Climate change conference promises to deliver a deal (Lead, Changing Dateline)

Negotiators from 196 countries appeared set to clinch a deal on Saturday after burning midnight oil, veering around limiting global warming to 2 degrees Celsius and even 1.5 degrees if possible and creating a fund of $100 billion per annum by rich nations for developing countries to pursue their national interests without harming the environment further.

"If there can be a landmark agreement for the planet, it's now. It's rare in life to have the opportunity to change the world. You have it," French President Francois Hollande told the conference, referring to the 31-page draft final text of the pact, while also requesting the negotiators to adopt it.

Hollande, who joined the conference on Saturday to lend some political weight to the negotiations and gave some time to the interlocutors to study the draft final text, also called Prime Minister Narendra Modi for India's support as a key member among the 196 negotiating countries.

"As COP21 (the 21st Conference of Parties, as the summit is called) enters final stage, President Hollande calls PM Narendra Modi to apprise him of latest status," India's foreign office spokesperson said.

"PM appreciated the gesture," the spokesperson tweeted.

UN Secretary General Ban-Ki Moon also pressed the negotiators not to let go of the opportunity. "We must protect the planet that sustains us. We need all our hands on deck," he told journalists here.

The Indian side at the conference -- under the aegis of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change -- is being led by Environment and Forests Minister Prakash Javadekar.

The meeting, which began on November 30 and was to conclude on Friday, was extended by a day to clinch a possible deal.