Statement by Mr. Yohei Kono, Minister for Foreign Affairs, on the Remarks of the U.S. Government concerning the Framework Convention on Climate Change Talks

March 29, 2001

On March 28, the spokesmen for the White House and the U.S. State Department both stated that President George W. Bush does not support the Kyoto Protocol, that the new U.S. administration is now reviewing its policy on global warming and that President Bush believes that climate change can be tackled by working with friends and allies and through international processes. Japan is concerned about the effects such a development may have on the climate change negotiations.
Entry into force of the Kyoto Protocol is extremely important in reinforcing actions against global warming, and Japan has actively participated in the negotiations to prevent loss of momentum in the international community to enable the Kyoto Protocol to come into effect by 2002. Japan considers it important for the U.S. to ratify the Kyoto Protocol and strongly hopes that the U.S. will continue to participate actively in the negotiations under the Bush Administration toward the resumed Sixth Session of the Conference of the Parties to the U.N. Framework Convention on Climate Change, and to work with Japan to actively seek an agreement. As I requested positive efforts from the U.S. at my January meeting with Secretary of State Colin Powell, Japan will make further such diplomatic efforts.

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