The second thing is, that we use, as our country, our position in every way we can to push this agenda at a senior level. I've already said that for Britain's chairmanship of the G8 next year, there should be two issues for us: one is Africa, the other is climate change. Now I think it is important that we take a clear case on climate change to the G8 next year. I'm not saying it will always be easy, but it's important that the case is made, and I think that will give a focus to the efforts that are being made by this group and by others, not just in this country, but elsewhere in the world. //
So I wanted to come and participate in the launch of The Climate Group for a very simple reason. When I first became Prime Minister, I obviously had a certain instinctive position about this issue and we as a political party coming into government had certain policies about it. But one of the first things I did, which is one of the advantages when you come into government, is that instead of having a small research group somewhere with people doing this as well as half a dozen other things, you can mobilise some of the best scientific minds and research that there is and I said, look, give me the facts. The interesting thing that came back to me was that the facts and the research indicated that this problem was, if anything, greater than I had realised //
I don't think, as I said before, there is any bigger long-term question facing the global community. This group will be one part of a set of relationships and groups and a movement worldwide to make sure that we treat the issue with the seriousness that it deserves. One thing for sure is this, if you talk to any group of young people in our country or anywhere else today, they realise its importance. They want us to act upon it, they know sometimes it will involve difficult decisions, but the cost of not acting in this case is so overwhelmingly greater than any short-term cost of action, that we have to act and we have to act now. //
So I'm delighted to be with you all this morning and I wish you the very best of luck with The Climate Group, I think it's a very, very important initiative. I am delighted to see so many people from different parts of the world that are here today. This is an issue that will carry on dominating our agenda but hopefully with your help, it will dominate the agenda of the global community in the years to come. //
(Excerpts from UK Prime Minister's speech on climate change delivered on April 27, 2004)
2007年3月1日,甲公司与乙公司签订了一份木材购销合同,合同约定这批木材货款共200万元,由乙公司于同年5月20日前5日内一次性交货,甲公司收货后10日内一次性交付货款。为了保证合同履行,甲公司应乙公司的要求,以两辆卡车作抵押担保,另外,还请丙公司为甲公司债务提供保证担保,但未约定保证方式、保证责任范围和保证期间。2007年5月10日,乙公司所在地连降大雨,遭受严重水灾,导致乙公司无法按期供货,经双方协商,将供货期限延至6月5日。到了5月底,水灾影响已消除,但到了6月5日,由于乙公司内部进行规范化管理整改,仍未能对甲公司供货,直至7月上旬乙公司才一次性交货。由于乙公司延迟履行合同,造成甲公司35万元的经济损失。甲公司收货后即送门市部销售,但以乙公司违约并造成甲公司损失为由拒绝支付货款,乙公司向甲公司多次催款未果,于8月上旬向丙公司要求承担连带责任,丙公司认为由于乙公司违约在先,故担保合同无效,而不必承担保证责任,乙公司则认为自己迟延发货是由不可抗力造成的。随后,乙公司多次索讨货款不着,于是在同年11月1日向法院提起诉讼。法院受理该案2个月后,甲被债权人之一的B公司申请破产,有管辖权的某法院已受理该破产案件。要求:(1)判断乙公司认为其迟延交货是因为不可抗力造成的,应免于承担违约责任的理由是否成立,并说明原因。
(2)判断甲公司以乙公司违约为由而拒付货款的理由是否成立,并说明原因。
(3)甲公司以乙公司的两辆卡车抵押,说明该抵押合同生效的时间。
(4)乙公司要求丙公司承担全部债务的保证责任,并判断丙公司能否抗辩,并说明原因。
(5)法院一旦受理甲公司破产案例后:①说明乙公司与甲公司正在进行的民事诉讼案件的处理方法。②说明乙公司保证自己的合法权益的方法。③判断甲公司两辆卡车可否作为抵押物由乙公司实行抵押权。④甲公司被宣告破产前,保证人尚未为债务人清偿债务的,说明保证人应承担的法律责任。⑤如经查实,乙公司的迟延履行确属违约,并造成甲公司损失35万元,判断乙公司的债权与此损失赔偿款35万元可否抵销,并说明原因。⑥说明乙公司对甲公司的债权的清偿方法。