Abhisit calls for common stand on climate change

       Developing and industrialised countries will have to set aside their own interests for the sake of the common good if the global effort to tackle climate change is to succeed, Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva says.
       The two-week Bangkok climate change talks, which start today, are an opportunity for countries to plan for tomorrow, Mr Abhisit told the United Nations General Assembly in New York at the weekend.
       "Thailand will spare no efforts in ensuring that the Bangkok climate change talks will make tangible progress towards a successful Copenhagen conference," he said, referring to the climate change summit in Denmark in December when countries are hoping to seal a new deal to combat climate change.
       At a UN summit on climate change last week, industrialised countries agreed to set clear goals and targets to combat climate change.
       The Bangkok meeting brings together almost 3,000 delegates from over 190 countries to prepare the negotiating text for the new agreement.
       The new climate deal will replace the Kyoto Protocol's carbon emissions reduction agreement that expires in 2012.
       The main goal of the Bangkok talks is to shorten the 280-page text, which is the product of a series of negotiations held over the past 18 months, into a 20-to 30-page draft agreement for the Copenhagen summit.
       This will be harder than it sounds, as participating countries will not want any changes which will put them at a disadvantage.
       Developing countries worry they will be forced into a deal which will hurt their economic growth and efforts to tackle poverty.
       Developed countries fear they will have to give an unfair advantage to the developing world if they are obliged to cut their own greenhouse gas emissions while developing nations do not face the same obligation.
       Four key topics to be debated at the Bangkok talks include greenhouse gas emission reductions, adapting to climate change, low-carbon technology transfers,and financial mechanisms to fight climate change.
       Thailand's 20-strong negotiating team is headed by Natural Resources and Environment Minister Suwit Khunkitti.
       As a developing country, Mr Suwit said, Thailand wanted to see industrialised countries fulfil their pledges on greenhouse gas cuts and financial support for climate change programmes in poor nations.
       As the host, Bangkok will try to break through any deadlocks at the negotiations.
       "I'm confident the Bangkok talks will make significant progress for the Copenhagen conference,"the minister said.
       Thailand's position at the climate talks will be in line with Asean's stance, and that of the Group of 77, to create a "common voice" for developing countries, said Saksit Tridech, permanent secretary for the environment.
       Thai officials have met several times in recent months to work out the country's stance at the climate change negotiations. The Thai position was endorsed by the cabinet last week.
       On the issue of a greenhouse gas reduction commitment, Thailand supports keeping intact the Kyoto Protocol's obligations, which call for industrialised countries to cut greenhouse gas emissions by 5.2% from 1990 levels, Mr Saksit said.
       Bangkok opposed calls by some industrialised nations to scrap the Kyoto pact's obligations."The Kyoto Protocol must stay in spirit and greenhouse gas reductions in developing countries must be made on a voluntary basis," he said.
       Further talks were still needed on some issues.
       "We are better prepared than the previous climate change talks because state agencies are now more aware of the importance of the climate change negotiations."