“Today I held discussions with H.E. Mr Laurent
Fabius, French Minister of Foreign Affairs, who is on an official visit
to India. The meeting was good and fruitful. We discussed various
issues relating to Environment Protection and Climate Change, besides
touching upon other issues of mutual interest.

India attaches great importance to the visit of the French Minister as
it reflects the commitment of the two sides to further deepen bilateral
relations. Today’s meeting is also significant because both India and
France look forward to a productive and fruitful outcome in 2015 Paris
Climate Conference.

I would like to express my deep gratitude to H.E. Mr Laurent Fabius for
assuring that France would act as a facilitator for all the parties to
the 2015 Climate conference to create an atmosphere of trust, reconcile
viewpoints, and enable the unanimous adoption of a global agreement in
Paris.

I am also grateful that H. E Mr Laurent Fabius has agreed to consider a
proposal to convene the Ministerial level/High official level meeting,
sometimes during the middle of this year, to discuss and sort out issues
which often remain unresolved at the negotiator’s level. This shall
pave the way to iron out contentious issues and help in adoption of
smooth agreement and avoid “huddle” at the Paris Conference.”