French President Nicolas Sarkozy and leaders of Eastern European countries were unable to agree on Saturday on the European Union’s plan to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, but Sarkozy stated that progress was made during the negotiations.
Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk said that at the meeting of nine Eastern European leaders with Sarkozy, whose country currently holds the EU presidency, some progress was achieved, but much work remains to be done before the EU summit on December 11 and 12. "We worked and made progress, but we are not done yet," Sarkozy said after the negotiations in Poland, adding that he is confident an agreement will be reached at the EU summit in Brussels.
Poland, which relies on coal for more than 90 percent of its electricity production and is a major environmental polluter, believes that some measures from the "energy-climate package" could weaken its economy. The main point of contention is the trading of carbon dioxide emission quotas starting in 2013. A large number of Eastern European countries, including several Eastern European states, are calling for a transitional period. Tusk, speaking on Saturday before delegates who came to Gdansk to mark the 25th anniversary of the Nobel Prize awarded to Polish pro-democracy symbol Lech Walesa, urged wealthy EU countries to show greater solidarity with their poorer neighbors. (Hina)
