G8 leaders fight over global agreement on climate change - Observer

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Source: The Observer

G8 leaders fight over global agreement on climate change

· US softens on deal to halt rising temperature
· Race against time to rescue talks before summit

Peter Beaumont and Paul Harris in New York
Sunday May 27, 2007
The Observer

A fierce battle is underway this weekend to rescue a proposed global
climate agreement in time for the G8 summit in a fortnight's time in
Germany, after sources close to the talks said Washington appeared
to be edging away from outright rejection of moves to halt rising
world temperatures.

It follows the international furore that yesterday greeted the leaking
of the US negotiating position which appeared to utterly rule out any
hope of achieving a breakthrough on a comprehensive climate deal
before Tony Blair leaves office at the end of next month.

But as the US came under fire for notes scribbled on a draft
communique leaked to Greenpeace suggesting it was preparing to
torpedo a five-point deal, sources close to the negotiations reported
the US position appeared to be shifting after new negotiations on
Thursday and Friday.

It also emerged that it was not only the United States that was
posting strong objections to the wording of the communique, but
Russia as well, while India and China had also expressed their own
reservations.

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Read more: http://observer.guardian.co.uk/world/story/0,,2089314,00.html