Sir, - It is President Bush and his Republican administration, not the American people, who should be strongly condemned for the cynical and careless abandonment of support for the Kyoto Agreement. When the Minister for the Marine and Natural Resources Mr Frank Fahey, on the Pat Kenny Show, wonders about the priorities of the American people, perhaps he forgets that they have a president whom they did not choose, but who was chosen for them by a divided Supreme Court. Al Gore, who won the popular mandate by over 500,000 votes, helped draft the Kyoto Agreement and strongly advocated its ratification. President Clinton and Al Gore initially signed the agreement but the Republican Congress refused to ratify it.
While people worldwide are appalled by Bush's regressive decisions on the environment, they should not be surprised, given his record in Texas and his close ties to the oil and mining industries. Bush and his administration must be made to recognise the long-term benefits of protecting the global environment and the Irish Government should continue to protest at Bush's decision. Americans voters in Ireland can also protest with their votes in the next Congressional elections. - Yours, etc.,
Liv Gibbons, Chair, Democrats Abroad Ireland, Baldoyle Road, Sutton, Dublin 13.