Sydney Climate Talks Unaffected by Cancellations

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Cancelled visits to Australia by U.S. Secretary of State Condolezza Rice and Japanese Foreign Minister Taro Aso will not affect six-nation climate talks set for this week.

MELBOURNE — Cancelled visits to Australia by U.S. Secretary of State Condolezza Rice and Japanese Foreign Minister Taro Aso would not affect six-nation climate talks set for this week, a foreign affairs spokeswoman said on Sunday.


But a planned three-way security meeting between the United States, Japan and Australia would be rescheduled, she said.


Aso on Saturday postponed his planned visit to Australia following a similar decision by Rice, who called off her trip due the health of critically ill Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon and concerns of an outburst of Middle East unrest.


Rice and Aso had been expected to arrive in Sydney this week, when the first meeting of the Asia Pacific Partnership for Clean Development and Climate will be held from Jan. 11.


The United States and Japan will still be represented by senior officials at the meeting, which will also include China, India, Australia and South Korea.


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Inaugural three-way security talks to be held between Aso, Rice and Australian Foreign Minister Alexander Downer will be rescheduled.


"We are looking at dates in March now," the Foreign Affairs department spokeswoman said.


Downer is also due to meet Rice in the United States on Monday.


Source: Reuters


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