Mood at Copenhagen talks darkens with news that China is setting its sights on a purely political - not legal - climate agreementThe chances of a meaningful deal emerging from the Copenhagen climate negotiations receded overnight as reports emerged that the Chinese were now setting their sights on a purely political agreement rather than a detailed text.British officials acknowledged the mood continued to darken with one saying "the process is not in great shape" and expectations of a draft text being produced this morning failed to materialise, something Danish sources blamed on the Chinese position.Gordon Brown also appeared to downgrade even his aspirations for a follow-up conference, which many had been focusing on for months as it became apparent as early as October that Copenhagen was only going to produce a political document rather than legal document.The German chancellor, Angela Merkel, also struck a downbeat note in a speech she made to parliament before travelling to Copenhagen. According to Reuters, she said that news of the negotiations had not been good and she warned a failure to reach an agreement would be damaging. "The news that we've been receiving is not good," she said. "I must say very honestly, that the United States offer to cut [CO2 emissions] by 4% compared to 1990 levels is not ambitious."In his speech at Copenhagen, Brown said nations should attempt to drive through legislation in six months to one year, a slight delay on his previous ambition of six months. He urged countries to: "Commit to turn this agreement into a legally binding instrument within six months to a year as we build on the Kyoto protocol."Aides said Brown's three-minute speech to the conference floor was going to be important in focusing minds with a section calling on countries such as the US to move to "the highest possible level of ambition for 2020" and also assuring developing countries that long funds provided by developed countries to smooth transiti ...

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