US-BASIC 8216;Copenhagen Accord8217; disappoints poor nations

A US-brokered deal with four emerging economies,including India,on climate change that places no legally-binding emission cuts on developed countries ran into rough weather.

A US-brokered deal with four emerging economies,including India,on climate change that places no legally-binding emission cuts on developed countries ran into rough weather on Saturday with a majority of poor countries rejecting it,saying that it was one-sided.

The deal between the US and BASIC Brazil,South Africa,India and China bloc is apparently a gain for develop countries which are required under the 1997 Kyoto Protocol to take legally binding emission cuts.

The Protocol expires on 2012 and the 194-nation Conference of Parties COP of the United Nations here has apparently failed to get a word on its extension.

Indian negotiators 8212; Environment Minister Jairam Ramesh and Prime Minister8217;s Special Envoy on Climate Shyam Saran 8212; themselves acknowledged the fact that the deal is not done until it is approved by the plenary. However,Ramesh claimed that it was 8220;a good deal.8221;

8220;Right now we have a document that says that we continue with negotiations on what to do about the future,including the Bali Action Plan and Kyoto Protocol,8221; Saran said.

Angry delegates of many countries like Tuvalu,Bolivia,Costa Rica,Venezuela and Cuba slammed the US-BASIC deal for showing them great 8220;disrespect8221; by leaving them out of the drafting process and imposing their document on vast majority.

Cuban delegates said that US President Barack Obama,who brokered the US-BASIC deal,was 8220;behaving like an emperor8221; and claimed that the draft was a 8220;gross violation principle of sovereign equality.8221;

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Sudanese delegate Lumumba Di-Aping compared the deal to the 8220;Holocaust.8221; 8220;This document cannot be accepted for adoption by the parties present here,8221; said delegates from Costa Rica,adding that there was an absence of a legally-binding treaty.

The final draft contains elements like a limit of 2 degrees in temperature rise on the basis of equity,peaking of global and national emissions as soon as possible,factoring in overriding priorities of poverty for developing nations.

It calls on Annex I parties or industrialised nations to set their emission targets by February 2010 and also asks the developing countries to do the same.

In the contentious area of Monitoring,Verification and Reporting MVR,it provides that unsupported actions could be subject to assessment only by domestic institutions but adds a new provision for international consultations and analysis without impinging on national sovereignty.

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On the finance side,it provides USD 100 billion for long-term funding for developing countries and USD 30 billion for short-term,which would go to the poorest and most vulnerable.

8220;The Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao took the lead in finding a compromise,and our Prime Minister Manmohan Singh,President Lula Da Silva of Brazil and President Jacob Zuma of South Africa also participated,8221; Ramesh said.

The four leaders,after holding their own discussions,approached Obama,who was not only negotiating on behalf of the US but was also acting as a mediator between Europe and the BASIC,he said. 8220;Whatever the deal India has got is on behalf of the four BASIC countries.8221;

However,Ramesh said they had a draft Copenhagen outcome which had been substantially approved by 8220;this smaller group8221;

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8220;Now this goes to the plenary,the plenary has to approve. There are still some differences of opinion. China and Small Island States are battling it out.8221;

During the 60-minute meeting between Obama and BASIC leaders,the US President was very appreciative of the unilateral measures India was taking.

8220;Prime Minister Manmohan Singh also said that there was no question of making our unilateral commitments internationally legally binding,we will reflect them in an international agreement in a suitable way but we are not going to take any internationally legally binding commitments. That is simply not on the cards,8221; Ramesh noted,adding Obama appreciated Singh8217;s statement.

During the meeting,the Minister said,8221;unfortunately8221; British Prime Minister Gordon Brown and French President Nicolas Sarkozy did not seem appreciative of India8217;s point of view.

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8220;At a couple of moments,there were sharp exchanges between me and President Sarkozy,8221; he told a TV channel,adding the Indian side also had some problem with Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd.

However,he said,after the meeting these leaders said they respected Singh and knew what a 8220;great Prime Minister he is and what good job India is doing.8221;