Sudanese ambassador apologises to SA
By Leonie Joubert
Independent Foreign Service
Copenhagen - Sudanese ambassador Lumumba Stanislaus Di-Aping has apologised unreservedly for comments allegedly made on behalf of the G77 in an unscheduled meeting with civil society organisations last week in which he was quoted as saying the South Africa delegation was actively disrupting the negotiation process at the climate talks in Denmark.
The African media liaison for the civil society organisation 350.org, Adam Welz, posted on a blog that Lumumba had said, in an off-the-record meeting, that members of the South African delegation had "actively sought to disrupt the unity of the Africa bloc".
Welz confirmed yesterday that Lumumba had not provided any details of how the delegation had disrupted the talks, hosted by the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC).
The South African delegation initially threatened to make a formal complaint with the UNFCCC against the G77, but the matter has since been resolved informally.
A negotiator within the South African delegation, Joanne Yawitch from the Department of Water and Environmental Affairs, confirmed yesterday that an unofficial meeting had taken place between South African chief negotiator Alf Wills and representatives from the G77.
"This was dealt with informally and we have accepted the apology," said Yawitch, "otherwise we would have made a formal complaint against ambassador Lumumba."
Yawitch said the South African delegation had "no idea" what was said in the meeting, as none of the delegation had been present, but that the allegations were being reported in the press, on the basis of the 350.org blog.
"The G77 apologised, if these allegations were indeed made, and agreed that nothing further would be said that could be misrepresented or cause difficulty," she said.
Meanwhile, Minister of Water and Environmental Affairs Buyelwa Sonjica and Minister of International Relations and Co-operation Maite Nkoana-Mashabane have arrived in Copenhagen in time to begin the second round of negotiations.
Ministers met for a "stock-take" on Saturday to discuss progress made by bureaucrats during the previous week of negotiations.
Neither minister had commented yet on the contents of the first draft of text dealing with long-term action issued on Friday night.
The document has been whittled down to seven pages, from over 100, and is regarded as being more ambitious than previous versions.
Meanwhile, marchers - bearing placards saying "Nature doesn't compromise" and "There is no Planet B" - demonstrated peacefully from the Danish parliament to the Bella Centre, which is where the climate negotiations are taking place.
Nearly 1 000 people were arrested for stone-throwing, but by yesterday morning most had been released.