国連は16日、国連気候変動枠組み条約第15回締結国会議（COP15）の議長を務めているデンマークのヘデゴー気候変動・エネルギー相が首脳会合を前に辞任すると発表した。首脳会合の議長は、デンマークのラムスセン首相が務める。

Hedegaard, Danish minister of climate change resigned from COP15 chairperson = UN

Danish Prime Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen will replace Danish minister Connie Hedegaard as president of the U.N. climate talks for a final summit session, the United Nations said on Wednesday.

ヘデゴー氏は会合で「国・政府の多くの首脳が到着しており、デンマークの首相が議長を務めるのが適切。ただ、首相はわたしを首相の特別代表に任命しているので、引き続き交渉にあたるつもりだ」と語った。

"With so many heads of state and government having arrived it's appropriate that the Prime Minister of Denmark presides," Hedegaard told the 193-nation meeting. "However, the Prime Minister has appointed me as his special representative and I will thus continue to negotiate the...outcome with my colleagues," she said.

今回の動きについて、同氏は手続き上のことと説明した。同氏をめぐってはアフリカ諸国の間で、交渉において富裕国に好意的との批判も挙がっている。

She said the move was procedural. Separately, Hedegaard has been criticized by African nations for favoring rich nations in the negotiations.

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（対訳／ジアスニュース）