|
Finding the political will...
The first several Heads of State and Government have given their statements, including Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao, Brazilian President Lula da Silva, and President Obama. The Prime Minister of Japan is now speaking. The meeting started very, very late - it felt like an hour, but I didn't check the time, so I can't say for sure.
Negotiations are still ongoing. Apparently, several major leaders, including President Obama, were in a meeting before the plenary started. The statements given by the leaders so far indicate that agreement has not yet been reached. There is still room for hope, but people are again reiterating their known positions. It seems to my uninformed eyes that someone is going to have to give on something, or at least allow an issue to be kicked down the road, in order to come away with an agreement.
The mood in the hall is very, very subdued. The NGOs have essentially been shut out of the halls today, so there are no crowds, and the energy seems to have been sucked out of the place. For most of the people here, the outcome is no longer in their hands. It now rests with Heads of State. There is a sense of cautious hope, mixed with some resignation, but most of all, exhaustion. Many of the people here have gone without adequate sleep for several days.
I'm still hopeful. I will try to post once or twice more today.
|
Posted By: Thomas Lee @ 1:25 PM |