US-German Climate Talks

"We need multilateral agreements to deal on a global basis with the challenges facing humanity," Merkel said after a meeting with Nancy Pelosi, Speaker of the US House of Representatives.

Pelosi, for her part, stressed her commitment to "save the planet" and said she supported cooperation on climate change as she met with Merkel.

Pelosi, a Democrat who opposes President George W. Bush's environmental policy, also called for "global and sustainable solutions" to halt climate change, including making greater use of advanced technology.

After Tuesday's meeting, Pelosi agreed with Merkel that climate change "solutions must be multilateral." She praised Merkel's "extraordinary leadership" in addressing the issue of global warming.

Merkel said the United States was "moving a lot" on climate change, but made no reference to the differences threatening to derail a deal at the June 6-8 summit in the northeastern German resort of Heiligendamm.

With just over a week to go before the conference, senior officials of the Group of Eight wealthy nations will hold a new round of talks this week in an attempt to resolve last-minute differences.

US expected to object

The meetings follow objections raised by the US administration to a proposed declaration on global warming to be issued by the leaders of the United States, Canada, Japan, Britain, France, Italy, Germany and Russia.

In a draft statement obtained by US media, Bush administration officials are rejecting a proposal by Germany to cut greenhouse gas emissions to 50 percent below 1990 levels by the year 2050.

They are also reported to be objecting to language calling for raising overall energy efficiencies by 20 percent by 2020.

Merkel told parliament last week that she was not certain an agreement could be reached at the summit to cover the period after the Kyoto protocols on curbing greenhouse gas emissions run out in 2012. The United States did not sign the Kyoto accords.