PM arrives in Copenhagen for climate change talks

COPENHAGEN - The Prime Minister, Dr. Manmohaningh, arrived here on Thursday night at 8.36 p.m. (local time). He was received at the Copenhagen International Airport by India’s Ambassador to Denmark, Mr. Yogesh Gupta and officials of the Danish foreign ministry.

The Prime Minister is being accompanied by senior officials, including Foreign Secretary Nirupama Rao, the Prime Minister’s Special Envoy on Climate Change Shyam Saran and officials of the Prime Minister’s Office.

During his two-day visit in the Danish capital, the Prime Minister is likely to meet Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao on Friday morning (expected time 8.30 a.m.). Thereafter, Dr. Singh will proceed to the Bella Center, the venue of the Heads of States meeting and the 15th Conference of Parties (COP-15) deliberations. According to official sources here, Dr. Singh is expected to make an intervention, during which he will place emphasis on the need to go forward on issues in which a consensus has been reached, and convince all participants to persevere on issues on which a consensus is yet to be reached.

The deliberations of the Heads of States will be followed by a lunchand a possible media briefing by Minister of State for Environment Jairam Ramesh or Mr. Saran. The conclusions of the deliberations will be followed by possible release of a communiqué in which the next steps on climate change negotiations are expected to be revealed.

The Prime Minister will leave Copenhagen on Friday evening (7 p.m.) local time and will return to the Indian capital on Saturday morning. By Ashok Dixit (ANI)