Washington, Feb 17 (IANS) The top US envoy on climate change finds India and China's stand on the Copenhagen accord somewhat unclear but has said the US will associate itself with the document even if India and China do not do so.

'We have put forward our own submission. It's consistent with what President (Barack) Obama announced back in November,' Special US Envoy Todd Stern told reporters Tuesday when asked what Washington would do if the two Asian giants don't associate with it.

'So I don't think it's a question of the US saying 'Never mind.' I don't think - that's not the plan,' he said. 'Copenhagen Accord, we think is a very important document that was produced very importantly through the intervention of leaders, a great number of leaders from countries there'

'It was, at the end of the day, not formally adopted as a decision of the Conference of the Parties, but was supported by overwhelming number of them,' Stern said.

'India and China, so far, have not clearly associated themselves with the accord, which the United Nations is trying to seek clarification from them,' he said.

Asked what was not clear about India's proposals, Stern said. 'The proposals are clear.' But there are just slightly less than a hundred countries that have clearly stated that they 'associate yourself with the accord.'

'India and China have said something close to that, and I think the UN is just trying to make sure that they understand what the intention is,'he said.

Stern also supported India's decision to establish its own panel on climate change, saying that any scientific study is a welcome move.

'I think it's a good thing for countries to have an active scientific effort. I don?t know what the details are. I don't know what (Environment) Minister (Jairam) Ramesh or others in India have in mind,' he said.

'But I think, obviously, the US has all sorts of scientific work that we do through our various agencies of the US Government. So I think that's all a good thing,' Stern said.

Referring to the controversy over errors in the seminal report of the UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), he said: 'I think the IPCC as an institution has made a very large contribution and I think it's an important body that will continue and that is very representative of countries all over the world.'

'But to the extent that there were any mistakes in the IPCC report, reports, assessments, or anywhere else, that's regrettable. You don't want there to be mistakes.' Stern said.

(Arun Kumar can be contacted at arun.kumar@ians.in)