ID :
11876
Tue, 07/08/2008 - 15:00
Auther :
Shortlink :
https://oananews.org//node/11876
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Fukuda to work with Brown, Merkel for 'fruitful' climate change result
TOYAKO, Japan, July 8 (Kyodo) - Japanese Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda agreed with the leaders of Britain and Germany in separate talks Monday to cooperate to seek a ''fruitful'' result in climate change issues at the Group of Eight summit hosted by Japan, a seniorJapanese official said.
In talks with British Prime Minister Gordon Brown and German Chancellor Angela Merkel in Hokkaido, Fukuda expressed concern over the political chaos in Zimbabwe with regard to its one-man presidential runoff last month and showed eagerness in discussing the Zimbabwean situation at the three-day summit which started the same day.
At stake in the summit is whether the leaders of Britain, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Russia and the United States will agree to last year's proposal by Japan to set a target to halve global greenhouse gas emissions by 2050.
With the G-8 agreeing to ''consider seriously'' the target at last year's summit in Germany, hosted by Merkel, Japan and Europe want to formalize the target. But the United States has been reluctant about setting such a target without the involvement of China, India and other emerging economies.
Showing his determination to work hard as this year's chair, ukuda told Merkel, ''I hope this G-8 summit, held amid a load of issues such as the world economy, climate change and the progress on reaching the Millennium Development Goals, will send a clear message that we as the G-8 will act together.''Merkel said Germany would like to play a ''constructive'' role to make the summit a success, while Brown stressed to Fukuda the need for the G-8 countries to deal with such issues as rising crude oil and energy prices as well as the global credit crunch.
To address soaring food prices, Brown noted the importance of dealing with issues such as the restriction on food exports and biofuels.
Merkel told Fukuda that the development of new biofuels from nonfood materials is an area in which Japan and Germany can cooperate.
Japan has been pushing for the development of so-called second-generation biofuels made from nonfood sources such as grasses in the belief that conventional biofuels, made from corn, sugar cane and other foodstuffs, have contributed to soaring food prices.
On the situation in Zimbabwe, Fukuda stressed to both leaders the need for a ''discussion to think how the G-8 should respond,'' according to the official.
Brown, for his part, said it is important for the G-8 to urge the upholding of democracy in Zimbabwe.
Detailed exchanges of climate change issues were kept undisclosed, with another government official who gave briefings on the two bilateral talks saying the matter is ''under negotiation.''It is the second time for Fukuda to meet as prime minister with Brown and Merkel following his trip to European countries in early June, which was aimed at laying the groundwork for the G-8 summit.
The summit at Hokkaido's Lake Toya resort area began Monday with an outreach dialogue held with G-8 leaders and the heads of seven key African countries including South Africa.
In talks with British Prime Minister Gordon Brown and German Chancellor Angela Merkel in Hokkaido, Fukuda expressed concern over the political chaos in Zimbabwe with regard to its one-man presidential runoff last month and showed eagerness in discussing the Zimbabwean situation at the three-day summit which started the same day.
At stake in the summit is whether the leaders of Britain, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Russia and the United States will agree to last year's proposal by Japan to set a target to halve global greenhouse gas emissions by 2050.
With the G-8 agreeing to ''consider seriously'' the target at last year's summit in Germany, hosted by Merkel, Japan and Europe want to formalize the target. But the United States has been reluctant about setting such a target without the involvement of China, India and other emerging economies.
Showing his determination to work hard as this year's chair, ukuda told Merkel, ''I hope this G-8 summit, held amid a load of issues such as the world economy, climate change and the progress on reaching the Millennium Development Goals, will send a clear message that we as the G-8 will act together.''Merkel said Germany would like to play a ''constructive'' role to make the summit a success, while Brown stressed to Fukuda the need for the G-8 countries to deal with such issues as rising crude oil and energy prices as well as the global credit crunch.
To address soaring food prices, Brown noted the importance of dealing with issues such as the restriction on food exports and biofuels.
Merkel told Fukuda that the development of new biofuels from nonfood materials is an area in which Japan and Germany can cooperate.
Japan has been pushing for the development of so-called second-generation biofuels made from nonfood sources such as grasses in the belief that conventional biofuels, made from corn, sugar cane and other foodstuffs, have contributed to soaring food prices.
On the situation in Zimbabwe, Fukuda stressed to both leaders the need for a ''discussion to think how the G-8 should respond,'' according to the official.
Brown, for his part, said it is important for the G-8 to urge the upholding of democracy in Zimbabwe.
Detailed exchanges of climate change issues were kept undisclosed, with another government official who gave briefings on the two bilateral talks saying the matter is ''under negotiation.''It is the second time for Fukuda to meet as prime minister with Brown and Merkel following his trip to European countries in early June, which was aimed at laying the groundwork for the G-8 summit.
The summit at Hokkaido's Lake Toya resort area began Monday with an outreach dialogue held with G-8 leaders and the heads of seven key African countries including South Africa.
