By Matthew Russell Lee
www.innercitypress.com/uncope1offmessage102609.html
UNITED NATIONS, October 26 -- UN climate negotiator Yvo de Boer was quoted in the Financial Times last week that "a fully fledged new international treaty under the [UN framework] convention [on climate change] - I do not think that will happen. If you look at the limited amount of time remaining to Copenhagen, it's clear."
Monday at the UN, Inner City Press asked Janos Pasztor, Director of the Secretary-General's Climate Change Support Team, how what de Boer said is consistent with the more upbeat "Seal the Deal" message emanating from the 38th floor. Video here, from Minute 50:05.
"We discussed it with Mr. de Boer extensively afterwards," Pasztor replied. "Not everything he said was quoted. His message is total consistent." Pasztor added that they will go for an ambitious agreement in Copenhagen. We we cannot get a legally binding treat, he said, they we'll do it later.
When Inner City Press asked Pasztor if the UN is claiming de Boer was misquoted by the FT, he did not say yes; So apparently de Boer was read the riot act, and told to get back on message.
Some say de Boer is lucky -- Ban's deputy envoy to Afghanistan got fired for going public with his claims of electoral fraud in Afghanistan being covered up.
UN's Ban and de Boer: on the same page on deal being sealed?
On October 6, another Ban advisor Jeffrey Sachs told an audience including the Press that he doubts the deal can be sealed in Copenhagen. When Inner City Press asked Pasztor about this, he replied that Sachs represents and advises Ban only on the Millennium Development Goals. But perhaps Sachs too has now been read the riot act. If even the UN's small "global goods" team cannot stay on its polyanna message, can they be surprised as other fall away?
And see, www.innercitypress.com/uncope1offmessage102609.html
