climate fund but says talks remain critical
- Date: 18th December 2009
- Summary: COPENHAGEN, DENMARK (DECEMBER 17, 2009) (COP15/TV2 POOL) WIDE OF NEWS BRIEFING (SOUNDBITE) (English) CHINESE VICE FOREIGN MINISTER HE YAFEI SAYING: "Premier Wen Jiabao emphasised to these leaders now there's only day left in Copenhagen for this conference. We are at a very critical moment. All of us need to be taking into account the current situation, the realities we have and translate our collective political will into real action." JOURNALISTS (SOUNDBITE) (English) CHINESE VICE FOREIGN MINISTER HE YAFEI SAYING: "We are also willing in a voluntary fashion to have explanations and clarfications, if need be. We can also consider in terms of our mitigation actions, we can also consider international exchange, dialogue and cooperation that is not intrusive, that does not infringe upon China's sovereignty." JOURNALISTS (SOUNDBITE) (English) CHINESE VICE FOREIGN MINISTER HE YAFEI SAYING: "There are many uncertainties in economic development. So it's pretty difficult to have a fixed time frame for peaking. Developed countries have already completed their industrialisation but for developing countries, the primary job they face is still econ development and elimination of poverty. This is also a necessary basis for them to be capable of tackling climate change. Premier Wen said what we can do probably is to indicate in our final document for this conference, the international community will jointly strive for an early time for peaking. For a time to peak as early as we can. But in order to make a balanced approach, it should also be emphasised in the document the priority, as I said for developing countries, are economic development and elimination of poverty." WIDE OF NEWS BRIEFING COPENHAGEN, DENMARK (DECEMBER 17, 2009) (REUTERS) GIANT GLOBE (SOUNDBITE) (English) TIM COSTELLO, WORLD VISION PRESIDENT, SAYING: "The bookends of a deal really are China and America. Together they are more than 50 percent of greenhouse gas emissions. and the Africans emit very little and yet they're suffering most. The poor in Asia are being affected. So all eyes are for the children who are poor, and for the unborn children of the west, really come down to China, America being able to cut a deal and to cut a deal in a way that sees a political deal into a binding treaty." WIDE OF DELEGATES IN HALL
- Embargoed: 2nd January 2010 12:00
- Keywords:
- Location: Denmark
- Country: Denmark
- Topics: International Relations
- Reuters ID: LVA564XDEMHC6QO1BVHVCZCW7NJA
- Story Text: China says a U.S. pledge to mobilise $100 billion a year in climate funds was a "good step", and signals Beijing was seeking compromise with Washington on its demand for checks on Chinese emissions curbs.
China on Thursday (December 17) said a U.S. pledge to mobilise $100 billion a year in climate funds was a "good step" and signalled Beijing was seeking compromise with Washington on its demand for checks on Chinese emissions curbs.
Premier Wen Jibao held talks with Britain's Prime Minister Gordon Brown before Vice Foreign Minister He Yafei, bearing a message from Premier Wen, warned that the UN-led negotiations in the Danish capital were at a critical stage and could be wrecked if the 193 countries taking part didn't pull together.
"Premier Wen emphasised to these leaders now there's only day left in Copenhagen for this conference. We are at a very critical moment. All of us need to be taking into account of the current situation, the realities we have and translate our collective political will into real action," He Yafei told a news briefing.
The Dec 7-18 summit is officially due to wrap up a new deal to tackle global warming on Friday, but rifts between rich and poor nations over everything from funding to which draft deal should be on the table, have made for agonisingly slow progress.
U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton tried to break a deadlock in UN climate talks on Thursday with a pledge to help mobilise the $100 billion a year by 2020 to assist poor nations shift to greener growth and adapt to a warmer world.
China's He, who had previously said finance was China's top concern at the talks, said the move was positive.
He also suggested that China was working with the United States towards a deal on controls of its emissions curbing efforts. Another official earlier said the two countries were having regular and productive bilateral meetings.
Clinton had pointedly warned China it must accept tough requirements for monitoring, reporting and verification, if the United States is to sign up for a global climate deal.
U.S. officials have likened the demands for accountability to verification requirements that have been the hallmark of past nuclear arms reduction treaties and trade deals.
China has previously said that it would only accept verification of emissions efforts paid for by international funds,
"We are also willing in a voluntary fashion to have explanations and clarifications, if need be. We can also consider in terms of our mitigation actions, we can also consider international exchange, dialogue and cooperation that is not intrusive, that does not infringe upon China's sovereignty," He added.
Analysts say a climate deal hinges on China and the United States.
Tim Costello, president of the aid organisation World Vision, said the whole deal revolved around China and the United States.
"The bookends of a deal really are China and America. Together they are more than 50 percent of greenhouse gas emissions. and the Africans emit very little and yet they're suffering most," he said.
"The poor in Asia are being affected. So all eyes are for the children who are poor, and for the unborn children of the west, really come down to China America being able to cut a deal and to cut a deal in a way that sees a political deal into a binding treaty." - Copyright Holder: POOL (CAN SELL)
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