India holds important stake in success of international negotiations on climate change, says Krishna

UNITED NATIONS - External Affairs Minister S.M. Krishna on Wednesday said that India has an important stake in the success of ongoing international negotiations to address climate change.

Addressing the United Nation General Assembly, Krishna while speaking on the issue of climate change in his speech said: “As a country vulnerable to and already suffering from the impacts of climate change, India has an important stake in the success of ongoing international negotiations to address climate change.”

Mentioning that a framework to guide our action has been painstakingly built around the UN Framework Convention and its Kyoto Protocol, along with the roadmap laid out in Bali three years ago, Krishna said, “It was time for the international community to display political vision and perseverance - to follow through and ensure that whatever we do must enhance, and not diminish, the spirit and substance of these important international agreements.”

“There is no substitute to the UN-led process with its inherent inclusiveness and transparency. We hope that the Conference of Parties at Cancun will take us closer to this goal,” he added.

Krishna further said our collective strategy must be sensitive to the aspirations of hundreds of millions of the world’s poor for a better future - including those inhabiting the small island developing States, least developed countries and the Africa countries.

“In India despite our huge developmental challenges, we are doing everything possible, within the limitation of our own resources, to contribute to the global action on climate change through an ambitious National Action Plan,” said Krishna.

“We are willing to work with the international community in a forward-looking and positive spirit, acknowledging our responsibilities as citizens of the globe, to achieve a comprehensive, balanced and above all, an equitable outcome to the on-going negotiations,” he added. (ANI)