Germany's Chancellor Praises Bushâ€™s Greenhouse Gas Proposal

BERLIN (AP) _ Just days before hosting a Group of Eight summit that has already drawn violent protests, German Chancellor Angela Merkel on Sunday described President Bush's new initiative on global

Sunday, June 3rd 2007, 7:45 pm

By: News On 6

BERLIN (AP) _ Just days before hosting a Group of Eight summit that has already drawn violent protests, German Chancellor Angela Merkel on Sunday described President Bush's new initiative on global warming as ``very welcome,'' but insisted it must fall within the framework of United Nations treaty negotiations.

Bush on Thursday proposed the 15 biggest emitters of greenhouse gases hold meetings and set an emissions goal. But he would let each country _ including the U.S., China, India and the major European countries _ decide individually how to implement it.

``The U.S. initiatives on climate protections are very welcome to us, under the condition that they are channeled into the framework of the U.N. program,'' Merkel said during a news conference at her office with visiting British Prime Minister Tony Blair. He supported her position.

``It is good that the U.S. has made these commitments. We need to make sure that we keep these targets within the U.N. agreement,'' he said.

Merkel stressed the need to work with the U.N. climate change program, which produced the 1997 Kyoto Protocol. Merkel wants the G-8 to look ahead to the start of negotiations under U.N. auspices in December in Bali, Indonesia, on a new climate change treaty to replace Kyoto, which expires in 2012. The protocol requires developing countries to cut emissions 5 percent below 1990 levels.

The United States did not ratify it because it places no burden on rapidly developing countries such as China and India.

Merkel will host Bush, Blair and other leaders of the Group of Eight in a three-day summit beginning Wednesday in Heiligendamm, Germany, and the final statement will be closely watched for how much agreement can be achieved on measures to stem climate change.

In an interview in Der Spiegel newsweekly, Merkel said U.N. involvement was ``not negotiable'' and that she would not engage in ``shabby compromises'' on the climate change issue.

The European Union, led by Merkel, whose country holds the rotating EU presidency, favors specific, deep cuts in emission of greenhouse gases, such as carbon dioxide, which are linked to global warming.

The EU has agreed to a 20-percent cut in emissions by 2020, and 30 percent if it is part of a new treaty.

Bush has favored investing in cleaner technology and in biofuel substitutes for gasoline, though his latest proposal showed a willingness to discuss specific emissions levels.

Despite the differences, Merkel said any progress would be valuable.

``We have a success if, after the summit, we have moved a bit further ahead than before.''

``Every initiative must be channeled into the entire United Nations process,'' she said. ``If that happens, this would mean that the United States is back in the community of those who are concerned about reduction, and that would already be something.''

German police tightened checks around the site of the gathering on Sunday, a day after hundreds of police officers and protesters were injured in skirmishes ahead of the summit.

In an interview on the n-tv news channel, Merkel deplored the ``terrible, dreadful pictures'' of black-hooded anti-G-8 protesters pelting police with rocks and bottles in the northern town of Rostock near the summit site.

``Violence is no way to solve things and shows that the police methods are necessary,'' she said.

The protest in Rostock on Saturday began quietly, and most marchers were peaceful. But some 2,000 hurled stones and bottles before police drove them back with tear gas and water cannons.

Police said more than 400 officers were injured Saturday, among them 30 who were hospitalized with broken bones and lacerations. Organizers said 520 demonstrators were hurt, 20 of them seriously.

Merkel and Blair also discussed another summit topic: aid to Africa. Anti-poverty campaigners such as the musicians Bob Geldof and Bono of U2 have pressed summit leaders to meet commitments to increase aid to poorer countries made with a flourish at the 2005 summit in Gleneagles, Scotland, led by Blair. They say not all the money has been forthcoming.

Blair said he would advocated reaffirming the Gleneagles aid goals, which would double annual spending on aid to Africa specifically by 2010.

``It is important that we do recommit to the obligations of Gleneagles,'' he said.

The G-8 countries are the United States, Germany, Britain, France, Italy, Russia, Canada, and Japan.