December 17, 2009 11:57 AM

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Stage set for summit Level talks on climate change in Copenhagen

Stage is set for summit Level talks on climate change in Copenhagen. More than 120 heads of the states and governments will be discussing the options to tackle the challenge of global warming and try to thrash out an agreement. Hectic discussions were going on throughout the night to prepare a draft for discussions as many of the leaders joined the talks reaching the Danish Capital yesterday. The Environment ministers scrambled to rescue troubled negotiations to prepare a draft taking care of the interests of the developing and developed nations. Meanwhile the Danish Prime Minister has taken over the presidency of the summit after its Environment Minister resigned from the position.Regretting the absence of an agreed text just a day ahead of the Summit level talks, India's Environment Minister Jairam Ramesh said the entire process of negotiations have been very badly handled. After India's meeting with other BASIC countries – Brazil, South Africa and China – for almost three hours last night to discuss the plan of action, Mr. Ramesh expressed hope that a draft will be ready before the summit level talks begin.Violent protests were witnessed at the snow-affected Bella Center leading to the most unruly scenes. The police said 260 people were arrested during the protests yesterday, in which demonstrators also tried to scale fences and descend on the conference center. That brought the total detained since the meeting began Dec. 7 to 1,800. The rally brought together climate activists; representatives of countries suffering from drought, floods or other phenomena linked to global warming; and indigenous peoples. Speakers denounced markets, consumerism and animal cruelty, and asserted that wealthy northern countries owed a debt to the poor south.

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