EU ministers will seek to narrow differences on Monday over energy policy ahead of a summit due to adopt an ambitious plan to fight climate change. But foreign ministers from the 27 EU states meeting in Brussels are unlikely to resolve the most contentious issue of whether to set binding targets for renewable sources of energy before their leaders meet on Thursday, diplomats said.

"Everybody agrees we need to be ambitious," an EU diplomat said of the energy plan. "The only real question is whether we should go any further -- should we be even more ambitious?" The German EU presidency wants a binding target for renewable energy enshrined in the action plan -- not just a statement of aim to reach 20 percent for such sources, which include solar, wind and hydro power, by 2020.

While the European Union has declared fighting climate change a top priority, France and about 10 other countries, including several Eastern European states, are wary of binding targets that would impinge on their national energy strategies. "They are unlikely to resolve the issue on Monday," the diplomat said. "That will probably be left for the leaders." British officials have signalled that Prime Minister Tony Blair has dropped resistance to a binding target. Some EU diplomats said they expect French President Jacques Chirac to yield in exchange for a recognition that France's nuclear power programme helps cut carbon dioxide emissions.

A possible compromise, diplomats said, might be to make the 20 percent target binding on the EU as a whole but not on individual states, with burden-sharing to be negotiated later.

Darfur, Middle East, Iran
At the Brussels meeting, the ministers will also discuss crises in Darfur, the Middle East and Iran's nuclear programme. They are expected to urge the United Nations to consider tightening sanctions on Sudan over Darfur and pledge funds to help create a joint African Union-U.N. peace force.

On the Middle East, they are expected to reiterate a willingness to work with a new Palestinian national unity government provided it adopts an acceptable platform.

France has said it would be "disposed to cooperate" with the government but other EU states have said the coalition must clearly recognise Israel, renounce violence and accept interim peace deals before an embargo on direct aid can be lifted. The EU's executive Commission has played down the prospect of a swift resumption of direct aid, saying the new government would have to be judged by its actions.

At the same time, in bilateral talks with Israeli Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni on Monday evening, the EU side is expected to renew a call for the release of Palestinian tax revenues withheld by Israel since the Hamas militant group came to power. On Monday, the ministers will also hear from EU states that took part in talks on Saturday on a second U.N. sanctions resolution on Iran for failing to give up uranium enrichment, a programme the West believes is aimed at an atomic bomb and Tehran says is entirely peaceful.

The United States has been pushing for European governments to end export credits to firms doing business in Iran, but EU diplomats say some EU states are reluctant to go beyond steps directly linked to the nuclear programme. The ministers are expected to stress the need for a firm response to Iran while saying the door remains open for talks.
(Por David Brunnstrom, Planet Ark, 06/03/2007)