Category: Radio 4
Date: 04.07.2005
Printable version
Senator John McCain calls for more action from the United States on climate change and on Africa in his Alistair Cooke Memorial Lecture, to be broadcast live tonight (Monday 4 July) on 91Èȱ¬ Radio 4 at 8.00pm.
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In this lecture, given in tribute to the much-loved broadcaster who died last year, Senator McCain maintains that the United States needs to address the problems of greenhouse emissions and the reduction of fossil fuel usage.
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He says: "I support a market-based cap and trade system to reduce emissions... and I think the United States needs to address this problem more urgently than we have been inclined to do."
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With the G8 summit in mind, he questions the effectiveness of international aid for Africa without freeing international trade as well.
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He calls on both America and Europe to examine their farm subsidies policies which, he maintains, are costly to their tax-payers, "but also prevent African farmers from selling their produce on the international market.
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"It is very odd to offer cash for development with one hand, while using the other to close our markets to African goods, helping to ensure that these countries can't generate export-led growth."
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Senator McCain delivers a robust defence of British and US action in Iraq, and calls on every caring person to support the Iraqi people in the efforts to build a new democratic society in the Middle East.
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He praises the British people for their support and says: "I have never doubted for a moment that the world would be incalculably worse off without the strong British-American partnership."
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Notes to Editors
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John McCain's Alistair Cooke Memorial Lecture is broadcast live on Radio 4 on Monday 4 July at 8.00pm and on 91Èȱ¬ World Service at 10.30pm (UK time) on 4 July and 11.30am on 5 July.
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The lecture is also available via bbc.co.uk/radio4.
