JAKARTA, June 18 (Xinhua) -- Indonesia has called on rich nations to meet promises they made during last year's climate change conference in Bali to take the lead in emissions cuts to tackle global warming, local press said Wednesday.

    State Minister for the Environment Rachmat Witoelar said developed countries remained reluctant to make a new commitment toreduce their emissions after six months of the much-welcomed Bali road map.

    The discussions, particularly on emissions reduction targets for rich nations, remain tough.

    "They are still reluctant to open their wallets to fulfill their promises," he was quoted by major newspaper The Jakarta Postas saying.

    "Please, stick to the Bali agenda and focus on what steps to take after 2012."

    His remarks were in response to two recent international meetings that both failed to focus on goals for mid-term emissionscuts.

    The latest round of UN-sponsored global climate change negotiations concluded Friday in Bonn, Germany, with a call for all parties to step up negotiations in the run-up to a crucial climate change summit next year.

    The two-week meeting failed to reach a consensus on new bindingemissions cuts for wealthy nations, which are widely blamed for being the main contributors of carbon dioxide causing climate change.

    In March, an international conference held in Thailand similarly failed to set a binding target for emissions cuts.

    The Bali road map stipulates that nations must come up with newbinding emissions cuts during a Copenhagen summit in 2009 to replace the Kyoto Protocol that will expire in 2012.

    The protocol requires each of 36 wealthy nations to cut 5 percent of their emissions by 2012. But except for the eastern bloc countries, they are on a pace that will not reach anywhere close to the target by the deadline.

    Rachmat said Indonesia, however, would take actions to cut greenhouse gas emissions in efforts to help the world fight globalwarming.

    "We are a poor nation and not required to set a binding target,but we have still committed to slashing about 17 percent of emissions from our energy sectors. Why do the rich nations still close their eyes?" he said.