Adianto P. Simamora and Stevie Emilia
THE JAKARTA POST/COPENHAGEN

The climate conference resumed after being halted for half a day due to protests from African countries over the stalled talks over rich nations commitments in emission reductions under the Kyoto Protocol.The protest came just days before more than 110 world leaders are to attend the conference on Thursday with pressure mounting for the leaders to agree on a legally binding treaty for emissions cuts.

""The negotiations have resumed,"" Indonesian negotiator Tri Tharyat told The Jakarta Post Monday.African nations accused rich countries, currently bound to the Kyoto Protocol, of trying to kill the protocol and focus talks on the longterm targets of emissions cuts.In Barcelona last month, negotiators from developing countries also walked out of a meeting to protest moves by rich nations trying to scut-
tle the Kyoto Protocol.

The protocol, adopted in 1997 and to expire in 2012, requires 37 rich nations to slash their greenhouse gas emissions by at least 5 percent from 1990 levels. The United States did not ratif) the Protocol.In Copenhagen there are two tracks of negotiations. First, under the Kyoto Protocol, negotiators would formulate second commitment to emissions cuts by rich nations by 2013. Developing countries want rich nations to pledge cuts of 40 percent, as proposed by climate scientists under the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC).

Second, the long cooperative action (LCA) aims to set the global emissions cuts targets by 2050. Under the LCA draft, both rich and poor countries would be bound for emissions reductions, but most of the cuts would be the responsibility of industrialized nations.Developing countries would only cut their emissions from business as usual levels.Debate remained heated on whether the conference will produce two legally binding treaties for Kyoto and LCA. The African and Alliance of State Island States (AOSIS) wanted two protocols from Copenhagen.

African countries alledged most of talks here focused on the LCA target rather than short term targets under Kyoto Protocol.As news spread around Bella Center, dozens of activists gathered near the conference room chanting to support Africans demand.""Dont kill Kyoto. We stand Africa, Kyoto target now,"" they shouted.Director of Friends of the Earth International, Nnimmo Bassey, denounced the dirty negotiating tactic from rich countries by trying to change the rules to favor themselves.""We support the African countries demand for the Kyoto targets and mandatory emissions reductions for rich countries,"" Bassey said.""Developed countries are stalling these negotiations as Africa attempts to move them forward.""

Oxfam International also supported the African countries initiative, saying it as a warning for the conference to get back on the right track in negotiations.

""Africa has pulled the emergency cord to avoid a train crash at the end of week. Poor countries want to see an outcome which guarantees sharp emissions cuts, yet rich countries are trying to delay discussion on the only mechanism we have to deliver this - Kyoto,"" Oxfam executive director Jeremy Hobbs said.""This is not about blocking the talks - it is whether rich nations are ready to guarantee action on climate change and the survival of people in Africa and across the world.""

WWF International chairwoman Kim Carstensen said the uncertainty around the future of Kyoto Protocol had created lot of mistrust during the negotiations.The Copenhagen talks were also marred with stranded participants who had to wait for seven hours for registration before they were allowed to enter the main venue of the Bella Center.