Deal on Kyoto Leaves U.S. Isolated

B O N N, Germany, July 23 -- Negotiators from around the world clearedthe way today for the first treaty to combat global warming,challenging the United States to join the worldwide effort to curbpolluting gases.

"We understand it is not a perfect protocol, but it is moreimperfect with the withdrawal of the United States," said EUEnvironment Commissioner Margot Wallstrom.

Though the U.S. withdrawal in March punched a big hole in thetreaty, the Europeans were determined to finally launch a climatechange pact in the works for seven years, and they said Washingtonwould be welcome to join.

Without the United States, which emits one-quarter of globalgreenhouse gases, the treaty loses considerable force. President Bush rejected the Kyoto Protocol as harmful toU.S. business and because it only applies to developed countries,omitting major polluters like China and India.

"It's a first step," EU chief negotiator Olivier Deleuze said."To bring the United States on board, we first needed a boat. Nowwe have a boat."

Bush has promised his own proposals, but his delegation showedup in Bonn empty-handed.

At issue in the talks were rules to govern the Kyoto pact, whichpledges industrialized nations to cut emissions of greenhousegases, chiefly carbon dioxide from cars, power plants andfactories.

All-Night Negotiations

During two sleepless nights of bargaining and phone callsbetween the Bonn delegates and their capitals, Japan emerged as thekey holdout because of misgivings about the enforcement provisions.

Conference chairman Jan Pronk and key delegates holed up throughthe night and into this morning, bargaining over a draft accordhe crafted to avoid a failure like at the last conference inNovember.

The breakthrough came at about 10 a.m. when Japanese EnvironmentMinister Yuriko Kawaguchi looked at the latest compromise proposal"and said, basically, 'We can accept everything here,"'conference spokesman Michael Williams said.

Two hours later, Pronk signaled adoption of the draft with therap of a gavel before the full conference. He was greeted by astanding ovation.