Kyoto climate deal hopes grow

Pro-Bush supporters make their point outside the climate talks

BONN,Germany (CNN) -- Hopes are being expressed at a climate summit in Bonn that the Kyoto Protocol can be implemented without the U.S. on board.

Environment ministers and representatives from 178 countries are on Thursday opening negotiations on how to resolve remaining disputes over the 1997 treaty.

Jan Pronk, the Dutch environment minister and conference chairman, said he was "optimistic" a deal could be reached to bring a global warming agreement into effect.

He said the experts had cleared some of the hundreds of disputes left when the last climate conference collapsed in November, and that it was time now for politicians to make tough decisions.

"It is possible to reach a result," Pronk said. "My hopes are growing day by day."

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The meeting's aim is to write the complex rulebook for implementing the Kyoto Protocol, which was renounced by U.S. President George W. Bush in March.

Bush again made clear this week that he will not bow to European and Japanese pressure over the Kyoto global warming treaty.

He said: "We believe that we ought to all work together to reduce greenhouse gases. Howe