Japan rejects 2009 deadline in post-Kyoto talks

[maddezmom]

Source: Reuters

HAMBURG, Germany (Reuters) - Japan blocked European Union efforts on Tuesday to set a 2009 deadline for agreement on an international pact to battle climate change once the Kyoto Protocol on reducing carbon emissions expires in 2012.

Germany, which holds the EU's rotating presidency, said in a statement at a meeting of EU and Asian foreign ministers in Hamburg that negotiations to establish a new framework for tackling climate change should be completed by 2009.

But Japan said big polluters such as the United States, China and India should sign up before any target was set.

"Japan cannot agree with this (2009 target) because we should think about how we can invite non-Kyoto members such as the U.S., China and India and others," Japanese Foreign Ministry spokesman Mitsui Sakaba told reporters.

"We should work first for the inclusion of those countries. Fixing the target should come much later."



Read more: http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20070529/wl_nm/eu_asem_dc

[ixion]

1. isn't it nice to be known in the world

as a psychotic, imperial minded rogue state big polluter? :-( :sarcasm: