Gruff Welcome to Dignitaries

By Floy Lilley, J.D.
December 15, 2004

His Excellency, Mr. D. Nestor Carlos Kirchner, President of Argentina, felt no compunction to play the gracious host as he opened the high-level segment of ministers in the concluding three days of COP 10 here in La Rural, Buenos Aires.

"The [rich] developed countries consume to their hearts' content while the Less Developed Countries merely try to survive," charged His Excellency.

Kirchner brought his form of moral persuasion to bear upon his perceived solution to the inequity he sees in climate change by saying, "Nature is putting into question the very nature of human civilization. The [rich] developed countries caused the destruction of environmental quality. The lesser developed, indebted nations need relief from their creditors who caused the problem."

Ah. Now it is clear.

Argentina, perhaps with good reasons, has always blamed the United States for the default of their peso since COP 4 was held here in 1998. That default did much to eliminate the middle class in this country. Homeless and beggars now litter the broad and, otherwise, beautiful boulevards of this city to eighteen million proud people.

Forget environment. His Excellency wants Argentina's debts erased.

Kirchner marched to heavy applause out of the Plenary Session hoping he had delivered at least to the bankers if not to Greenpeace.