Final Document Drafted at Rio+20

Agreement has been reached on the wording of the final draft of the resolution of the Rio+20 UN Conference on Sustainable Development following closed-door negotiations, said Ma Zhaoxu, Assistant Foreign Minister and deputy head of the Chinese delegation.

At a press briefing with Chinese journalists on June 19 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Ma said that the agreement concluded 18 months of preparatory negotiations for the document, the Future We Want, which will be formally approved at Rio+20 from June 20-22. More than 130 heads of state and government are expected to attend the meeting, including Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao.

The current round of negotiations was initiated by Brazil and began on June 16 after the previous day's sessions of official talks had stalled.

According to Ma, the final draft was generally inclusive, balanced and positively-worded. He commented that it addressed the major concerns of all parties and will play an important role in promoting global sustainable development. He added that the draft was a very gratifying achievement for all concerned and reflected the basic concerns of China and those of developing countries.

The document reiterated the principles set out at the 1992 Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro, in particular the principle of "common but differentiated responsibilities," which is regarded as the basis of international cooperation on sustainability. With regard to green economy, Ma said that the document calls for each country's sovereignty to be respected, along with respect for every country's national conditions and stage of development. It also calls for greater importance to be attached to the eradication of global poverty.

Ma said that the Brazilian government made special contributions to the successful conclusion of the agreement, and added that the Chinese delegation had cooperated closely with the Brazilian side. According to Ma, the document urges developed countries to fulfill their commitments to helping developing countries. Commitments include providing aid of up to 0.7 percent of their gross national product, extending environmentally friendly technology transfers under favorable terms.

The document also calls on the world community to establish a high-level forum with a view to guiding the coordinated economic and social development and environmental protection of all countries. Ma said he hoped all nations will work in tandem to push for more comprehensive, positive and practical results at Rio+20, so that new vitality can be injected into the global mission for sustainable development.