Nothing Like it

I have never seen anything like this.  The meeting was adjourned for Environment Minister Connie Hedegaard to be replaced by the Danish PM to introduce leader after leader for speeches.

BUT before leaving the Chair, Connie said there would be new proposed language soon on Kyoto Protocol text...not available now. So as the PM tried to gavel in the high level session, speaker after speaker has denounced the process as not transparent.  China spoke of a "matter of trust with the host country." (Strong language in UN deiplmatic-speak) and then Brazil agreed -- where is the text? And India (still visibly shaken from whatever happened to him in Security) agreed...Ecuador agreed and developing countries . The PM now insists they go on with leaders' speeches.

Another point of order from Brazil.  They negotiated all night long. I ran into delegates leaving at 6:45 am when I got off the metro, they were getting on having worked all night.  They know there is a new text.  They have it. They want to know if it is the basis of further work.

Now South Africa Minister Mabhudafhasi has taken the floor to support India, China, Sudan etc...

There is clearly deep distrust that the text agreed to overnight may disappear.  The PM Rasmussen is totally unprepared and keeps saying "we have to move forward." But his measures of progress are not shared. He is watching the clock on getting speeches from leaders going.  These delegations want to ensure they have a text.

Now China takes the floor on a point of order. China's lead is now speaking English. (He usually has a female voice over of a translater.) He is sticking to his point that the Danish presidency has not properly consulted...