Merkel 'Nervous' about Prospects for Success in Copenhagen

[FarCenter]

Things aren't looking so good in Copenhagen as the critical end phase of the climate summit nears.

Indeed, the face off between developing countries and rich nations has become so tense that British Prime Minister Gordon Brown has decided to head to the conference early. And German Chancellor Angela Merkel said on Tuesday that she was "nervous" about the prospects of the summit, which comes to an end on Friday.

"I can't conceal the fact that I've become a bit nervous about whether we'll be able to do it," Merkel said at a press conference in Berlin, where she held talks with Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono prior to heading to Copenhagen later this week. "We all know time is running out and we need to get serious."

She added that "considering how little time is left, everyone needs to make a constructive contribution to make Copenhagen a success."

United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon arrived in Copenhagen on Tuesday and British Prime Minister Gordon Brown was expected later in the day -- a day earlier than he had originally planned to show up. Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd, who twice failed to pass climate legislation in his country, arrived in Copenhagen on Monday. Most of the 110 world leaders expected to attend will arrive on Wednesday and Thursday.

But they will arrive at a climate conference which, at the beginning of its second week, is descending into a free-for-all clash between the world's rich countries and the world's poor countries. Indeed, Ban said on Tuesday that the two groups must "stop pointing fingers."

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