Clinton says lack of China CO2 transparency "dealbreaker"

Secretary of State Hillary Clinton addresses the media at a news conference during the United Nations Climate Change Conference 2009 in Copenhagen December 17, 2009.

COPENHAGEN (Reuters) - Failure to reach agreement with China over greenhouse gas emissions transparency could be a dealbreaker for the United States at UN climate talks, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said on Thursday.

"It would be hard to imagine, speaking for the United States, that there could be the legal or financial commitment that I've just announced in the absence of transparency from the second biggest emitter, and now the I guess the first biggest," Clinton told a news conference after announcing the U.S. would join in $100 billion a year financing to help poor nations tackle climate change.

"There has to be a willingness to move toward transparency in whatever forum we finally determine is appropriate. So if there is not even a commitment to pursue transparency that's kind of a dealbreak for us."

China has overtaken the United States as the world's top emitter. It has rejected calls to allow international checks of its emissions under new targets.