West, Russia divided on U.N. council climate role

West, Russia divided on U.N. council climate role

* Council statement blocked by Russia - diplomats

* U.N. official says climate change speeding up

By Patrick Worsnip

UNITED NATIONS, July 20 (Reuters) - Western nations clashed with Russia and some developing countries on Wednesday over whether climate change was a security issue meriting the attention of the Security Council, the most powerful U.N. body.

Diplomats said Russia blocked, at least temporarily, the adoption of a statement by the 15-nation council that would assert the threat of climate change to international peace and security. They said a revised text would be circulated.

The dispute came as the council formally debated the environment for the first time in four years and followed dire warnings by a senior U.N. official that global warming was speeding up, with unpredictable consequences.

In the debate called by Germany, this month's council president, Western speakers said increasing aridity caused by climate change had contributed to conflicts in Sudan's Darfur region and in Somalia, where the United Nations on Wednesday said famine had hit two areas.

U.S. Ambassador Susan Rice said Washington strongly believes the council "has an essential responsibility to address the clear-cut peace and security implications of a changing climate," and should "start now."

Without mentioning countries by name, Rice assailed those who had prevented the required consensus on the proposed council statement despite the wishes of countries whose existence was threatened by climate change.

"Because of the refusal of a few to accept our responsibility, this council is saying, by its silence, in effect, 'Tough luck,'" she said. "This is more than disappointing. It's pathetic. It's shortsighted, and frankly it's a dereliction of duty."

But Russian envoy Alexander Pankin said Moscow was "skeptical" about attempts to put the implications of climate change on the council's agenda, something he said was opposed by many countries.

"We believe that involving the Security Council in a regular review of the issue of climate change will not bring any added value whatsoever and will merely lead to further increased politicization of this issue and increased disagreements between countries," he said.

AGENDA CREEP

Western diplomats said the Russian view reflected the country's long-standing concerns about agenda "creep" by the Security Council.

The dispute echoed exchanges between Britain and China in 2007 when Britain called the first council debate on climate change.

Temporary council members India and Brazil also said they doubted whether the body should be involved. Indian Ambassador Hardeep Singh Puri said the council "does not have the wherewithal to address the situation."

Developing countries railed against what they said was an attempt by the big-power club to muscle in on the territory of the 193-nation General Assembly and the U.N. Framework Convention on Climate Change.

But President Marcus Stephen of Nauru, one of several small Pacific island states threatened by rising sea levels blamed on climate change, said he wanted the council to request appointment of a U.N. special envoy for climate and security.

Stephen said he was deeply disappointed the council had so far failed to agree a statement. "Let history record that once again we have sounded the alarm and the world chose not to act," he said.

Earlier, Achim Steiner, head of the U.N. Environment Program, said climate change was advancing faster than attempts to contain it through slow-moving U.N.-led negotiations on greenhouse gas emissions targets and other measures.

He quoted projections that some parts of the world would see 5.4 to 7.2 degree Fahrenheit (3 or 4 degree Celsius) temperature rises this century while negotiators seek to set a 3.6 degree Fahrenheit (2 degree Celsius) target, that sea levels could rise by 3 feet (1 metre) this century, and that natural disasters could "increase exponentially."

"The world is confronted with a global warming scenario that is already well beyond where we believe we might be able to manage these changes and trends if we will be able to conclude our negotiations," Steiner told the council. (Editing by Mohammad Zargham)

10:50 21/07/2011ALL NEWS

21/7 Tass 61

ST. PETERSBURG, July 21 (Itar-Tass) — Sweden’s visa centre opens in St. Petersburg on July 22 to improve services for its clients, Sweden’s General Consulate told Itar-Tass.

Clients will be able to file applications for a 90-day visas /C class/ from July 22, and the service charges will make 26.75 euros. Clients may make the payment in the General Consular in accordance with the appointment.

Applications for a residence or work permit in Sweden /D class visas/ may be filed to the General Consulate only. The same approach is applicable to visa applications from official delegations. Usual time to process applications is five working days.

In 2010, the consulate’s visa service issued 21,000 visas. Over the first six months of the current year, the number has grown by 37 percent. One of the reasons is the new ferry route Stockholm – St. Petersburg.

00:48 21/07/2011ALL NEWS

Kyrgyz PM thanks Putin for Russia’s support for Kyrgyz economy.

http://www.itar-tass.com/en/c154/189526.html

21/7 Tass 373

NOVO-OGARYOVO, July 21 (Itar-Tass) — Kyrgyz Prime Minister Almazbek Atambayev who held talks with Vladimir Putin on Wednesday thanked the Russian prime minister for lifting an export duty for petroleum products earlier this year.

“It was a real New Year gift,” he said, adding that thanks to the move 2011 started well for Kyrgyzstan and its economy, which has been growing.

Putin said in turn that the lifting of export duties for petroleum products hadn’t been a gift but an element of support for Kyrgyzstan.

The Russian prime minister said that meetings like the one that was held on Wednesday provide for an opportunity to see how Russian-Kyrgyz relations develop.

“The last time we met we outlined major areas for developing our cooperation: energy, agriculture, scientific-technological and military cooperation. It’s very good that today we have an opportunity to see how we progress in all these areas,” Putin went on to say.

For his part, Almazbek Atambayev told Putin that Kyrgyzstan feels Russia’s support all the time. He said that the Kyrgyz economy was recovering largely thanks to Russian support. Kyrgyz GDP grew by 5.5 percent in the first six months of 2011.

Atambayev also noted that Kyrgyzstan had received 1,500 tons of barley from Russia.