Brussels, 06/07/2001 (Agence Europe) - The meeting, on Friday, in Sidney between the European Troika and the Australian Minister for the Environment Robert Hill in view of ensuring the success of the Bon conference on climatic change (COP6 16-17 July) was unable to convince Australia to ratify the Kyoto Protocol without the Americans.
Olivier Deleuze, Belgian Secretary of State for Energy, Margot Wallström Environment Commissioner and Lars Danielson, Swedish Secretary of State for International Affairs, underlined the importance of the unfailing commitment by Australia towards the aims of the Protocol and its readiness to negotiate in Bonn was appreciated, but that the Troika reiterated the Union's determination to ratify the protocol in 2002, if necessary without the Americans. Mr Hill clearly stated that they should not count on an Australian ratification without the United States, feeling that the implementation of such a Treaty without the world's largest economic power looses all meaning. The Troika said that it considered it unacceptable for certain countries to try and win time to tackle a global problem whose seriousness is such that it should not suffer from stalling tactics. The meeting between the European Troika and Laurie Brereton, Minister for Foreign Affairs from the Shadow Cabinet (Labour opposition) was fruitful. The latter in fact assured the ratification of the Protocol if the opposition win the elections next September. The Australian NGOs also expressed their support for a resolute action against plenary warming. While recognising that Australia "sets conditions for an agreement in Bonn", the spokesperson for Margot Wallström nevertheless refused, before the press, to qualify as a failure the mission by the Troika. What the Union wants, is to maintain pressure. According to her, the dice have not yet been rolled. Pressure on Japan, where the Troika will go on Monday and Tuesday will be great. The Australian and Japanese governments will define on Tuesday their respective negotiating mandates for the Bonn conference. Before then, everything remains possible.