The Secretary-General welcomes the invitation issued today by Prime Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen of Denmark for Heads of State and Government to attend the closing days of the United Nations Conference on Climate Change in Copenhagen.

He strongly encourages all Heads of State and Government to attend this summit level gathering on 17 and 18 December. The Secretary-General believes that direct Head of State and Government involvement is essential for governments to reach agreement on the core issues at the heart of a global climate change deal.

The Secretary-General believes it is essential to maintain political momentum at the highest level and from all sectors of society, and is optimistic that an ambitious, fair and effective climate deal can be reached at Copenhagen.