The tour aims to explain "the United States' commitment to the multilateral process under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change" (UNFCC) but outside of the context of Kyoto protocol, a statement said.

The mission led by Dr Harlan Watson, senior climate negotiator and special representative from the US Department of State, is targeting "newly developing countries" and will end its Asian trip in Vietnam after going to Malaysia and Thailand.

Experts will hold talks with several Vietnamese officials including vice-minister of natural resources and environment, Dr. Nguyen Cong Thanh and vice-minister of science and technology, Dr. Bui Manh Hai.

The delegation should insist on the US government "continuing the search for constructive opportunities to engage internationally, both multilaterally and bilaterally, in the area of climate change, outside of the context of Kyoto protocol", the statement added.

Kyoto is the only international accord that aims at quantitatively reducing volumes of "greenhouse gas" pollution, the carbon by-product of burning fossil fuels that builds up solar heat in the atmosphere.

Scientists say this is causing Earth's air, land and oceans to warm slowly but steadily.

The protocol's framework was decided in 1997, but it took five years to decide on its complex rulebook.

The agreement was almost destroyed in 2001 after it was abandoned by US President George W. Bush, who contended it was too costly for the oil-dependent American economy and unfair because it does not bind giant developing world countries to specific emissions cuts.

TERRA.WIRE