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Russia's Medvedev laments 'modest results' of UN climate conference

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  • Russia's Medvedev laments 'modest results' of UN climate conference

    Russia's Medvedev laments 'modest results' of UN climate conference

    AK-BULAK HOTEL (Almaty region) December 19 (RIA Novosti)

    The UN climate conference in Copenhagen has produced little tangible
    results, Russian President Dmitry Medvedev said on Saturday.

    Speaking at an informal meeting with his counterparts from post-Soviet
    states, he said: "There are results, but they are rather modest."

    "A last-minute statement was adopted, reflecting the views of
    different countries on how to work further to improve the
    environmental situation on the planet and prevent adverse impacts on
    the climate."

    The leaders of Russia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Armenia, Kyrgyzstan,
    Tajikistan and Turkmenistan met in a place near Almaty to discuss
    security and economic integration.

    The climate summit in Copenhagen adopted a final document. Russian
    delegation member Oleg Shamanov noted difficulties in agreeing the
    text during plenary sessions on Friday, saying that a number of
    countries had accused the group drawing up the document as doing so
    "secretly" without their participation. He said group was created
    openly and that all members at the summit could participate.

    Alexei Kokorin, a representative from the World Wildlife Fund of
    Russia, said four countries in particular were obstructing the
    acceptance of the document: Nicaragua, Bolivia, Cuba and Venezuela. He
    said the countries were accusing other countries of not considering
    their opinions while preparing the political declaration.

    According to Kokorin, the obstruction by the four countries was not
    entirely related to the conference's issues on climate and ecology,
    but more of a desire "to annoy the U.S.," in particular U.S. President
    Barack Obama, who was an active participant in creating the political
    declaration for the summit.

    The 15th UN climate change conference December 7-18 was the result of
    two years of international talks on a binding treaty to cut global
    carbon emissions. The talks brought together about 15,000 participants
    from 192 countries.

    Scientists have warned that the emissions cuts so far offered at the
    summit would fail to prevent a catastrophic rise in temperatures.

    The Kyoto Protocol, a legally binding agreement restricting carbon
    emissions, expires in 2012. A new deal is needed to continue efforts
    beyond 2012.

    The United States did not sign the original Kyoto Protocol.
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