Acknowledging that differences does exist between India and the United States on climate change issue, a senior Obama administration official said the two countries are committed to reach successful a agreement in Copenhagen later this year.
"What is encouraging is that both the United States and India are committed to do whatever they can to reach a successful agreement in Copenhagen later this year," US Secretary of State for Public Affairs Philip J Crowley told reporters.
Responding to a question, he conceded that there were "differing point of view" on climate change, which came up in the event that the Secretary of State Hillary Clinton had over the weekend.
"I do not think they were necessarily as sharp as perhaps
some of the reporting would have suggested.
This is a subject of ongoing negotiations," he said, adding: "Obviously, negotiations are ongoing.
But I think the Secretary felt it was a constructive conversation."
Referring to the statements made by the Clinton in India, he said: "I think the Secretary reflected this in some of her comments over the weekend, that on the one hand we, the US, and other developed countries have a special responsibility because up until now we have, in fact, generated many of the greenhouse gases that have brought us to where we are."
At the same time, Crowley said the US recognizes going forward that something like 80 per cent of the greenhouse gases that will be emitted in the future will come from countries like India and China.
"So that, ultimately, for us to successfully address the challenge of climate change in the world, you have to have meaningful steps done both by developed countries like the United States, and emerging countries like India and China,"Crowley said.