Posted on 08/25/2002 5:20:23 PM PDT by Pokey78
Deep tensions between Britain and the US have emerged ahead of the Earth Summit in Johannesburg, which remains shrouded in pessimism ahead of its official start today.
The summit is aimed at reducing world poverty through promoting environmentally sustainable growth, and although it is seen as the most important world summit for years, there are growing concerns that virtually nothing significant will be achieved.
As the gloom deepened in the corridors, it seems many delegates are staying away. Although 65,000 delegates had been predictected to turn up, the UN has downgraded its expectations to just 40,000, and by yesterday only 9,000 delegates and journalists had been accredited.
Last night it also emerged that inspite of the extra 8,000 police on duty, that a shot had been fired at a Swiss delegate in an attempted robbery in a hotel. It followed the earlier robbery on Saturday night of another delegate in a nearby room.
The UK has backed calls from developing countries for targets to reduce the number of people who don’t have access to drinking water, sanitation or electricity. The UN has warned that unless real progress is made, the world will be increasingly divided between haves and have nots, fuelling global terrorism.
However, the US yesterday made clear that it does not want any new targets and will not provide any new money to reduce poverty or help protect the environment. The head of the US delegation John Turner said yesterday: “We don’t see the need for any new targets.”
Although 100 world leaders have said they will attend the summit, President Bush has said he will not attend. The head of the British delegation, the Environment Secretary Margaret Beckett, yesterday showed growing frustration with American intransigence, which could derail the summit. She said: “It’s true that the American government is not doing as much as we would all like to see it do, but that’s doesn’t mean there aren’t lots of people in America who take these issues just as seriously as they deserve”.
“We very much want to see targets on issues like sanitation. We hope to pursuade our American friends to agree to some of the targets” she added.
After a year of talks, no agreement has been reached on more than a quarter of the negotiating text, and there is concern that positions are now so entrenched that it will be impossible to reach any meaningful agreement in the ten days of the summit. One UN official warned that failure to resvolve outstanding issues could render the summit useless, and said they were not optimistic about progress.
“We hope to make some headway by the start of the summit. So far, what we forsee is a complete disaster” he said.
South Africa’s deputy foreign minister Aziz Pahad, insisted that while he was confident that common ground could be reached, “it would be romantic to assume that there would be absolute consensus at such a large-diverse conference.”
Tony Juniper, director-designate of Friends of the Earth, said that there was now little chance of the summit achieving anything significant. “I think it’s looking like we’re going to get a pretty modest set of outcomes. It’s clear that we’re going to get no legally binding targets” he said. Friends of the Earth has been very critical of Tony Blair’s decision to attend the summit for just one day.
Mr Blair also came under attack from his most senior environment adviser, Jonathan Porritt, who said he didn’t give environmental issues the priority they deserve. Yesterday Mrs Beckett defended the Prime Minister, saying he had been fully involved in the summit. “The idea that all he brings to the summit is the time he spends here is crazy. He’s been working on it for 18 months - he’s been engaged and involved in it all the way through” she said.
Mrs Beckett also insisted that it would be a disaster if the delegates let the growing row with Zimbabwe’s President, Robert Mugabe, to overshadow the summit. Mr Blair had been facing calls to boycott a speach by Mr Mugabe, who will be attending the summit at the same time as Mr Blair. “The most important and crucial thing is to make sure the summit is not dominated by the issue of Robert Mugabe. There is nothing President Mugabe would like better than to think a whole world summit has been hijacked by his behaviour and his concerns” said Mrs Beckett.
The start of the summit has already been overshadowed by the highly televised clash between protestors and police in the centre of Johannesbug. Activists claimed that police, who fired stun grenades at a candle-lit demonstration which included children, were being heavy handed. However, Johannesburg’s Police Director Happy Schutter defended their action, saying that the marchers had not obtained permission. “We had to show them we wouldn’t let this happen during the summit. If they want to march they must get permission” he said.
The South African government has been worried that the summit could be as disrupted by protests as earlier summits such as Genoa, and have drafted in tens of thousands of police from surrounding areas. The Sandton City shopping and hotel complex has been cordoned off to outsiders, with incredibly tight security both surrounding it and inside. The organisers have been worried about actions by terrorists since this is the first meeting of world leaders since September 11th, and is taking place just before the anniversary of the attack on the US.
So now the US is supposed to take care of the WORLD'S poor?
What a bunch of tripe.
If every other country wants the US to take care of the world's poor - Give the US the world.
Who told the Brits that it was our job, anyway?
His comments were excellent where you, Pokey, added nothing.
What are your views of this latest stupidity on the part of our "ally" the Socialist UK?
Another believer in "intelligent design".
Sorry, couldn't resist.
Or Harry "Snapper" Organs.
Very good point! As I recall the Brits did'nt give a damn until it the time came to stave off Hitler.
Being that Europes population is on the decline the tax base will fall down too, so these thirdworld people won;t be able to squeeze any money out of them very soon.
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