Gurgaon (Haryana)

19 July 2009

Clinton sweetens climate change pill, woos India; but remains soft on terrorism from

Pakistan

Hillary Clinton, who went by the US Secret Service moniker Evergreen, promised

new "green" investment and millions of jobs if India signed on to the Copenhagen deal

on climate change.

"I am very confident the United States and India can devise a plan that will dramatically

change the way we produce, consume and conserve energy and in the process spark an

explosion of new investment and millions of jobs," she said Sunday after meeting with

Union Minister of Environment and Forests Jairam Ramesh at the Indian Tobacco

Company's Green Centre here, which is the only company in the world to be carbon

positive, water positive and solid waste recycling positive.

Clinton's effusive advocacy of climate change solutions was only matched by her

reluctance to call Pakistan's bluff on the issue of terrorism directed against India. Giving

Islamabad the benefit of doubt, she said "there is a commitment to fight terrorism that

permeates the entire government (of Pakistan)" and hoped that the perpetrators of the

terrorist attacks in Mumbai will "meet their day of reckoning."

The visiting US Secretary of State, who was accompanied by her special climate envoy

Todd Stern, appreciated the concerns of countries such as India, and accordingly sought

to reassure her host that the US "does not and will not do anything" that would limit

India's economic progress.

"... we want to show that democracies deliver," she said in a vigorous defence of why

India must also lead the way in ensuring a successful outcome of the December 7 to 18

climate talks in the Danish capital.

Clinton argued that climate change and economic growth were "compatible goals" and

that there was a way to eradicate poverty and develop sustainably that will lower

significantly the carbon footprint.

If Clinton was seeking a new India-US deal on climate, Ramesh would have disappointed

her. He gave no indication that New Delhi will relent in its opposition to undertaking

"legally-binding" cuts in greenhouse gas emissions.

" ... we are simply not in a position to take legally binding emission reduction targets,"

Ramesh said emphatically.

He added: "Even with eight to nine per cent GDP growth every year for the next decade

or two, our per capita emissions will be well below that of developed country averages.

There is simply no case for the pressure that we, who have among the lowest emissions

per capita, face to actually reduce emissions. As if this pressure was not enough, we

also face the threat of carbon tariffs on our exports to countries such as yours."

Ramesh clarified that India was neither running away from mitigation nor was she

oblivious of her responsibilities.

"It is possible for us to have an international agreement that recognises common but

differentiated responsibilities and which also involves credible actions by countries like

India and China to mitigate the greenhouse has emissions in future," he explained.

World leaders will gather in Copenhagen to negotiate a successor to the 1997 Kyoto

Protocol, which expires in 2012. A series of informal consultations will take place

between now and the Copenhagen talks in December. The first of three rounds of

discussions will be held at Bonn, Germany, in August; Bangkok in September; and

Barcelona in November.

On the other divisive issue of terrorism emanating from Pakistan, Clinton said she had

"seen an evolving commitment, not only by Pakistani Government but also Pakistani

people and a recognition that terrorism within a country is a threat to that country".

She said the US was talking to Pakistan at all levels -- government, military, civilian and

intelligence -- on the issue of fight against terrorism.

"We are watching it and we hope they will make progress against what is a syndicate of

terrorism -- Al-Qaida, Taliban and many other terror organisations are connected in a way

that is deeply troubling to us, and I know to India. But it is also now troubling Pakistan,"

Clinton added.

// Clinton's engagements today and tomorrow //

10 am Visit to Delhi University

12:15 pm Call on Prime Minister Manmohan Singh at his official residence

2.50 pm: Meeting with LK Advani, Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, at 30,

Prithiviraj Road

5.30 pm Call on UPA Chairperson and Congress President Sonia Gandhi at 10, Janpath

6.30 pm Meeting with Minister of External Affairs Sm Krishna at Hyderabad House,

followed by signing of agreements and brief media interaction

Tuesday, July 21, 2009

9 am Emplane for Bangkok by US Air Force Special Aircraft