The Advisory Committee on Economic Affairs yesterday decided to relax some provisions of the Public Procurement Regulation (PPR) 2003 to facilitate quick import of rice on an urgent basis.

Tire PPR fixes 42 days for bid submission, while yesterday’s decision gives a bidder 15 days to negotiationson Kyoto's successor.

UN climate chief Yvo de Boer sa(d that the range was only meant to guide subsequent negotiations, but that including it was not vital. He said the most important goals for Bali were to set an agenda and a deadline for subsequent talks, not set targets.

"These figures do not do not prejudge the outcome of negotiations," de Boersaid.

Australia, despite its sudden embrace of the Kyoto pact, has shied away from supporting the interim target range, saying it must await the conclusion of a study sometime next year.

"We recognise the need for an interim target," said Penny Wong, Australia's minister for climate change. "We have a clear process of scientific and economic analysis to determine what that interim target should be."

Canada and Japan also oppose inclusion of the suggested figures.

Environmentalists urged them to reconsider.

"This is not the direction we need to be going in. The stakes are too high for this kind of political games," said Alden Meyer with the Union of Concerned Scientists.

The struggle over targets coincided with the 10th anniversary of the signing of the Kyoto accord in Japan.

The Kyoto pact requires 36 industrial nations to reduce carbon dioxide and other industrial, transportation and agricultural gases blamed for global warming by an average 5 percent below 1990 levels in the next five years.

The US is the only major industrial nation to reject Kyoto. President Bush contended the emissions cuts would harm the US economy, and should have been imposed on China, India and other fast-growing poorer economies.

The rest of the world hopes to enlist the United States in the next, post-Kyoto phase of internationally binding greenhouse-gas reductions. The change in US administrations after next November’s presidential election is expected to introduce a new attitude on climate change.

Many are hoping Australia, following its decision to sign Kyoto, will play a leading role.

"At this critical stage, the ministers nowhave to step up and ensure these negotiations deliver and fulfil the wishes of the Australian people,” said Stephen Campbell from Greenpeace. " They also have to fulfil the expectations of the bulk of the global community as well."