Chirac: Agreement 'likely' on climate

An agreement on climate change is likely at this week's G8 summit in Scotland, French President Jacques Chirac said Sunday following talks with the leaders of Russia and Germany.

"We had difficult discussions and it seems, I sincerely hope, that we are heading for an agreement," Chirac told a press conference after meeting Russian President Vladimir Putin and German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder in Russia's Baltic Sea resort of Svetlogorsk.

"We are waiting to know the American position, which was... far more moderate, or less demanding than ours. I hope we can find a sufficiently clear, firm agreement in this field," the French president said.

"I am hopeful, given the current state of affairs and discussions, that we will manage to reach an agreement," he added.

Climate change and aid to Africa will be the two key themes at the G8 summit in Gleneagles, Scotland on July 6-8.

Last week, Chirac said he was "not optimistic" about talks on climate change but was "determined" on the issue.

Paris wants to include "a clear and explicit reference to science" in the summit declaration.

Meanwhile, Putin said in Sunday's conference that Russia will back Germany's bid for a permanent seat on the United Nation's Security Council.

"I want to confirm that Russia will support Germany as a future permanent member of the... Security Council," Putin said.

Putin said Russia would support any "reasonable" plan for UN reform that had majority support.

"The important thing is that reform does not lead to splits and conflict," he told the news briefing.

When Schroeder arrived, the Russian president greeted him in German.

This was the sixth such get-together of the leaders of France, Germany and Russia. Spanish Premier Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero was also invited to the tripartite summit held in March this year.

"We can discuss further steps to promote bilateral relations, as well as the Russian relations with the EU," Putin was quoted as saying by Russia's RIA Novosti news agency.

Source: China Daily