GLOBAL CLIMATE DEBATE

Chinese Leader Alleges U.S. Snub at Copenhagen

Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao says he skipped meetings of world leaders at last December's Copenhagen climate summit because China was snubbed.

Wen told a Beijing news conference he was never formally invited to a late-night leader's session before the conference's last day, and before President Obama arrived. He says he learned of the session only at a formal dinner with the Queen of Denmark that evening.

During the final day, Wen sent lower-level officials to hours of meetings at which world leaders, including President Obama, hammered out the text that became the Copenhagen Accord. Officials from both the U.S. and Europe have criticized Wen's absence and said China watered down the final agreement.

The accord was finalized only late Friday, when Obama met with Wen and the heads of India, Brazil and South Africa.

Wen said China has received no explanation for the snub, and he said he's "baffled" why officials in the U.S. and Europe keep claiming China obstructed a deal.

Wen said China worked with other nations to get the Copenhagen Accord and is committed to its pledges to combat climate change.