Copenhagen: Denmark can be proud of its
efforts to secure an agreement at the UN climate conference,
Prime Minister Lars Loekke Rasmussen said on Saturday.
"We made the difference. Denmark can be proud of itself
for having built an historic bridge between the parties in the
negotiations," Rasmussen told the Danish news agency Ritzau.
"I don't think you could find any example in history
where you would have seen the leaders of the United States,
Brazil, South Africa and India along with the heads of state
from Europe and the small island states threatened by global
warming all in the same room, working together as a group."
The Danish premier came in for heavy criticism over his
stewardship of the often rancorous 13-day meeting which was
due to wrap up today after a deal was clinched by US President
Barack Obama and other major leaders.
Rasmussen said that it was unrealistic to expect Denmark
to deliver results on its own.
"I can't just tell the Chinese or the Americans: 'Do this
or that'," he said.
Bureau Report
First Published: Saturday, December 19, 2009, 21:43