VIENNA, Aug 31 (Reuters) - Industrial nations agreed a compromise at U.N. climate talks on Friday that stiff 2020 targets for greenhouse gas cuts would be useful pointers for future work on a new climate treaty, delegates said.

A draft text to be put to delegates for approval at the end of the Aug. 27-31 meeting noted that leading climate scientists reckon that cuts in greenhouse gas emissions of 25 to 40 percent below 1990 levels are needed by 2020 to slow global warming.

It said that the range "provides useful initial parameters for the overall level of ambition of further emissions reductions".

It fell short of calls by the European Union and developing nations for the range to be a stronger "guide" for future work on a new pact beyond 2012. Countries including Russia and Japan had objected to the idea of a "guide", fearing it was too binding.

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