1 second ago 2009-12-04T10:20:03-08:00
SINGAPORE (AFP) – The United States called Wednesday for a compromise at next month's global climate talks in Copenhagen and urged Asian countries including China to do their part in forging a deal.
"We cannot let the pursuit of perfection get in the way of progress," US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton told a news conference here ahead of a weekend Pacific Rim summit to be attended by President Barack Obama.
The December 7-18 Copenhagen talks are aimed at achieving a global deal to slash greenhouse gas emissions to ease the impact of climate change before the 2012 expiry of the Kyoto Protocol, which excludes the United States.
Obama has brought the United States back into the climate discussions after his predecessor George W. Bush refused to sign the Kyoto pact.
"If we all exert maximum effort and embrace the right blend of pragmatism and principle, I believe we can secure a strong outcome at Copenhagen," Clinton told the news conference.
Beyond Copenhagen, "we are committed to reaching the goal of a global, legally binding climate agreement, and will continue working vigorously with the international community towards that end."
Clinton said she had "fruitful discussions" on climate change with counterparts from the 21-member Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum, which includes China along with Russia and Japan.
Earlier, in prepared remarks to a closed-door gathering of APEC foreign ministers, Clinton said the group's members account for 60 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions and their efforts can have a "transformative impact".
She called for a trade-off between raising global living standards and strong action on climate change.
