The 41st Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) began with much fanfare in the island nation of Trinidad and Tobago. 51 heads of states are participating in the two day conference with the theme "Partnership for a more equiptable and sustainable future". The head of the Commonwealth, Queen Elizabeth II inaugurated the summit a shortwhile ago. AIR correspondent reports that climate change will dominate the agenda in this last major summit before the Copenhagen talks.Identifying education and business as areas of reconnecting with Indian diaspora, Prime Minister Dr.Manmohan Singh has invited them to be active partners of the country's development and progress by making use of investment and business opportunities.Addressing a reception for Indian community at Port of Spain, he said India is on the move and is reaching out to the world with confidence and in a spirit of live and let live.Reaching out to the People of Indian Origin, he said, Education and business are the two major areas through which the country is reconnecting with the people of Indian origin worldwide. Almost half of 1.3 million population of Spain is of Indian origin.Ahead of the Copenhagen Summit on climate change, India today said the meeting should make all efforts to come out with a legally binding substantive outcome on tackling the pressing global challenge and disapproved of any attempt to give up and defer a decision as is being mulled by some developed countries.Prime Minister's Special Envoy on Climate Change Shyam Saran said in Port of Spain that even if no consensus is reached at Copenhagen next month, efforts should continue with an aim of concluding within time-bound manner the negotiations as mandated by the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change.The issue of climate change is going to dominate the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) which is being attended by Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh.The 53-nation grouping of former British colonies, which include developed, developing and under-developed countries, is expected to come out with a communique pressing for early decision on tackling the problem of climate change.The CHOGM, also to be attended by UN Secretary General Ban Ki Moon and French President Nicolas Sarkozy, can send out a message for the Copenhagen meet, with an objective of influencing the negotiators to reach a decision.
News On AIR | November 27, 2009 6:22 PM
41st CHOGM summit begins; Climate change high on the agenda