ANKARA (A.A) - Turkey welcomed the recent approval at the COP 17 held in Durban, the Republic of South Africa between November 28 and December 9, 2011, of a road map for the post-2012 climate change regime.

A statement by the Turkish Foreign Ministry said, "climate change represents a threat which may create serious effects for humankind and our planet. There is an urgent need to address this threat on a global scale. To this end, negotiations are underway under the UN umbrella with the participation of all parties."

"In this context, Turkey welcomes the recent approval at the COP 17 held in Durban, the Republic of South Africa between 28 November - 9 December 2011, of a road map for the post-2012 climate change regime which will follow the first commitment period of the Kyoto Protocol," it said.

"The Durban package includes, inter alia, the approval no later than 2015 of a legal document in the combat against climate change which will be applicable to all Parties and which is expected to enter into force before 2020. It was also agreed at the COP 17 that the discussion on the modalities for the provision of support for mitigation, adaptation, technology development and transfer, capacity-building and finance to Turkey, whose special circumstances were recognized by the Parties in Marrakesh (2001) and Cancun (2010) Conferences, will be continued. We will pursue the matter with resolve with a view to taking the necessary steps in due course. Turkey has always supported the development of an equitable, comprehensive, rule-based and legally binding international instrument on the basis of the principles of 'common but differentiated responsibilities and respective capabilities' in the combat against climate change. With this understanding, Turkey will continue to actively contribute to the process," the statement said.