World leaders arrive for Copenhagen climate summit
By DPA, IANSTuesday, December 15, 2009
COPENHAGEN - The first of over 100 heads of state and government and other leaders arrived Tuesday in Copenhagen for the closing days of the United Nations climate change talks.
President Robert Mugabe of Zimbabwe was one of the first heads of states to arrive Tuesday as did UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon.
Danish organisers expect some 110 heads of state and government by Friday when the conference is scheduled to end, including US President Barack Obama.
Obama was due Friday. During the arrival and departure of the US president’s motorcade to the Bella Center conference venue on the outskirts of Copenhagen, the Oresund Bridge that connects Sweden and Denmark is to be closed, police said.
Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi is to miss out on the conference after he was assaulted Sunday by a man apparently suffering from mental problems. The premier, 73, suffered a broken
nose, two broken teeth, and cuts to his lips.
Prince Charles was Tuesday to give a speech before leaving, and later Tuesday British Prime Minister Gordon Brown and President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva of Brazil were due.
Former US vice president Al Gore, co-winner of the 2007 Nobel Peace Prize, has given speeches as has Arnold Schwarzenegger, governor of the US state of California.
Other leaders due Wednesday included Jose Manuel Barroso, president of the European Commission and Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.
