"We will not speak of the Kyoto protocol of our own initiative and we will not pledge tomorrow to ratify it," a high-ranking Kremlin official told journalists.

"We put forward our position clearly to the European Commission during a visit of its top officials to Moscow at the end of April and nothing has changed in this respect," said the official on condition of anonymity.

The blunt statement came as the EU executive arm's top representative in Moscow, Richard Wright, urged Russia to ratify the pact.

"The ratification of the protocol would unblock European investments which would enable Russia to participate in joint projects outlined in the document," Wright said.

The Kyoto Protocol requires industrialised signatory countries to cut emissions of greenhouse gases, the carbon-based pollution that is a by-product of burning fossil fuels and which is blamed for driving climate change.

The United States walked away from the deal in 2001.

That means Russia holds the protocol's future in its hands under the accord's ratification arithmetic.

In December Moscow signalled it wanted more concessions on the rules on foreign investments and clean technology.

Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Vladimir Chizhov said Thursday that the "Russian political and scientific elite was not unanimous" about the need for Russia to ratify the pact, like another 120 nations have done.

"Russia shares the goals of this document, but the problem lies in its application," he told a press conference.

TERRA.WIRE