Brussels, 07/03/2001 (Agence Europe) - Back from Trieste, where she took part in the meeting of the G8 Environment Ministers (see EUROPE of 3 March, p.7), Margot Wallstrom, European Commissioner for the Environment, declared that the exercise had had the merit of giving rise to a "frank discussion (…) allowing us to express our positions (on climate change) clearly". Ms. Wallstrom stressed that all participants shared the sense of urgency in combating this phenomenon. "Our discussions were an important step in the run-up to the resumed negotiations on climate change in Bonn in July, and should help us achieve a successful outcome", the Commission continued. The final communiqué of the G8 states that, for most countries, the Kyoto Protocol should be in force in 2002 at the latest, and that one encouraging element was the attitude of the new American Administration, which is currently reviewing the United States' policy over climate change. Christine Whitman, Administrator for the American Environmental Protection Agency, assured the others that her country remained committed to combating climate change, stipulating that the Bush Administration wanted to maintain options open in the run-up to negotiations in Bonn. Turning to the other subjects broached in Trieste, Ms. Wallstrom declared: "We have also identified common objectives for next year's world summit on sustainable development and agreed to pursue work on environment and health, notably on children's health. We all agreed that it was important to continue the dialogue with countries outside the G8, including developing countries".