Sunday, September 09, 2007

Climate change pact 'most significant' APEC outcome

Posted 1 hour 20 minutes ago
Updated 50 minutes ago

PM John Howard says the APEC meeting was extremely productive and the Sydney Declaration was the most significant outcome. (AAP: Dean Lewins)

Prime Minister John Howard says the most important thing to come out of the APEC summit was the Sydney Declaration on climate change.

The APEC summit has finished with the leaders issuing a final declaration calling for an urgent resolution to stalled Doha round of world trade talks, greater regional economic engagement and details of plans for enhanced cooperation on issues like terrorism and natural disasters.

The National Council of Churches in Australia's spokesman Alistair Gee says it is important to get the Doha trade talks back on track.

"Getting back on track means getting back to the footing of development and poverty reduction," he said.

"The APEC leaders today missed an opportunity to return to that footing which is where Doha started in 2001."

Mr Howard says the meeting was extremely productive and the Sydney Declaration on climate change was the most significant outcome.

"What this agreement represents is a proper recognition of the fact that different economies have different needs," he said.

"This is the first such agreement involving the major polluters of the United States, China and the Russian Federation.

"It is therefore a very important component on the hard march of mankind towards reaching a sensible workable international agreement to cover the period post Kyoto."

The leaders declaration also confirms that India will not be invited to join APEC until at least 2010.

Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe echoed the view of Mr Howard that the APEC summit has made real achievements.

Mr Abe says the progress achieved bodes well for the G8 meeting next year.

"At the APEC leaders meeting this time we got down to earnest discussions on climate change and energy security from the perspectives of how we will be able to secure prosperity for the entire world," he said.