AFP - Britain and France on Friday committed to paying developing nations to combat global warming by leading calls for a multi-billion-dollar climate fund financed by rich countries.
  
Prime Minister Gordon Brown and President Nicolas Sarkozy, attending a closed-door Commonwealth summit in Trinidad, separately called for the fund to be adopted at climate talks to be held in Copenhagen December 7-18.
  
Brown, on his official website, spoke of an initial commitment of 10 billion dollars to which Britain would contribute 1.3 billion dollars over three years.
  
Sarkozy, in an official outline of a speech made to Commonwealth leaders, cited a figure of 10 billion dollars a year between 2010 to 2012, and an "ambitious mechanism" for payments beyond that date.
  
He did not say how much France was prepared to contribute.
  
The two leaders explained the initiative could break a deadlock in which developing countries were balking at signing on to a climate deal because of the economic disadvantages that would entail.
  
"Poorer countries must have an understanding that the richer countries will help them adapt to climate change and make the necessary adjustments in their economies," Brown said.
  
"We have got to provide some money to help that. Britain will do so, the rest of Europe will do so and I believe America will do so as well."
  
Sarkozy's presence at the summit of Commonwealth countries -- a club that does not include France -- was unprecedented and a sign of the determination to push Copenhagen towards a successful accord.
  
The leaders of France and Britain were scheduled to hold bilateral talks on the sidelines of the summit to develop their proposal, which was expected to be presented in greater detail in Copenhagen.