Environment Minister meets Obama at climate change forum
Adianto P. Simamora, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta | Tue, 04/28/2009 5:18 PM
Indonesian Minister of Environment Rachmat Witoelar met with US President Barack Obama on the sidelines of Major Economies Forum on Monday (Tuesday Jakarta time) in Washington to discuss climate change and energy issues.
Rachmat is head of the Indonesian delegation representing President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono in the two-day meeting.
The minister added that President Obama held a three-minute talk with each delegation.
"I first spoke in bahasa with Obama," said Rachmat in an email fowarded to The Jakarta Post on Tuesday.
According to Rachmat, Obama understood very well matters pertaining to environmental affairs including issues stalling climate change talks.
The United States has persistently declined to sign the binding Kyoto Protol requiring members to cut emissions by about five percent to deal with global warming.
Countries invited to the forum include Australia, Canada, Brazil, France, Germany, Japan, Korea, Indonesia, India, China and United Kingdom.
The forum is crucial ahead of the Copenhagen climate Change conference in December when world countries are expected to agree on a new protocol on emission cuts as a substitute commitment on Kyoto which would end in 2011.
