UN Climate Conference Opens in Bonn 　　A major United Nations conference opened on October 25 in Bonn, where ministers and senior government officials from more than 160 countries began their 11-day negotiations over how to minimize emissions of greenhouse gases. 　　At the Fifth Session of the Conference of the Parties of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change, or COP5, a wide range of political, economic and technical issues linked with the theme are expected to encounter some 5,000 participants from all over the world. 　　The continuously rising emissions of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases from the wealthy nations have caused concerns. Kofi Annan, UN secretary general, urged the developed countries to contribute more to protect the world climate. 　　"The Kyoto Protocol must take effect in 2002," said Annan in a letter to the conference. 　　The Kyoto Protocol, not yet ratified by most industrial countries, will commit the wealthy nations to cut their overall emissions until 2012 by 5 percent compared to 1990 levels. 　　But scientists have predicted emissions from the OECD nations will increase 18 percent above 1990 levels by 2010 unless effective measures are taken, and it will be a major factor that causes global temperature rise in following years. 　　The OECD, namely the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, is the largest bloc of developed countries. 　　In his letter, Annan further appealed the OECD nations to help the poor ones, financially and technically. 　　"The developing countries must be provided with financial and technical helps, so that they can follow the way of environment friendly development," said Annan. 　　To echo Annan's appealing, German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder said his country would map out a "national strategy" of cutting emissions by 21 percent by 2012. He also called on other wealthy nations to take action. 　　While addressing the opening of the conference, Schroeder said, "Those who take their responsibility seriously must take action now." 　　"And those who sidestep the theme (climate protection)... will in only a few years lose the entrance to the most important markets in the next century," he added. 　　However, most industrial countries, the US in the lead, said a rapid transition to low emission economy could hurt their industrial and commercial competitiveness. They demand developing countries, which account for only 30 percent of the greenhouse gases, be committed to cut emissions. 　　Three largest economies in the world, the US, Japan, and the European Union, have not ratified the Kyoto Protocol, which will become international law only after at least 55 countries, including developed ones accounting for at least 55 percent of developed country emissions, have ratified it. 　　With all these negotiations ahead, the UN officials did not expect a breakthrough in Bonn. They said the COP5 was aimed to make preparation for the next round, and crucial decisions would be left for COP6 scheduled for the year 2000 in The Hague, the Netherlands. 　　"The crunch will come in The Hague," said Michael Zammit Cutajar, executive secretary of the convention. 　　"The final results will have to satisfy the major industrial countries, trigger their ratification of the protocol, and offer incentives to developing countries to take further action in the future," he said. 　　"The Bonn conference must build confidence in a successful outcome at The Hague by adopting important technical decisions, sending positive signals to business and industry, and engaging ministers fully in the task of focusing and speeding up the negotiations," said Cutajar. (Xinhua) WorldNews 1999-10-27 Page7 Full Story in Chinese