United Nations Radio

Marty Natalegawa

It's been just over a week since the Copenhagen summit on climate change concluded. Shortly afterwards, Indonesia's Foreign Minister weighed in with his thoughts on the event. Speaking to the press in New York, Marty Natalegawa observed that Copenhagen was a "particularly difficult" conference-something which Indonesia had anticipated.

MARTY: As we approached Copenhagen, I think we were all quite aware that the much-anticipated legally binding treaty was not going to happen, and therefore our preoccupation was to ensure that nonetheless the Copenhagen conference would mark a significant enough progress from Bali and from Poznan.

NARR: Mr. Natalegawa says for Indonesia, the focus was always on "a clear and uncompromised stand" regarding limiting global warming to a rise of within two degrees Celsius by 2020, among other points. He further stated that developing countries would also need to shoulder their responsibility by following a low-carbon development path.

MARTY: And here I think Indonesia is speaking with a considerable degree of authority because we have as we approached the conference in Copenhagen announced our own commitment to reduce our emissions by 26 per cent from business-as-usual by 2020 and indeed 41 per cent if were to enjoy the support of the international community.

NARR: Copenhagen was billed as the opportunity for world leaders to "seal the deal" on a new treaty limiting greenhouse gas emissions. Mr. Natelegawa says while there were obvious differences among the countries attending, nonetheless "significant progress" was made during the two week event. He told journalists that Indonesia is "not unhappy" with the conclusion.

MARTY: Indeed, I can say that we are quite encouraged about what has happened in Copenhagen. A tremendous amount of work lies before us in terms of what next.

NARR: For Mr. Natalegawa, Copenhagen serves as "a good launch pad" for the world to work towards a legally binding agreement on climate change in the coming year.

MARTY: Now, what we wish to see as we approach 2010 and post-Copenhagen is that there is a fresh momentum and willingness to think outside the box, and it cannot be simply a re-do of what has been happening over the past year otherwise we will find ourselves come the middle of 2010 very much exactly in the same spot as we were as we approached Copenhagen.

NARR: The newly appointed Foreign Minister also pledged his government's commitment to work with other nations on a global treaty to limit greenhouse gas emissions while helping developing countries face climate change. And he foresees an opportunity for Asian countries to play a major role in the ongoing talks.

MARTY: We have India and China, of course, the two significant countries within the climate change debate. We have Indonesia as well, with our own particular preoccupation on forest issues. So I think if we get it right within Asia in terms of what our perspectives are on climate change, it would contribute significantly, we think, to the entire climate change debate.

NARR: Marty Natalegawa, the Foreign Minister of Indonesia, speaking at UN headquarters.

Producer: Dianne Penn
Duration: 2'49"