BRASILIA (AFP) - Brazil will be attending climate talks in Denmark not only on the strength of controlling most of the Amazon, but also as a bridge between rich and developing countries, Environment Minister Carlos Minc said.

"There is a vast trust gap between industrialized countries and countries in development. Brazil proposes being a bridge between the two," he told AFP in an interview this week.

Minc was speaking after French President Nicolas Sarkozy visited Brazil on Monday to see his Brazilian counterpart Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva and said the two countries would be taking a "common position" in the climate negotiations to be held in Copenhagen in December.

This joint stance was drafted over several months and is still being developed, said French Sustainable Development Minister Jean-Louis Borloo, who accompanied Sarkozy.

France's special ambassador for the environment, Brice Lalonde, remained in Brasilia after Sarkozy left to pursue the project.

"Aid to Africa and to the Amazon, and France's independence in relation to the United States constitute the bases of this common position," Minc said.

"But we hope to go further, to broaden (the alliance) and to open it up to any country that wants to come up with a good deal for the planet."

Minc complained that "up to now, everyone is keeping their cards to their chest -- we're in a planetary poker game. It's very dangerous because the clock is running down."

Two main issues dogging preparations for the UN conference in Copenhagen is extracting commitments from industrialized countries to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and financing the fight against climate change.

According to a group of international government experts, industrialized nations -- seen as "historic polluters" because of their development since the mid-19th century -- should reduce their emissions 25-40 percent in the next decade, and 80 percent by 2050, compared to 1990 levels.

The world's big emerging economies -- among them Brazil, China and India -- are in turn being asked to slow their own exponential growth in greenhouse gas emissions. Brazil, for instance, is the fourth-biggest emitter of carbon dioxide because of burn-offs and rotting vegetation in the Amazon.

"Brazil recognizes that everyone has to assume their responsibility. If developing countries don't do anything, the efforts by the industrialized countries will not be enough," Minc said.

"Something concrete has to be put forward."

Despite Brazil's ambition to play mediator, there were no plans to walk away from the G77 group of 130 developing countries for which it plays a leading representative role, the minister said.

"If Brazil separates from the G77 it will be weaker. That would be a grave mistake. The challenge is to get the group moving."

Among the tough points in the negotiations that have to be hammered, he added, was to get industrialized countries to fix "bold goals" approaching 40 percent emission cuts by 2020.

Poorer countries would also have to be given financial incentives to reduce deforestation, he said.

"To reduce global warming, have poor countries adapting, and fight against deforestation, we figure it will take 800 billion dollars a year between 2010 and 2020.

"It's a lot. But the planet's health is worth as much as those of the banks," he said, making allusion to government bail-outs in response to the financial crisis.

"There are still a lot of points to define and time is slipping between our fingers. But the situation is so dire that rapid, profound and sincere talks are needed."