'Extremist tactics' derail UN climate talks

"Extremist tactics" by small developing countries are derailing the United Nations climate talks in Denmark, New Zealand's political negotiator says.

Associate Climate Change Minister Tim Groser said Monday's negotiations were "completely wasted" because of confusion over the likely outcome of the Copenhagen meeting.

The African delegation led a walkout of developing countries to put pressure on rich countries over emissions reduction targets.

Tuvalu and the Maldives have pushed strongly, on behalf of other small island states, for a legally binding agreement from the conference.

Groser said they must abandon the idea. "The objective still remains that, but the Danish prime minister, as the chairman of this conference, and his minister, Connie Hedegaard, have said that is not attainable and we've been saying that for months," he said.

Officials were being "put off course by these extremist procedural tactics".

Groser noted the quiet approach of the major developing countries and the restraint of the European Union and the United States.

"It's almost got the feeling that the big boys are just watching, thinking `we'll let this go on and then we'll come in'."

Groser called Tuvalu's chief negotiator, Ian Fry, "an Australian Greenpeace activist" and attacked the "negotiating culture" and procedural focus of the United Nations.

Fry, who has not worked for Greenpeace for 12 years, said the talks were at an impasse.

US domestic policy was not ready to deliver, he said, adding: "Nobody wants to move."

Oxfam International executive director Jeremy Hobbs said rich countries were trying to delay discussions.

"Africa has pulled the emergency cord to avoid a train crash at the end of the week."

Climate Change Minister Nick Smith has held talks with Mexico, the Netherlands and Denmark.

"Despite some of the shenanigans in the broader conference, there's actually a very high level of inter-country agreement about what is required to be done," he said.

Ministers from Germany and Indonesia led resumed negotiations, but Groser said they would lead "nowhere".

New Zealand would "play it by ear", he said. "We've got a firm and credible position on the table."

- © Fairfax NZ News