ROME, Dec 5 (Reuters) - Italy on Friday raised the possibility that the European Union might approve only parts of a climate package when leaders meet next week to vote on a plan reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

"If we reach a balance that will allow us to accept the entire package, that would be better," Italy's Foreign Minister Franco Frattini told Reuters.

"If that isn't possible, better to break it up and approve those parts that (everyone) agrees on," he said, adding that all sides could later resume discussions on outstanding issues.

Italy is pressing for changes to the package when EU leaders meet on Dec. 11-12 in Brussels to agree details of a plan to cut emissions of greenhouse gases by 20 percent below 1990 levels by 2020.

Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi has called the plan unrealistic and Frattini told Reuters that Rome wanted more flexibility on intermediate targets.

Frattini noted that several EU members had problems with the package, including Germany, Poland and others in Eastern Europe.

The government says it still hopes Italy can achieve its target under the Kyoto Protocol climate pact to reduce emissions by 6.5 percent of 1990s levels by 2008-2012, despite being an estimated 13 percent above 1990 levels now -- one of the worst performances in the EU.

(Reporting by Phil Stewart and Roberto Landucci, editing by Mark Trevelyan)

AlertNet news is provided by