Criticism mount against U.S. in Bali meet<\/p>\n
The Jakarta Post, Nusa Dua, Bali<\/p>\n
Two days into the United Nations meeting in Bali to promote
\nsustainable development, criticism of the United States
\ndelegation mounted as governments and non-governmental
\norganizations aired their frustrations over the U.S.'s
\nuncompromising stance.<\/p>\n
Several delegates of developing countries and non-governmental
\norganizations have charged the U.S. of representing the interests
\nof developed countries. But some developed countries also
\nappeared to be less than happy with the U.S. delegation.<\/p>\n
\"There is a fundamental divide on this issue, the U.S. and a
\nnumber of other countries on the one hand, and the European Union
\nand a number of other countries (on the other),\" a member of the
\nUK delegation, who requested anonymity, said on the first day of
\nthe meeting.<\/p>\n
Delegates are negotiating to draw up an action plan, known as
\nthe Chairman's Text, which will form the basis for implementing
\nsustainable development principles.<\/p>\n
Ten years after world leaders met in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
\npledging to practice sustainable development, economic interests
\ncontinue to reign over environmental and social priorities and
\nthreaten future generations.<\/p>\n
But as all delegates have agreed to counter this trend, the
\nquestion of who should implement what and when blocks the
\ncreation of an action plan.<\/p>\n
Stalling the talks, said the UK delegate, was the U.S.
\ninsisting there was no time target in the chairman's statement --
\na demand critics said showed a lack of commitment to implement
\nthe action plan.<\/p>\n
\"Certainly for the EU, we are fighting for the retention of
\nthe target,\" he said, adding that negotiations were tough.<\/p>\n
Head of the Indonesian delegation Makarim Wibisono agreed,
\nsaying developing countries must pile on pressure to push the
\ntalks forward.<\/p>\n
He said many developed countries shared the same view of
\ndeveloping countries, grouped under the G-77 during the talks.<\/p>\n
\"There is still time to change the positions of other
\ndelegates,\" he told a press briefing on Tuesday.<\/p>\n
Representing the G-77 in the talks is Venezuela, whom several
\nenvironment activists have criticized as showing weak leadership
\nduring the negotiations.<\/p>\n
Venezuelan Ambassador at the UN Milos Alcalay, said that
\nreaching a consensus would take time, and that the G-77 was
\nmoving in the right direction without confrontation.<\/p>\n
\"This is not a document (the Chairman's Text) of my dream but
\nit will not give me any nightmares either,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Activists, however, are more blunt in revealing their
\ndissatisfaction with the slow talks.<\/p>\n
Delegates wearing tags reading, \"What are we going to do about
\nthe United States?\" roamed the conference building before UN
\nsecurity personnel demanded they remove their tags.<\/p>\n
\"They (the U.S.) are stalling the negotiations,\" said Maryam
\nM. Mair, chairperson of the W. Haywood Burns Environmental
\nEducation Center.<\/p>\n
A senior member of the U.S. delegation, however, denied
\ncharges that his government was against including time targets
\ninto the chairman's statements.<\/p>\n
The official, who refused to be named, also rejected the
\nnotion that the U.S. was taking sides with business interests.
\n\"We are trying to accommodate both civil society and the business
\ncommunity.\"<\/p>\n
He said what the U.S. pursued was real action plans through
\npartnerships among stakeholders, and not time-bound measures that
\nwould not be achievable.<\/p>\n
He noted he was confident that most of the delegations would
\neventually agree with the U.S., so there would be nothing left to
\ndebate on during talks at the ministerial level.<\/p>",
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