A new agreement imposing restrictions on greenhouse gas emissions, a successor to the Kyoto protocol, is to be signed at he Copenhagen climate summit today. Among the participants are the Heads of State and Government of 193 countries. Analysts point out difficulties in drafting the new agreement. The developing and developed countries have assumed so different stances that the talks may be thwarted. The EU-proposed restrictions affect the interests of developing countries led by China and the producers of hydrocarbons led by Russia.

U.S. and China have serious disagreements: U.S. law-makers proposed a special tax on the imports from the states that fail to take necessary measures to reduce air pollution. China, in urn, believes this approach may cause new trade wars.

The Danish capital is excited over the forthcoming visits of Russia and U.S. Presidents, Dmitry Medvedev and Barack Obama. The U.S. leader was to make a speech at the Summit on December 9, but his visit was postponed. According to some information, the reason is the criticism by other leaders, particularly by French President Nicolas Sarkozy, who reproved the U.S. leader for his intention to be absent from the summit on the most important days.

No information on talks between the Russia and U.S. leaders is available.

T.P.