COPENHAGEN ­ Despite the disagreements and protests that have at times taken over the UN climate change conference in Denmark, Canada's environment minister Jim Prentice said he is still hopeful world leaders can reach an agreement in principle by Friday.

Prime Minister Stephen Harper and other leaders arrive in Copenhagen this week to join UN climate talks that have been staggering under the pressure of creating a formal agreement to fight global warming.

Prentice, who just recently arrived at the talks as the Canadian spokesman, said the best he could see at this point would be an agreement that would lead to future treaty to combat climate change.

"We hope to arrive at an agreement in principle to which we can refer

to," said Prentice. "That will make up the base and schedule from which

will move forward in 2010 to arrive at a international treaty. That is

our objective and we hope that our leaders will reach it on Thursday and

Friday."

The current UN treaty ­ the Kyoto Protocol ­ expires at the end of 2012.

A protest by African nations accusing rich countries of doing too little to cut greenhouse gas emissions slowed talks on Monday.

After a five-hour standoff, the African nations let talks restart after assurances their objections would be heard. They accused the rich of trying to kill off the Kyoto Protocol.

"We're talking again," said Kemal Djemouai, an Algerian official who leads the group of African nations at the meeting.

While developed countries such as Canada are feeling the pressure from developing countries, Canada is feeling the heat from within, as well.

Provinces such as Manitoba, Quebec and Ontario are demanding that Ottawa make a more significant effort to reduce greenhouse gas emissions than its proposed cuts of 3% below 1990 levels.

Quebec Premier Jean Charest arrived in Copenhagen on the weekend to speak on behald of his province.

Though he acknowledged that the Canadian environmental targets will be chosen by the feds, he also said Quebec needs to make it known that the province will do even better than the rest of the country in this area.

And regardless of the goal chosen by Canada, Quebec will impose its own measures to reach the provincial goal - a 20% greenhouse gas emission reduction compared to the numbers from 1990.

"It's in Quebec's best interest to be amongst the best," said Charest.

Prentice pushed back yesterday, saying that while Canada is co-operating with the other provinces, including with their participation in Copenhagen, it will ultimately be the federal government's call when it comes time to sign an

international treaty.

"Essentially we are trying to arrive at an international treaty with

restrictive elements and, legally, it's only the Canadian government

that can do it," she said.

- With files from Reuters