Gore Looks For Compromise At Global Warming Summit

In a speech intended to spur progress at the fractious 10-day United Nations summit on global warming, Vice President Al Gore today softened United States rhetoric that has swirled around the contentious meeting and sought to set the stage for a compromise.

After consulting with President Clinton, Gore said he was instructing American officials at the conference to “show increased negotiating flexibility.”

Despite offering a gentler approach, Gore pushed for the American view of what the world should do to reduce the type of air pollution responsible for increased warming of the Earth. And he reiterated the basic U.S. negotiating position instead of offering any specific new compromises.

The lack of a specific new proposal seemed to guarantee that negotiators - even as they redouble efforts - will not have an easy time finding common ground. The possibility still loomed that the meeting will end Wednesday with weak promises or in outright failure.