Aggressive India to make a political statement at Copenhagen

COPENHAGEN: Ruling out any compromise in its stand, environment minister Jairam Ramesh on Sunday pitched for a strong political statement at the end of the climate change talks and asserted that a deal must be reached by next year.

Speaking to reporters here, he made it clear that the text of the political statement would be ready before Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and other world leaders reach Copenhagen for the final leg of the 12-day talks.

"I have clearly and categorically stated on behalf of the government of India that our Prime Minister is not coming here to negotiate the text," he said.

Singh is due to arrive here on December 17. "India would not compromise on 'teen-murti' (United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, Kyoto Protocol and Bali Action Plan)," Ramesh said ahead of tomorrow's high-level segment which would see participation of environment ministers from across the globe.

"We must get an agreement in 2010," he said, adding that the text of the political statement should be ready by December 15.