Arroyo calls on APEC to address climate change, alleviate poverty

from The International Herald Tribune

The Associated Press

MANILA, Philippines: The Philippine president urged an annual summit of Asia-Pacific leaders Thursday to push forward on trade liberalization, address climate change and help lift up the world's poor.

In a statement before leaving for Australia, President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo said that while the Philippines and other developing countries may not be ready to compete head-to-head with developed nations, "We cannot afford to be afraid of globalization."

"We hope to see greater regional economic integration made possible with all 21 APEC economies agreeing to pursue the path of trade liberalization and a discussion on how the APEC can work together to address the global challenges of climate change through a renewed framework for cooperation as a follow-up to the Kyoto Protocol," she said.

It was not clear if her call for a "renewed cooperation framework" on climate change backed the proposal of U.S. President George W. Bush and Australian Prime Minister John Howard for APEC to endorse a new approach to the divisive issue — one that unlike the current Kyodo Protocol would require firmer action by China and other developing countries.

Presidential spokesman Ignacio Bunye said Arroyo welcomes discussions on climate change in APEC but binding action will have to be taken within the framework of the United Nations.

"We will be active in the discussions, we will echo not only our views but also the views of the NGOs ... whom we are working with," Bunye told The Associated Press, referring to environmental groups calling for more drastic emission cuts.

Finding consensus on climate change among a diverse group of rich and poor countries has bedeviled officials from APEC nations, who tried for a second day Wednesday to draft a statement the leaders would accept.

APEC's developing countries were trying to squelch the inclusion of specific targets to reduce emissions of the greenhouse gases that cause global warming.

Supporters of the Australian proposal on climate change said it was not meant to supplant U.N. efforts to forge a successor to Kyoto, which expires in 2012, but to influence the discussion.