S.Africa's Tutu criticises world leaders on climate

BRUSSELS (Reuters) - Nobel peace laureate Desmond Tutu criticised European Union leaders on Friday for standing in the way of a global deal to combat climate change.

In a letter to EU leaders meeting in Brussels, the South African cleric accused the globe's leaders of failing to act while poor people suffered the effects of global warming.

"World leaders are backtracking, mumbling about domestic difficulties and lack of time whilst the European Union, previously progressive champions for action on climate change, is paralysed by the unseemly bickering amongst its member states over who will pay the bill," he wrote.

In an open letter, the 1984 Nobel peace prize winner urged German Chancellor Angela Merkel to push for a deal to tackle climate change at a meeting of world leaders in Copenhagen.

He also singled out Poland, which ended communist rule in 1989, saying Prime Minister Donald Tusk should remember how others helped rebuild the country after "years of repression".

"The rich world is historically responsible for the emissions causing climate change and they have a moral obligation to provide the means for countries on the front line to survive and prosper," Tutu wrote.