September 12, 2006 The sixth annual Asia-Europe Meeting Summit wrapped up Monday in Helsinki, Finland, making considerable headway in emissions standards and regulations. The summit, held between the 25 member states of the European Union (EU) and 13 Asian countries, pledged to set new emission targets that extend past the Kyoto Protocol target of 2012.

"Climate change is one such area of common concern where joint efforts are needed," the president of the European Commission José Manuel Barroso stated in a press release before the summit.

However, no immediate targets were set following reluctance from Asian countries in attendance to commit to specific goals, the Washington Post reported.

According to Reuters, China remains the predominate player fighting mandatory limits on greenhouse-gas emissions. The country, along with other Asian constituents, does not want to hamper economic growth.

The Associated Press reported that the 25 EU and 13 Asian leaders are determined to tackle climate change with international cooperation. Although no targets were set, both sides pledged to do their best.

In a joint statement, all participating representatives agreed that, in long-term planning, the only real answers are technological breakthroughs.

Danish Prime Minister Anders Fogh Rasmussen, who held one-on-one meetings with Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao, disclosed to Reuters the possibility of transferring Danish wind-power and power-saving technology to China.

"In all these fields, the Chinese are very interested in exchanging knowledge and expertise," Rasmussen told Reuters.

The summit had hoped to instigate more stringent emissions targets past the Kyoto Protocol end year of 2012. The 1997 protocol commits 35 nations to reducing greenhouse-gas emissions to an average 5 percent below 1990 levels by 2012.

The United States remains the world's biggest greenhouse-gas emitter. President Bush rejected the Kyoto Protocol in 2001, indicating that energy cuts would harm the U.S. economy. Bush also complained that major developing countries, particularly India and China, were not included

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