The United States yesterday dampened hopes in the deadlocked United Nations talks on limiting the emission of gases held responsible for global warming. European negotiators and leading officials at the 10-day conference in Japan had raised expectations of a deal on how many greenhouse gases should be covered. But even this hurdle, easier to leap than many others confronting the nations gathered in the ancient Japanese capital of Kyoto, could not be cleared, according to Washington's main negotiator.
Europe added further to the gloom, predicting that a stand-off over US demands that developing countries agree to new commitments would linger until the last moment of the Kyoto talks.
In addition, no progress was reported on one of the toughest questions: how far to go in imposing legally-binding cuts in greenhouse gas emissions.
An EU representative at the conference, Mr Pierre Gramegna, and a senior conference official, Mr Raul Estrada, had suggested positions were getting closer on a proposal that just three gases should be covered by the proposed limits.
The compromise would have left a further three for another conference late next year, widely expected to be in Buenos Aires. However, the US negotiator, Ms Melinda Kimble, squashed expectations that Washington might drop its insistence that all six gases be included.
"The United States and a number of other countries made very clear that we believed the most environmentally-perfect basket is one that includes all six greenhouse gases," she said.
Mr Gramegna, a Luxembourg diplomat, said progress between developing countries and the US was hard to envisage.
"We have had contacts with the developing countries and have listened carefully to their positions and we think that it will be a very difficult issue that will drag on to the last day of this conference," he said.
Mr Gramegna said the EU's own discussions with the US were advancing over difficult terrain.
The two sides would be in constant contact "until the end of this conference in order to add as much as possible common ground".
Taking 1990 greenhouse gas emissions as a base, the EU is calling for a 15 per cent cut by 2010, Japan for a 5 per cent cut between 2008 and 2012 and the US for no change between 2008 and 2012.
Each offer, however, has a different underlying basis. The US, for example, includes six greenhouse gases in its proposal while Europe and Japan include only three.
Ministers who will take the final decision will gather in Kyoto from this weekend.
The Taoiseach, Mr Ahern, has agreed to a Green Party request for a Dail debate on the outcome of the Kyoto conference. The debate, which is to take place next week, was proposed by Mr John Gormley TD.