Reflections by comrade Fidel
THE TRUTH OF WHAT HAPPENED
AT THE
The youth is more interested than anyone else in the
future.
Until very recently, the discussion revolved around
the kind of society we would have. Today, the discussion centers on whether
human society will survive.
These are not dramatic phrases. We must get used to
the true facts. Hope is the last thing human beings can relinquish. With truthful
arguments, men and women of all ages, especially young people, have waged an
exemplary battle at the
It is important now that
If anything significant was achieved in the Danish
capital, it was that the media coverage allowed the world public to watch the
political chaos created there and the humiliating treatment accorded to Heads
of States or Governments, ministers and thousands of representatives of social
movements and institutions that in hope and expectation traveled to the
But no one could have thought that on December 18,
2009, the last day of the Summit, this would be suspended by the Danish
government –a NATO ally associated with the carnage in Afghanistan-- to offer
the conference’s plenary hall to President Obama for
a meeting where only he and a selected group of guests, 16 in all, would have
the exclusive right to speak.
Obama’s deceitful, demagogic and ambiguous remarks failed to
involve a binding commitment and ignored the Kyoto Framework Convention. He then
left the room shortly after listening to a few other speakers. Among those
invited to take the floor were the highest industrialized nations, several
emerging economies and some of the poorest countries in the world. The leaders
and representatives of over 170 countries were only allowed to listen.
At the end of the speeches of the 16 chosen, Evo Morales, with the authority of his indigenous Aymara origin and his recent reelection with 65% of the
vote as well as the support of two-thirds of the Bolivian House and Senate,
requested the floor. The Danish president had no choice but to yield to the
insistence of the other delegations. When Evo had
concluded his wise and deep observations, the Danish had to give the floor to
Hugo Chavez. Both speeches will be registered by history as examples of short
and timely remarks. Then, with their mission duly accomplished they both left
for their respective countries. But when Obama
disappeared, he had yet to fulfill his task in the host country.
From the evening of the 17th and the early
morning hours of the 18th, the Prime Minister of Denmark and senior
representatives of the United States had been meeting with the Chairman of the
European Commission and the leaders of 27 nations to introduce to them --on
behalf of Obama-- a draft agreement in whose
elaboration none of the other leaders of the rest of the world had taken part.
It was an antidemocratic and practically clandestine initiative that
disregarded the thousands of representatives of social movements, scientific
and religious institutions and other participants in the
Through the night of the 18th and until
Something unexpected happened then: at three in the
morning of the 19th, the Prime Minister of Denmark convened a
meeting to conclude the
However, an amazing battle was waged that morning by
a group of representatives of Third World countries challenging the attempt by Obama and the wealthiest on the planet to introduce a
document imposed by the United States as one agreed by consensus in the Summit.
The representative of
The Minister of Foreign Affairs of Cuba made a
vigorous speech of approximately one thousand words from which I have chosen a
few paragraphs to include in this Reflection:
“The document that you, Mister Chairman, repeatedly claimed
that did not exist shows up now. […] we have seen drafts circulating surreptitiously
and being discussed in secret meetings…”
“…I deeply resent the way you have led this
conference.”
“…
“The document that you are unfortunately introducing
is not binding in any way with respect to the reduction of the greenhouse-gas
emissions.”
“I am aware of the previous drafts, which also
through questionable and clandestine procedures, were negotiated by small
groups of people…”
“The document you are introducing now fails to include
the already meager and lacking key phrases contained in that draft…”
“…as far as Cuba is concerned, it is incompatible
with the universally recognized scientific view sustaining that it is urgent
and inescapable to ensure the reduction of at least 45% of the emissions by the
year 2020, and of no less than 80% or 90% by 2050.”
“Any argument on the continuation of the negotiations
to reach agreement in the future to cut down emissions must inevitably include
the concept of the validity of the Kyoto Protocol […] Your paper, Mister Chairman,
is a death certificate of the Kyoto Protocol and my delegation cannot accept it.”
“The Cuban delegation would like to emphasize the
preeminence of the principle of ‘common by differentiated responsibilities,’ as
the core of the future process of negotiations. Your paper does not include a
word on that.”
“This draft declaration fails to mention concrete
financial commitments and the transfers of technologies to developing countries,
which are part of the obligations contracted by the developed countries under
the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change […] Mister Chairman, by imposing
their interests through your document, the developed nations are avoiding any
concrete commitment.”
“…What you, Mister Chairman, define as ‘a group of
representative leaders’ is to me a gross violation of the principle of
sovereign equality consecrated in the United Nations Charter…”
“Mr. Chairman, I formally request that this statement
be included in the final report of the works of this regrettable and shameful
15th session of the Conference of the Parties.”
The representatives of the countries had been given
only one hour to present their views. This led to complicated, shameful and
embarrassing situations.
Then, a lengthy debate ensued where the delegations
from the developed countries put a heavy pressure on the rest to make the
conference adopt the abovementioned document as the final result of their
deliberations.
A small number of countries firmly insisted on the
grave omissions and ambiguities of the document promoted by the
After a long and extremely tense discussion, the
position of the ALBA countries and
In view of the absence of consensus, the Conference
could only “take note” of the existence of that document representing the
position of a group of about 25 countries.
After that decision was made, --at 10:30 in the
morning Denmark’s time-- Bruno, together with other ALBA representatives, had a
friendly discussion with the UN Secretary to whom they expressed their
willingness to continue struggling alongside the United Nations to prevent the
terrible consequences of climate change. Their mission completed, our Foreign
Minister and Cuban Vicepresident Esteban Lazo departed to come back home and attend the National
Assembly session. A few members of the delegation and the ambassador stayed in
This afternoon they reported the following:
“…both, those who were involved in the elaboration of
the document, and those like the President of the United States who anticipated
its adoption by the conference…as they could not disregard the decision to
simply ‘take note’ of the alleged ‘Copenhagen Agreement,’ they tried to
introduce a procedure allowing the other COP countries that had not been a part
of the shady deal to adhere to it, and make it public, the intention being to pretend
such an agreement was legal, something that could precondition the results of
the negotiations that should carry on.”
“Such belated attempt was again firmly opposed by
“This is how the meeting in
Tomorrow our attention will be focused on the
National Assembly.
Lazo, Bruno and the other members of the delegation will
be arriving at
Fidel Castro Ruz