Climate deal deadlock in Delhi

Tough last-minute negotiations continued into the early hours of Friday, the summit's last day, as officials tried to hammer out a deal that all could agree on.

Differences between India, the host country, and the European Union (EU) appear to have held up an agreement until now.

At one stage, India's environment minister who is chairing the conference threatened to end the meeting without tabling a resolution at all if consensus did not emerge.

"I am under no compulsion to even bring out a Delhi Declaration on climate change", TR Baalu was quoted as saying by India's PTI news agency.

Rich-poor divide

Talks are continuing to try to develop a consensus before the meeting ends on Friday.

Although environmentalists protested against US opposition to incorporating the Kyoto Protocol into the "Delhi Declaration", differences between India and the EU are the stumbling block.

India, acting on behalf of developing countries, wanted to put in place a system of funding cleaner technology projects in poorer countries.

The EU, articulating the viewpoint of richer countries, demanded talks on future commitments to cut greenhouse gas emissions by developing countries.

Correspondents say the focus appears to have shifted from US interest in preventing the inclusion of the Kyoto Protocol, which the USA has rejected, into the final resolution that should emerge from Delhi.

Now, discussions appear to be more polarised along a North-South divide between developed and developing countries.