Danish leader pushes Bush on climate

By Neil A. Lewis

CRAWFORD, Texas: With less than a year to go in office, President George W. Bush has begun offering valedictory courtesies to favored foreign leaders, including a much coveted ranch visit during the weekend to the Danish prime minister, Anders Fogh Rasmussen.

Rasmussen, who has been one of Bush's most stalwart defenders on Iraq, has sharply reduced his country's contingent there but still has 600 troops in Afghanistan.

Bush offered a favorable interpretation of Denmark's decision to withdraw most of its forces from Iraq, saying the action was based on "the policy of 'return upon success.' "

Despite his obvious delight at being invited to Bush's ranch, Rasmussen wanted the president to reciprocate his loyalty, providing support for Denmark's efforts to negotiate a new global warming treaty when it is the host of a conference next year in Copenhagen.

Bush told reporters Saturday, "We talked about climate change, more than once, as I showed him my ranch and how we're conservationists in Crawford."

Rasmussen, in turn, described Bush as "a convinced environmentalist" and world leader on the issue. But it remained unclear whether Bush was offering anything beyond a rhetorical blessing. The administration has long been at odds with many European countries that would like to forge a new treaty with mandated limits on greenhouse gas-causing emissions.

Michael Oppenheimer, a Princeton professor who has called attention to the issue of global warming, said in an interview that a Bush administration pledge about reducing global warming would lack credibility because the administration had opposed many domestic programs to save energy and cut oil consumption.

"No one will take this as anything meaningful," he said.

Oppenheimer also noted that Bush would be long gone from office when dozens of nations meet in Copenhagen at the end of 2009.

To be continue in other article...

(Jakarta, Rabu 19 Maret 2008)

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