African Leaders End Protest at Climate Talks

African delegates at the United Nations (UN) climate summit are expected to resume talks today after assurance by the summit president that their concerns will be met.

This follows Monday’s suspension of the talks after protesting African leaders held up a mid-morning meeting that sought to break the impasse over a push by rich country nations to merge the Kyoto Protocol and an expected new deal into a single pact.

The G77-and-China bloc, which negotiates on behalf of 130-developing states, wants the Kyoto protocol extended for fear that they might loose out on its gains.

The Kyoto protocol was signed in 1997 and implemented in 2005 to cut down on greenhouse gases emissions from rich countries. It expires in 2012.

Sudanese envoy Lumumba Di-Aping, who is the Chairman of the G77-China delegation, said the group’s wants a democratic process that will guarantee their full participation and deliver a deal that will save the Kyoto protocol, ensuring safety of developing countries.

African leaders had adopted an African Union proposal to demand at least $ 67 billion in environmental damages from the developed countries.

About 110-heads of state are expected to attend the final phase of the talks on Friday. [ER].