"We appreciate the sentiments expressed by Secretary Rice, but the devil is always in the detail," South African Environment Minister Marthinus van Schalkwyk told Reuters.
"That is still the crux of the difference between the approach of the U.S. and the approach of the rest of the world," he said, referring to the split over national versus global targets. "For us this meeting is obviously to determine if the U.S. is willing to change (its) approach on that issue."
RICH COUNTRIES URGED TO DO MORE
Chief U.N. climate change representative Yvo de Boer told the conference he thought the discussions could contribute to the U.N. process. At a December U.N. meeting in Bali, Indonesia, representatives will consider a way to cut emissions after the Kyoto pact expires in 2012.
De Boer said it was crucial that industrialized countries commit themselves to an aggressive approach that would involve "going well beyond present efforts, given their historic responsibility and their economic capabilities."
One of the Bush administration's objections to Kyoto was that it exempted fast-growing economies like China and India while penalizing rich countries like the United States.
At least one study this year indicated that China is now the leading emitter of greenhouse gases, ahead of the United States.
A U.N. meeting on Monday drew more than 80 heads of state and government to focus on the problem of global warming. Bush skipped that meeting although he attended a working dinner hosted by U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon.
Other participants at the U.S. climate meeting were the European Union, France, Germany, Italy, the United Kingdom, Japan, Canada, India, Brazil, South Korea, Mexico, Russia, Australia, Indonesia and South Africa.
"I do think this meeting is a deliberate attempt to suggest a very different framework for the new international agreement, one that's based on voluntary measures," said Angela Anderson, vice president for climate programs at the Washington-based National Environmental Trust.
But an Indian official said U.S. official had repeatedly said they were not trying to circumvent the United Nations.
"We are fairly reassured on that point now," he said. "The great thing is the U.S. is engaging on climate change."
