(Unofficial Transcript)

Press Briefing by the Government of Japan
at the Third Session of the Conference of the Parties to the U.N. Framework Convention on Climate Change

Moderator: Thank you very much for coming to this press conference. Mr. Masahiko Koumura, state secretary for foreign affairs will be giving the briefing. I'd like to introduce the other speakers. To Mr. Koumura's right is Mr. Okamoto of the Ministry of International Trade and Industry. To Mr. Koumura's left is Ambassador Akao, and to Mr. Akao's left is Mr. Hamanaka of the Environment Agency.

Mr. Koumura: Last night, or shall I say this morning, until the wee hours of the morning, amongst Japan, the U.S. and the European Union, consultations continued on and off on quantified targets as well as other related issues. After a break of several hours, there were further consultations amongst Japan, U.S. the European Union, as well as other developed countries until lunch time. There were ministerial- and working-level talks. In addition to these consultations with the U.S. and EU, President Oki has been maintaining close contact with Ambassador Estrada, chairman of the Committee of the Whole. At the same time, Prime Minister Hashimoto, in order to exercise leadership as the host country of the Kyoto meeting, had telephone discussions late last night with Prime Minister Prodi of Italy, Chancellor Kohl of Germany, Prime Minister Blair of Britain, and President Clinton of the United States, requesting them to make further effort for the resolution of this critical issue.

This morning, Prime Minister Hashimoto also talked over the phone with U.S. Vice President Gore. As a result of these efforts, the positions of Japan, the U.S. and the European Union have converged further. Since about 1:30 this afternoon, the major parties have been engaged in informal consultations on major issues under the chairmanship of Ambassador Estrada, and this work is still continuing.

The Annex 1 countries and other countries are making their utmost efforts at this moment and we hope that these efforts will bear fruit.

Moderator: I'd now like to take your questions. If you have a question please raise your hand. When called please approach the microphone and state your name and affiliation clearly before asking your questions. Any questions?

Question: Kikuchi from NHK. You said everyone is making their utmost efforts at this time to reach an agreement. Does this mean we're close to an agreement?

Mr. Koumura: At this moment, as I've said, utmost efforts are being made. Nothing more, nothing less.

Question: Time-wise, we're closing in on the deadline. How much more time will an agreement take?

Mr. Koumura: I'm hoping than an agreement can be produced as quickly as possible. It is toward that end everyone is making their utmost efforts.

Ambassador Akao: If I may add to that. I've been involved in negotiations in Geneva on major international negotiations, such as those for the environment and GATT. At these difficult negotiations, countries usually stick by their positions until the very last minute. But once one or two critical issues are settled, then there is the possibility that everything will fall into place. Although we should continue to make our utmost efforts, as Mr. Koumura just mentioned, once some of these major issues are resolved over the next five hours or so, we can hope for a quick resolution.

Question: A second question, if I may. What is the biggest issue that is being discussed with the developing countries?

Mr. Koumura: I'm afraid I can't reveal what those issues are at this time. But we're discussing the issues as a package. We're hopeful that at the last minute, all the issues within the package can be resolved.

Moderator: Next question please.

Question: My name is Ikeuchi from NTV. The targets that are being talked about appear, from what delegation members are saying, to be higher than those proposed by Mr. Estrada yesterday. What is your impression?

Mr. Okamoto: Well amongst the three major parties, we've agreed to be as flexible as possible in making our utmost efforts. And as I said earlier, we're moving toward a package. Of course, since it is a package, if one element changes, then it could lead to changes in other areas.

Moderator: Any other questions?

Question: My name is Yoshikawa from the Mainichi Shimbun. The Estrada proposal calls for a higher target than the figure that was originally proposed by Japan. How much of an additional challenge would a higher target pose? My second question is, in terms of agreeing on a target, what are the biggest issues that need to be resolved among the three major players?

Mr. Okamoto: As the state secretary mentioned at the outset, the issue of quantified targets is under negotiation, and I'm unable to give you a specific answer on numbers. But our negotiators from MITI, the Foreign Ministry, and Environment Agency know very well from their experience so far how much effort a higher target would require. And therefore we have to engage in full consultations within ourselves on targets as we keep an eye on the other elements within the package. It is through this process that we're mapping our how we should respond.

Moderator: As to the second question on the biggest issues among the major parties?

Mr. Koumura: The sticking points are that each country needs to feel secure that whatever numbers they commit themselves to would be achievable. There is also the question on the developing country response to the "preconditions," as it were, for these numbers. These are the elements that are still be discussed as a whole.

Ambassador Akao: If I may add to that, we have to be sure that we have an understanding as to what sort of gases, what elements are covered. We have to know when these targets are to be achieved, and so on. The modality. There are other factors to consider, such as how sinks should be treated, possibilities of emissions trading, joint implementation, and so on. There is also the question of where the clean development fund, as proposed by Brazil, is to be adopted or not, what sort of mechanisms it should have, et cetera.

Moderator: Thank you very much. Next question please.

Question: Layla Bolton from the Financial Times. Could you please explain to us in very simple terms, how you see the evening unfolding. Suppose there's a hypothetical agreement, then what happens? Do you have to come and discuss it? Do you have to prepare a text? Do you have to vote on it? Can you just tell us a possible sequence of events?

Mr. Akao: As you're aware, there have been a lot of informal, bilateral, trilateral, and group discussions until this morning. Then Mr. Estrada convened an informal meeting of representatives of key countries as well as representatives of group countries. That consultation has been going on since 1:30 , and I understand that it's still going on. I haven't been involved in them since there're only one or two delegates per party or group. First we have to see how it goes. After these talks are concluded, or at least this is what I understand, then Chairman Estrada will convene the Committee of the Whole, where the agreement is formally submitted. It's hard to tell how long it will take to deliver the text from the informal meetings. When the COW approves the protocol, then it is sent to the plenary, where it will be adopted. This is the probable schedule of events from now until later today, and perhaps next morning.

Moderator: Any other questions?

Question: Two questions. My name is Shimizu from Energy and the Environment. It seems that the developed countries will need to come to an agreement before they can present their proposal to the developing countries. The Estrada proposal calls for 2.5% to 3.0% reductions.

Another point is, why is the United States being called to achieve a higher target under Mr. Estrada's proposal. How does the Japanese government interpret this?

Mr. Koumura: Japan has always been for differentiation. We've asserted the importance of looking at emissions per GDP and per capita. It wasn't Japan that asked to have a lower target than that of the U.S., but it was well understood among professionals that Japan has already made a tremendous effort to reduce emissions. I believe that the Estrada proposal takes these considerations into account.

Mr. Okamoto: I'm sure that the secretariat will provide you with an explanation later, and so we shouldn't venture to make a guess as to numbers for Annex 1 parties under the Estrada proposal.

As Mr. Koumura said with regard to differentiated targets with the U.S. and the European, Japan has always advocated differentiation. Japan has experienced two oil crises, and through these it has achieved some of the highest energy efficiencies in the world. Japan's CO2 emissions per GDP is one-third U.S. levels and one-half EU levels. It is at a very advanced stage. These achievements were reached at very high cost. When you think about coming to a fair and realistic target, then you have to take these efforts into account and differentiate the target from parties with very large per capita emissions and energy consumption. This has been Japan's assertion, and we're quite gratified that our position has been gaining greater understanding among the parties concerned.

Mr. Hamanaka: When you make a rough estimate based on the draft proposal made by Chairman Estrada yesterday, it comes to around a 5% reduction for Annex 1 countries compared to 1990 levels. But, as was referred to earlier, we're in the middle of negotiations, and a final agreement is still pending. Until we know what that agreement is like, we will not know how much effort we'll need to make.

Question: You mentioned earlier that Prime Minister Hashimoto spoke over the phone with the leaders of Italy, Germany, Britain, and the United States asking for greater flexibility in their positions. Does this suggest that it is with these countries that negotiations are most stalled? My second question is, I wonder if you can, to the extent you can reveal, explain what Prime Minister Hashimoto meant by "flexibility."

Mr. Koumura: More effort in terms of quantified targets, for instance. I think you can think of it in those terms.

Mr. Okamoto: Since we're in the middle of negotiations, it's impossible to go into any more detail than what State Secretary Koumura revealed to you. But I can tell you that as of yesterday, Japan, the EU, and the U.S. were involved in talks about targets and related items that form a framework. This also involved discussions with the developing countries. The plea for greater flexibility, I believe, reflects a wish for understanding among the three key parties to deepen.