Fed: Rudd commends US "flexibility" on climate change

AAP General News (Australia)
12-17-2007
Fed: Rudd commends US "flexibility" on climate change

CANBERRA, Dec 17 AAP - Prime Minister Kevin Rudd has commended the United States for
its flexibility during global climate-change talks in Bali.

The US agreed to support a pact to negotiate emissions cuts of between 25 and 40 per
cent by 2020.

But the White House has expressed "serious concerns" about the deal which contains
no binding targets.

Mr Rudd said he respected the moves taken by the US government.

"I'd commend the flexibility we saw from the government of the United States in allowing
this consensus draft to go forward at Bali," Mr Rudd told reporters in Canberra today.

"There was a real danger that during that last day of negotiations that it would all
fall in a heap and again I commend the role of the Australian negotiating team led by
Senator Wong in pulling that out of the fire with the cooperation of other states."

Mr Rudd said there would be quarterly meetings on climate change through the year but
he was not sure what the US stance would be.

"I do not know is the honest answer, what the US negotiating position will be during
the course of this year.

"But what I know for a fact is this that it will be a hard, difficult negotiation."

AAP kc/rl/it/bwl

KEYWORD: CLIMATE BALI RUDD

2007 AAP Information Services Pty Limited (AAP) or its Licensors.