Emission cuts subject to advice: Rudd

Sydney, Dec 6 (UNI) Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd said he would take advice on whether emission cuts targets were workable.

He playing down reports that Australia was moving to support a 25 to 40 per cent cut in greenhouse gas emissions by 2020.

The Australian delegation to the United Nations climate talks in Bali indicated that it supported the target as the basis of negotiations in the next round of the Kyoto Protocol.

However, Mr Rudd hinted at taking advice on the issue.

''We will be determining, based on the merits, and based on the advice that we get through the commission of inquiry, the interim targets which are appropriate for Australia.'' ''The reason for doing it in a methodical way which we've outlined is to ensure that those targets are meaningful environmentally, and responsible economically,'' he said.

Australia agreed to ratify the Kyoto Protocol, isolating the US at the Bali talks as the only rich nation not in the pact.

UNI