MALAYSIA PARTIALLY SATISFIED WITH OUTCOME OF COPENHAGEN TALKS - NAJIB

FROM MOKHTAR HUSSAIN

COPENHAGEN, Dec 19 (Bernama) -- Like many leaders of developing countries,
Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak left the Danish capital, partially
satisfied with the outcome of the United Nations Climate Change Conference
(COP15) which ended Friday.

The prime minister said although there was greater political commitments
shown by leaders of developed nations, including United States president Barack
Obama, it had not reached a level to fully address the main issues.

"Up to now we are only partially satisfied. The whole climate change issues
should be fully addressed, particularly the issue of funding and the transfer
of technology," he told Malaysian reporters after attending an Informal High
Level Meeting and listening to the much-awaited speech by Obama.

Najib believed the Copenhagen conference was not a legally-binding agreement
but hoped it can be used as a stepping stone for the need to hold another
conference next year.

However, Najib said the presence of leaders from so many countries in
Copenhagen showed their seriousness in addressing global warming which posed a
serious threat to the world population.

"Almost every country had agreed to take additional steps for Carbon
emission reduction but there are other issues that were not decided
satisfactorily.

"For example, the proposed US$10 billion (RM35 billion) funds for the next
three years and US$100 billion (RM350 billion) a year thereafter up to 2020. The
commitment of Malaysia and the United Nations alone will not be enough," said
Najib.

According to Najib, the amount must be more than US$800 billion a year
...even that was to achieve just a two degrees centigrade global warming and not
1.5 degrees centigrade.

Najib said he expected a more heated debate between the United States and
China when Obama sets the conditions for monitoring and validation.

However, the Prime Minister said Obama's speech at least had shown bigger
commitment by the US as the most advanced nation did not participate in the
Kyoto Protocol.

"But some of the conditions which have been forwarded by Obama will make it
tough for subsequent negotiations," he said.

Earlier in his speech, President Obama said that the US was concerned with
issues of mitigation, transparency and financing.

"We are running short of time. And at this point the question is whether we
will move forward together or split apart. No country will get everything that
it wanted. Those developing countries want aid with no strings attached and no
obligations with respect to transparency.

"They say that the most advanced nation should pay a higher price, I
understand that," said Obama.

Obama said: "The time for talk is over. This is the bottom line, now is the
time to act or we'll be back discussing the same staled arguments, month after
month year after year, decade after decade.

"I believe we can boldly, and decisively act, in the face of the common
threat, and that is why I have come here today."

As the US President spoke, the Bella Centre where the conference was being
held was almost silent as delegates, media and representatives from NGOs paid
full attention to him.
-- BERNAMA