Heated Words On Global Warming

President Bush on Thursday parted ways with Europe over climate change, maintaining his opposition to a global warming treaty but pledging to seek "new channels of cooperation" on the issue.

Mr. Bush, in his inaugural trip to Europe as president, said he was optimistic about improving relations on a range of issues - including the environment, trade and defense - as he joined leaders of the 15-nation European Union at Gunnebo Slott, an 18th-century mansion atop a wooded hill nine miles outside Goteborg.

But after their meeting, Mr. Bush said he remains opposed to the 1997 Kyoto Protocol, which commits industrialized countries to reducing greenhouse gas emissions below 1990 levels by 2012. No industrial country has yet ratified the treaty, although most leaders have voiced support for it. An effort to salvage the treaty fell apart last November in a disagreement between the United States and Europe over trading pollution credits.

"We agreed to create new channels of cooperation on this topic," Mr. Bush said. "We don't agree on the Kyoto treaty, but we do agree that climate change is a serious issue and we must work together."

He said he objects to the Kyoto pact because it exempts developing nations. "The goals weren't realistic. But that doesn't mean we can't work together."

Swedish Prime Minister Goeran Persson said the EU would stick with the treaty, while the United States would "go on with their policy." But he was sharply critical of Mr. Bush off-stage, telling reporters that Mr. Bush's position is a heavy blow to the international effort to curb global warming.

"It will have a tremendous impact, sorry to say, because it would have sent an extremely strong signal if the U.S. had stuck with the Kyoto protocol," Persson said.

He said he found Mr. Bush sincere in his desire to work with Europe on climate change, but "the problem is we think that he has chosen the wrong policies, and I have the impression he thinks the same way about Europe."

Prodi said he was pleased that, despite its opposition, the United States would take part next month in a global warming conference in Bonn, Germany.

"So the dialogue goes on, even if there are big differences," Prodi said, adding that ratification is under way in some European countries and will begin soon in others. "There is no one message of refusal or delay over ratification," he said.

Otherwise, the leaders discussed trade, security and human rights issues on the Korean Peninsula and the AIDS threat in Africa.

Previewing his meeting Saturday with Vladimir Putin in Slovenia, Mr. Bush said he would assure the Russian president on three fronts: "One, Russia is not the enemy of the United States. Two, the Cold War is over. And the mentality that used to grip our two nations during the Cold War must end. Three, we look forward to working with Europe."

While the leaders met in Goteborg, more than 200 demonstrators were arrested nearby in a confrontation with police.

A crowd of about 1,000 people approached a school where police were keeping 400 activists bottled up inside the building. Police say they were concerned some of the activists planned violence during demonstrations against Mr. Bush and the European Union.

Supporters of those in the blockaded building began pounding on metal containers police had placed around it.

Police then pushed back the crowd and arrested more than 200. Police say five officers were slightly injured.

At least 9,000 protesters had arrived in Goteborg, 300 miles southwest of the capital, Stockholm, according to city officials, and more were expected to join rallies against globalization and Mr. Bush's environmental policy, among other things, during the three days of meetings.

Goteborg is the third stop on Mr. Bush's five-nation European tour. His visit to Sweden is the first ever by a sitting U.S. president.

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