Mr. Chairman,

1. I have the honour to deliver this speech on behalf of the Group of 77 and China. Allow me, first of all, to thank the Government of Qatar for its valuable support and for making this additional session possible, and also for the Government of Thailand for its warm hospitality. The group assures you of its support to make a real progress during this informal session to achieve a successful and agreed outcome of the AWG-LCA during COP18 in Doha. It is important, in order to ensure the best possible outcomes in Doha, that we use this time wisely.

Mr. Chairman,

2. The Group of 77 and China recognize that important progress has been made in the negotiations of this Working Group over the past years. We must ensure a smooth transition, within a comprehensive appreciation of work within the AWG LCA and AWG KP and to ensure a satisfactory result under the principles of the Convention including equity and common but differentiated responsibilities and respective capabilities and the historical responsibilities of developed country parties.

Mr. Chairman,

3. For the G77 and China, mitigation is a important part of a balanced and ambitious outcome in Doha. Therefore there is a need for balance, both within mitigation and between mitigation and adaptation and as well as finance. In this context, priority must also be given to ensuring that raising ambition is enhanced

We must also ensure that developing countries receive adequate support to implement actions agreed in Cancun and in Durban. Furthermore, we believe that a second commitment period under the Kyoto Protocol must be the basis for comparable Annex I emission reduction commitments of Non Kyoto Protocol Parties, thus maintaining the stringency of obligations for all Annex I Parties.

4. With regards to adaptation, the Group once again welcomes progress made in defining the modalities, composition and procedures of the Adaptation Committee, and assigns priority to its full operationalization as soon as possible through their three year rolling work plan to be adopted at Doha. It will be important to ensure strong linkages and coherence with other institutional arrangements, in particular to the operating entities of the financial mechanism and the TEC and the CTCN.

5. The G77 and China believes that the main source for long-term finance should be public funds mobilized by developed countries, so as to ensure the adequacy and predictability of new and additional finance to mitigation, adaptation, technology development and transfer and capacity building costs in developing countries, and to redress the historical imbalance in financing for adaptation. In addition, the G77 and China recognizes the importance of mobilizing significant funding, in accordance with the principles of the Convention without transferring financing burden to developing countries.

Finally, Mr. Chairman,

6. The Group of 77 and China is fully committed to realizing meaningful results and successful outcomes at the 18th session of the Conference of the Parties which will be held in Doha.

Thank you.