G-7 source: US gets more time for climate pact answer

TAORMINA, Sicily (AP) - Seven wealthy democracies have reached a deal at their annual summit to give the Trump administration time to say whether the United States plans to stay in the Paris climate agreement, a person familiar with the talks said Saturday.

Six members of the Group of Seven plan to stick with their standing endorsement of the 2015 Paris deal to fight climate change by reining in greenhouse gas emissions and await a decision from the U.S., said the source, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss the matter before the formal G-7 announcement.

U.S. President Donald Trump says he'll make a final decision next week on the Paris climate accord. Trump's surprise announcement, in the form of a tweet on the final day of his lengthy international trip, comes after he declined to commit to staying in the sweeping climate deal, refusing to give in to intense international pressure.

The source said G-7 members were still wrestling over a statement on trade and whether it would condemn protectionism, as previous G-7 statements have. The last G-7 meeting in Japan in 2016 agreed to "fight all forms of protectionism," - the use of import taxes and regulations to favor domestic producers over imports.

Trump has pushed back against such statements, arguing that trade must be balanced, fair and free. His Treasury secretary, Steven Mnuchin, has said the United States reserves the right to be protectionist if trade arrangements are unfair to U.S. companies and workers.

The G-7 leaders already reached agreement on improving cooperation against terrorism in the wake of the bomb attack on a concert in Manchester on Monday night that left 22 people dead and dozens wounded.

As the two-day meeting in the seaside town of Taormina, Sicily, was drawing to a close, the leaders were also discussing whether to stay with the group's previous position that it could increase sanctions against Russia over its conflict with Ukraine if Russian actions make that necessary.

The G-7 is an informal gathering that meets every year under a rotating chairmanship. Its decisions are not binding as an international treaty would be, simply representing the leaders' political commitment to carry through.

The G-7 countries are: Canada, France, Italy, Japan, Germany, the United States and the UK. The European Union also attends.