G77 chief: Rich should soften stand
By Reports by Balbeer Singh Jessy, Sufi Yusoff, Faridah Begum and Azman Ibrahim
KUALA LUMPUR, Wed. —Chairman of the Group of 77 (G77) Pakistan said today the Kuala Lumpur Declaration was a common viewpoint that would be used to negotiate for a successful conclusion at the Earth summit in Rio de Janeiro in June.
The declaration also proved that G77 was united and serious on its environmental stand, Pakistan’s Minister for Environment and Urban Affairs Anwar Saifullah Khan said today.
"I am optimistic that we can further narrow the differences between the North and the South in Rio," he added when asked to react on the declaration adopted yesterday by ministers attending the conference.
On the outcome of the conference, developing countries are seeking, among others, from developed countries concessions revolving around three issues:
• New and additional financial resources to carry out environmental programmes under Agenda 21;
• Transfer environmentally-sound technology without any barriers or at affordable cost; and,
• Review trade and tariff barriers and quotas, or remove them entirely to enable developing countries to trade freely.
Anwar also called on developed countries to soften their stand on the issue of financial resources because the South’s case for an additional fund to finance sustainable development was genuine.
Developing countries were prepared to negotiate but the North must realize the South’s difficulties.
"We have poverty and other problems that are related to environmental degradation," he added.
Anwar said the Global Environmental Facility (GEF) managed by the World Bank did not guarantee developing countries the assistance needed to develop environmentally sound projects.
The World Bank, he said, only looked at aid in the context of economic proposition whereas environmental projects have long term benefits.
On technology transfer, Anwar said developing countries, realizing that the transfer was costly and cannot be issued free, would be seeking concessional and preferential terms clearly outlined in the declaration.
He said there should be no barrier for the release of privately-owned technology because these enterprises must be willing to fulfil their moral and social obligations.
"For years they have been responsible for polluting the environment. Isn’t it justifiable for them to supply us with such technologies to help us clean up the environment?"
Dr Cedric H. Grant, special adviser to the Guyana President, described the declaration as successful, as it provided a framework for the developing countries to address environmental issues and problems.
He said that it was important for all developing nations, to stick together in Rio, to ensure some impact was made.
Sudan’s Minister of Agriculture, Natural and Animal Resources, Mr Ahmed Ali Ahmed Gimief, said the declaration reflected consensus among developing nations on environmental problems.
"The declaration should be a good basis for negotiations in Rio," he added.
Senegal’s Minister of Tourism and Environment Jacques Baudin said it was now very important for the developing countries to deal with the environment issues in Rio in a spirit of solidarity.
Source : New Straits Times, April 30, 1992
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