US denies lobbying against Kyoto

From:
http://www.petroleumworld.com/story3013.htm

US denies lobbying against Kyoto

AFP
WASHINGTON
Petroleumworld 11 03 03

The White House on Wednesday denied trying to influence "in any way" other
nations' decisions on whether to ratify the Kyoto Protocol on reducing
greenhouse gas emissions blamed for global warming.

US opposition to the pact remains unchanged, but "each nation will reach
their own conclusions independently," spokesman Scott McClellan said, after
Russia said it would not ratify the accord in its current form.

Asked about Moscow's decision, which dealt a severe blow to hopes for the
agreement's ratification, McClellan replied:

"It's not something that we have attempted to influence in any way in terms
of other nations' decision-making."

President Vladimir Putin's top adviser on economic issues, Andrei
Illarionov, said in Moscow Tuesday that "in its current form, the Kyoto
Protocol places significant limitations on the economic growth of Russia."

His comments came as delegates from 180 countries met in Milan, Italy, to
examine the future of the Kyoto accord, regarded by environmental protection
groups as a key instrument in curbing global warming.

"Of course, in its present form, this protocol cannot be ratified,"
Illarionov said after Putin spoke to a gathering of Russian and European
businessmen.

Asked whether Washington felt validated by the announcement, McClellan said
US President George W.

Bush had scrapped the protocol because it would cost the US economy millions
of jobs billions of dollars.

"And as our economy is gathering steam, that's not the kind of approach we
need to be taking for the American people," he said.

AFP 03/12/03 16:28:36