Obama calls Singh, discusses climate change, AFPAK

New Delhi, Dec.1 (ANI): US President Barack Obama telephoned the Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh on Tuesday morning and discussed various issues, including the forthcoming Climate Change summit scheduled to be held in Copenhagen.

Both leaders also reportedly discussed the current situation in Afghanistan and steps, that could be taken to re-establish peace and stability in that region.

During his brief discussion, Dr. Singh told Obama that India would play a constructive role in negotiations and looked forward to a successful outcome at the Copenhagen meet.

During the recent Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) in Port of Spain, Dr. Singh had described climate change as a challenge of global dimension, which deserved a global and collaborative response.

"We are only days away from the convening of the 15th Conference of Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change in Copenhagen. India has repeatedly emphasized the need for the Copenhagen outcome to be comprehensive, balanced and above all, equitable," Dr. Singh had said in an intervention during a special session on the issue of climate change during the CHOGM.

India, he said, is willing to sign onto an ambitious global target for emissions reductions or limiting temperature increase, "but this must be accompanied by an equitable burden sharing paradigm."

During Dr.Singh's recent US visit, India and the United States agreed on a Memorandum of Understanding, which the White House describes as a "green partnership", to increase cooperation on energy security, clean energy, and climate change.

Addressing a select gathering of Indo-US business leaders in Washington earlier last week, Dr. Singh said New Delhi plans to sign with the US Government a Memorandum of Understanding on energy security, clean energy and climate change with the objective of increasing bilateral cooperation in these specific areas.

New Delhi has linked the issue of climate change commitments to the case for greater US cooperation on the supply of nuclear power.

At several forums, Dr.Singh has already said that to augment energy security, a strategic shift will have to be made from carbon-based energy sources to newer ones, including nuclear energy.

If India is expected to fulfill expectations in speedily reducing carbon emissions, its energy security needs will have to be addressed, and one of the considerations is to make the shift from carbon-based sources to newer ones, he said. (ANI)