Indonesia to refuse discussing climate change issue in WTO: official

JAKARTA, Nov. 26 (Xinhua) -- The Indonesian government would refuse discussion on climate change issue in the upcoming World Trade Organization (WTO) summit scheduled to take place next week in Geneva, Switzerland, the Bisnis Indonesia reported here on Thursday.

"We would reject any discussion, or involved in negotiations on climate change in the WTO meeting," Indonesian Trade Minister Marie Elka Pangestu told a press conference Wednesday.

Marie said that the climate change discussions should be conducted after the results of discussions in the upcoming Copenhagen climate change summit be publicly announced.

According to Marie, climate change issue would be brought in by developed countries aimed at creating another trade hurdle in the WTO meeting.

She added that the climate change issue in WTO is actually aimed at making developing countries hardly able to export their products to the developed countries.

The WTO's seventh ministerial meeting would be attended by at least 153 delegations from members of the WTO. The Geneva's ministerial meeting would be part of WTO's plan to seek breakthrough following the Doha Round impasse.

Despite the Indonesia's rejection, Marie said that Indonesia would open chances and possibilities to discuss with developed countries about carbon tax issue that may hinder Indonesia's export.

Carbon tax applied on CO2 emitted from the using of fossil-based fuel that would eventually increase global warming.