On March 28, 2001, U.S. President George W. Bush declared that the United States would pull out of the Kyoto Protocol for two reasons: The protocol was imperfect because it did not require developing countries to cut their emissions of greenhouse gases, and it was detrimental to U.S. economic interests.
On June 11 of that year, Bush said the protocol had "fatal flaws," thus leaving no doubt that America would quit the landmark international agreement aimed at reducing the emissions of gases held responsible for global warming. The reasons Bush gave, however, do not make the protocol fatally flawed.
Japan reportedly plans to urge the U.S., China and India to join the treaty at London's Group of Eight summit in June. Tokyo must first examine fully what Bush means by "fatal flaws" and then prepare a mediation plan to try to correct the defects. Yet bringing Europe and America together will be difficult because of their ideological differences.