The Hindu : Front Page : PM to Brown: India has major stake in Copenhagen

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PM to Brown: India has major stake in Copenhagen

Port of Spain: Ahead of the Copenhagen Summit on climate change, India on Saturday discussed with France and the United Kingdom ways to ensure the success of the event as Prime Minister Manmohan Singh met French President Nicolas Sarkozy and British Premier Gordon Brown here.

During the separate meetings with Mr. Sarkozy and Mr. Brown, Dr. Singh told them that India had a major stake in the Copenhagen meet and would like to see a “balanced, ambitious and equitable outcome” from it, External Affairs Ministry spokesman Vishnu Prakash told reporters here.

Dr. Singh emphasised on transfer of adequate resources and technology to developing nations, which was the “key” to the fight against climate change, Mr. Prakash said.

While noting that India was one of the worst affected by climate change, Dr. Singh apprised Mr. Sarkozy and Mr. Brown of the unilateral steps taken by his government to tackle the problem through the National Action Plan, Mr. Prakash said.

Dr. Singh told them about the thrust being given by India to renewable energy, like solar energy. He said several proposals had been received from various countries over dealing with climate change and these were under consideration.

Dr. Singh, Mr. Sarkozy and Mr. Brown, who are here to attend the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM), met on its sidelines of the summit.

India is pressing for a “legally-binding substantive” outcome at the Copenhagen meet, disapproving the attempt by the United States and some other developed countries to defer a cut in greenhouse gas emission.

Dr. Singh and Mr. Sarkozy are understood to have discussed issues related to defence cooperation, particularly the upgradation of Mirage-2000 fighters by France.

Both leaders also talked about the Indo-French civil nuclear cooperation in the backdrop of the French Assembly adopting a law authorising the ratification of the pact signed in September last year.

The adoption is subsequent to the passing of the same law by the Senate on October 15, 2009. — PTI

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