KYOTO, DEC 9: The United States, in intense negotiations for a new climate agreement, has offered to cut US gas emissions more than originally proposed in President Bill Clinton's plan for combating global warming, negotiators reported today.

European delegates said the US team offered a 2 per cent deeper cut than previously envisioned in the Clinton plan, which proposed reducing greenhouse gas emissions to 1990 levels by 2012.

The Europeans complained that was too little to achieve a compromise.American negotiator Todd Stern said, however, that the two per cent report was an understatement of what Washington was offering, and negotiations were continuing.

Given a freer hand by the White House, the US negotiators earlier today reported progress in the final intensive talks to piece together a historic accord to control energy use and protect the planet against global warming in the 21st century.

In a lightning one-day visit yesterday, US Vice President Al Gore announced he was giving the US team ``increased negotiating flexibility'' to end a standoff with Europe over how deeply to cut fuel emissions.Today, chief US negotiator Stuart E Eizenstat said the Europeans and Americans had ``a very detailed, thorough and useful discussion'' late yesterday and look forward to making further progress today.''

After meeting with Gore yesterday, Britain's deputy prime minister sounded optimistic that the 150-nation climate change treaty conference will conclude successfully tomorrow.

``It leads me to believe the flexibility and political will is there to reach an agreement,'' John Prescott said.

``I think it generated momentum,'' Gore said of his drop-by as he departed the conference hall late yesterday.

But even if the US-European differences are bridged, the US team must still nail down another major feature commitments by developing countries to limit emissions to improve chances the agreement will be ratified in the US Senate.The Kyoto conference was convened to strengthen the 1992 climate change treaty by setting legally binding targets for reducing industrial nations' emissions of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases linked to global warming.

A new treaty protocol would set the energy course for much of the world for decades to come from how we produce electricity to what we drive by encouraging movement away from coal and other carbon-heavy fuels.Carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases, mostly products of fuel combustion, allow sunlight through to earth but trap the heat the planet emits back toward space.Scientists believe atmospheric warming has probably already begun, and will boost temperatures as much as 3.5 degrees Celsius by 2100 if emissions are not controlled.

Warming would disrupt climate in potentially damaging ways, and raise sea levels by melting glaciers and expanding oceans.

One of the countries that would be most imperiled by rising oceans - the low-lying, overcrowded Bangladesh called on the bickering to end at Kyoto.``I appeal to all of you to mobilize the collective will ... And reach a negotiated Kyoto protocol,'' Syeda Sjeda Chowdhury, Bangladesh's environment minister said in her address to the delegates.

Gore's arrival clearly mobilized some new energy at least within the United States negotiating team, which appeared stalled as it stuck to the original US negotiating position.

Copyright © 1997 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.