"We've tried to fit this in between the California primary and the Rio conference, which John has to cover," the bride-to-be said yesterday.

After the Rio conference, the world is more likely to be watching.

This dichotomy reflects the theme of the Rio conference - environment and development - in a rather unfortunate way.

And his attitude toward the Rio conference was governed by short-term political fears that trashed what could have been a public-relations success.

In addition, the Rio conference is expected to adopt a general statement of ecological principles called the Earth Charter.

Today's dismissals add to a growing fear among foreign environmentalists that the Rio conference will suffer from disorganization under the pressure of an expected 30,000 participants.

As recently as 1993, the year after the Rio conference, China was still a soybean exporter.

I am not going to go to the Rio conference and make a bad deal or be a party to a bad deal.

But I doubt whether a single trade or economic minister will attend the 2012 Rio conference.

The Congress is designed to tie-in with the Rio 2012 conference being held in June.