세계 뉴스 Ban says rich and poor must stop finger-pointing to reach global climate pact

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By John Heilprin, THE ASSOCIATED PRESS, cp.org, Updated: December 15, 2009 5:53 AM

Ban says rich and poor must stop finger-pointing to reach global climate pact

United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon during a news conference at U.N. headquarters before leaving for the U.N. climate talks in Copenhagen. (THE ASSOCIATED PRESS/Richard Drew)

COPENHAGEN, Denmark - Rich and poor countries must "stop pointing fingers" and raise their climate targets to salvage faltering talks on a global warming pact, U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said Tuesday.

Upon arrival in Copenhagen, Ban told The Associated Press he remains cautiously optimistic of a successful outcome, but warned that negotiators on both sides must work out their differences before world leaders arrive later this week.

"This is a time where they should exercise the leadership," Ban said. "And this is a time to stop pointing fingers, and this is a time to start looking in the mirror and offering what they can do more, both the developed and the developing countries."

Talks on a global climate deal hit a snag Monday when developing countries suspended talks amid deep distrust of the promises by industrial countries to cut greenhouse gas emissions. The negotiations later resumed but deep divisions remain between rich and poor countries over emission targets and financing for developing countries to deal with global warming.

Speaking to AP at a hotel in Copenhagen, Ban said that if negotiators cannot resolve those problems before more than 100 world leaders arrive starting Tuesday, "the outcome will be either a weak one, or there will be no agreement."

"This will be a serious mistake on the part of the negotiators and the leaders if they go back empty-handed," he said.

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