U.S. President Barack Obama said Nov. 9 that he would be willing to attend an international climate summit in Copenhagen in December if it appears a deal is in the offing and his presence there would help clinch it.

Nations are preparing to meet in Denmark to hammer out a new international treaty to slow climate change, but the talks have been hampered by disputes between rich countries and developing ones.

"If I am confident that all of the countries involved are bargaining in good faith and we are on the brink of a meaningful agreement, and my presence in Copenhagen will make a difference in tipping us over the edge, then certainly that's something that I will do," Obama said in an interview with Reuters.

It was Obama's strongest statement to date that he may attend the Dec. 7-18 U.N. conference. White House officials previously have declined to say whether Obama would attend the summit.