China signals hope for deal

China was reported to signal an operational accord out of reach. Now China's climate change ambassador says China has not given up hope for a deal.
Marianne Bom (article updated) - 17/12/2009 - China no longer sees a possibility of achieving an operational accord to tackle global warming this week at the UN climate conference, Reuters reported early Thursday morning, quoting an unnamed official involved in the talks.

The official said that China instead suggested issuing "a short political declaration of some sort."

Later Thursday, China's Climate Change Ambassador Yu Qingtai (photo above) rejected the signals as malicious rumors.

"I do not know where this rumor came from but I can assure you that the Chinese delegation came to Copenhagen with hope and have not given it up," Yu Qingtai told Reuters.

"Copenhagen is too important to fail," he said.

Beijing wants a deal that capture all progress achieved over two years of UN-led negotiations and leave room for swift progress on unresolved areas next year, according to Yu Qingtai.

The Danish Presidency tried all afternoon and evening on Wednesday to create consensus on a text on the basis of which the heads of state and government were supposed to continue their talks. On Thursday the text was given up after pressure from developing countries - according to the media - and negotiations continued without it.

Da UNFCCC