Changes likely to Kyoto pact

TOKYO, JULY 8. The Belgian Environment Minister, Ms. Magda Aelvoet, said she did not rule out the possibility of revising the Kyoto pact on global warming to try to bring the United States back on board, a Japanese business daily reported.

Ms. Aelvoet told Nihon Keizai Shimbun that it was possible the European Union would consider revising the Kyoto protocol if Japan failed to persuade Washington to reconsider.

``We would not rule out moderate revisions,'' Ms. Aelvoet was quoted yesterday as saying. Belgium currently holds the six- months presidency of the European Union. It was not clear if she was referring to changes to the treaty itself or to the rules on how it is implemented.

So far, the E.U. has said the protocol itself is not up for renegotiation but major elements of how it would be put into effect could be discussed at the next conference of parties to the treaty in Bonn later this month. The Japanese Environment Minister, Yoriko Kawaguchi, has said implementation rules should be discussed.

The treaty to cut greenhouse gases has been in danger of disintegrating ever since the United States - the world's top carbon dioxide producer - withdrew earlier this year, citing economic concerns.

The U.S. President, George W. Bush has rejected the treaty as ``fatally flawed''.

- Reuters

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Section  : International
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