Handling of Climate talks could have been better: Ramesh

Amid allegations by poor nations of being left out of the Copenhagen negotiations, India today said Danish Presidency of the climate talk could have handled the larger consultation process in a better way.'Copenhagen deal not legally binding' | Copenhagen accord outwitted govt | PM briefs President on Copenhagen accord | Govt defends C'hagen Accord, says sovereignty not affected

Amid allegations by poor nations of being left out of the Copenhagen negotiations, India on Tuesday said Danish Presidency of the climate talk could have handled the larger consultation process in a better way.

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"Yes, there were gaps in communications...The Danish Presidency did not handle the larger consultancy process very well," Environment Minister Jairam Ramesh told reporters here.

He said from day one there was a feeling of non-transparent procedural at the 15th Conference of Parties (CoP) at the Danish Capital, which concluded last weekend.

"There was a feeling that a cabal was going to dictate terms. It is unfair to say that India abandoned G-77," the Minister said when asked to comment about reports of discontent among many G-77 countries.

The Copenhagen Accord was clinched at a meeting US President Barack Obama had with leaders of Brazil, South Africa, India and China (BASIC) late Friday when chances of an outcome from CoP 15 were almost nil.

Ramesh rejected suggestions that the African group was not in the loop on the US-Basic deal saying that he himself had briefed it soon after the draft Accord was finalised.

The Minister said that India's attitude on negotiations was positive and "it is not being blamed for failing to clinch a binding deal".

'Copenhagen deal not legally binding' | Copenhagen accord outwitted govt | PM briefs President on Copenhagen accord | Govt defends C'hagen Accord, says sovereignty not affected