Copenhagen Climate talks deadlocked

Negotiations to hammer out an "equitable and fair" deal on climate change were deadlocked today with countries refusing to budge from their positions on sticky issues like emission cuts as world leaders, including Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, are set to join the talks.

With just two days left to seal a deal that is acceptable to all, world leaders acknowledged that a deal at Copenhagen would be "very difficult" and there was "no guarantee of accord".

Environment Minister Jairam Ramesh, who is leading the Indian delegation, said the BASIC group -- comprising India, China, South Africa and Brazil -- "is united and we would like to reiterate that we want an equitable and fair agreement to emerge out of Copenhagen."

"But if for some reasons there are disappointments, BASIC will not be to blame," he told reporters here.

His statement came as Prime Minister Manmohan Singh arrives here tomorrow for the final leg of the 12-day climate change summit, which will be attended by US President Barack Obama.

In the midst of nine days of unproductive talks, Connie Hedegaard, the Danish president of the UN climate conference, resigned as the head of the talks to make way for Denmark Prime Minister Lars Loekke Rasmussen to give a political push to the negotiations.