FACTBOX: Quotes on hopes for Copenhagen climate talks

(Reuters) - Asia-Pacific leaders threw struggling U.N. climate negotiations a lifeline on Sunday by backing a proposal for nations to seek a political deal at a major climate summit in Denmark next month and leave agreement on legally binding issues for later.

Following are comments on the face-saving proposal by U.N. climate talks host Denmark.

Danish Prime Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen flew overnight to Singapore to meet leaders of the 21-member Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation forum over breakfast to try to win broad agreement on his two-step approach to prevent failure at the Dec 7-18 Copenhagen talks.

AUSTRALIAN PRIME MINISTER KEVIN RUDD:

"There are only two choices here: action or inaction. There's no middle path, and it's our responsibility as leaders to act."

"There is a lot of pessimism in the international community at the moment about our ability to craft an outcome at Copenhagen," he told reporters.

"It's going to be tough as all hell, but let me tell you I believe everyone is seeking, right now, to put their best foot forward, and that was reflected in what transpired around a small table of 20 world leaders this morning."

CHINESE PRESIDENT HU JINTAO

"Developed countries should proceed with taking on deep cuts; developing countries should cut greenhouse gases and fight climate change, in line with their individual circumstances and with the aid of funds and technology transfer from developed countries," he told APEC leaders on Sunday.

"Establish an effective funding mechanism for developed countries to provide financial support to developing countries.

"Through an effective mechanism, technology beneficial to the environment and climate should be extended, made widespread, and transferred to raise developing countries' capacity to fight climate change."

MICHAEL FROMAN, DEPUTY WHITE HOUSE NATIONAL SECURITY

ADVISER FOR INTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC AFFAIRS

"There was widespread support among the leaders that it was important that Copenhagen be a success, that there be the achievement of real concrete progress in Copenhagen with operational impact," he told reporters.

"There was an assessment by the leaders that it was unrealistic to expect a full internationally legally binding agreement to be negotiated between now and when Copenhagen starts in 22 days."

"I don't think the negotiations have proceeded in such a way that many of the leaders thought it was likely that we were going to achieve a final agreement in Copenhagen."

DIANE MCFADZIEN, WWF GLOBAL CLIMATE INITIATIVE

"The APEC Summit has confirmed the fact that right now it is impossible for world leaders to get together without having serious talks about climate change. It's encouraging to see them agree on the urgent need for success in Copenhagen.

"However, heads of states must go beyond simply discussing the problems. They have to start solving them. Deleting rather than strengthening emission reduction targets in their Leaders Declarations -- like they did here in Singapore -- is certainly not a solution.

CHILEAN FOREIGN MINISTER MARIANO FERNANDEZ

"We believe it is better to have something good than to have nothing at all. We are trying to get to an agreement, especially in the financial part to guarantee economic incentives so countries can engage in emissions cuts," he told reporters.

STATEMENT FROM MEXICAN PRESIDENT FELIPE CALDERON

"He is convinced that if an agreement can be reached on a mechanism for global financing at the next climate change meeting, it will be much easier to achieve clear and pragmatic measures."

"President Felipe Calderon emphasized the need to associate objectives to reduce carbon emissions with economic incentives in order to effectively reach mitigation targets."

(Reporting by Patrick Markey, Caren Bohan, Lucy Hornby and David Fogarty; Editing by Bill Tarrant)