Merkel concerned over lack of progress at climate meet

German Chancellor Angela Merkel has expressed concern over the lack of progress made by the negotiators at the Copenhagenclimate change conference after a week of hectic official-level discussions.

As the crucial conference entered its decisive phase, Merkel said she was worried that time was running out for the participating nations to reach a globally binding agreement on reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

"The time is running out and I don't want to hide the fact that I am a bit nervous whether we will be able to achieve everything," she told journalists in Berlin yesterday after discussions with the visiting Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono.

"The negotiations have to be completed by Friday. That means everybody is called upon to make their contributions so that the conference can conclude successfully. As far as the German delegation is concerned, we will do that," she said.

Chancellor Merkel is expected to outline her proposals to salvage the conference in a government declaration before the Bundestag, the lower house of parliament, shortly before travelling to Copenhagen today.

She may also reaffirm the European Union's and G-8 nations' target of limiting global temperature rise since the industrial times to a maximum of 2 degree Celsius even though most African countries and island nations threatened by rising sea levels want the temperature rise to be kept below 1.5°C. 

US President Barack Obama, British Prime Minister Gordon Brown, French President Nicolas Sarkozy and Chancellor Merkel agreed on their position for the final phase of the climate conference at a video conference held on Tuesday.

A German government spokesman said the four leaders instructed their staff to work closely in further preparations for their participation in the conference.