PROGRESS in global talks on climate change has been slow since an agreement was struck in Bali late last year, said Deputy Prime Minister and Coordinating Minister for National Security S. Jayakumar on Monday.

The obstacle? Developed and developing countries remained deadlocked over certain issues, said Mr Jayakumar, who leads a ministerial committee to tackle climate change.

He was giving an update on the Bali Road Map in Parliament, in response to a question from Nominated Member of Parliament Edwin Khew.

The Bali agreement, signed by 190 nations last December, committed them to two more years of talks to come up with a new climate treaty to replace the Kyoto Protocol, which expires in 2012.

Since then, delegates have met twice in Bangkok and Bonn to clarify the agreement. A third meeting in Ghana is currently underway, with another scheduled for December in Poland.

Progress has been slow so far on certain substantive issues, and discussions have been 'complex and highly politicised', said Mr Jayakumar.

Developing nations, for example, want to see greater committment from developed countries in the reduction of carbon emissions. They are also pressing for more assistance in terms of greater transfer of technology and financial support.

Developed countries, meanwhile, are calling on rising powers among developing nations to take on more committments to reduce emissions.

Rising powerhouses like China and India have so far been reluctant to adopt emission reduction targets, for fear that they will lose out to other countries.

Mr Jayakumar said progress will continue to be slow this year, as this year has been earmarked for discussions before actual negotiations are launched next year.