A top European delegate says African countries are continuing to boycott meetings at U.N. climate negotiations after talks with the European Union failed to persuade them to return.

Swedish delegate Anders Turresson says the Africans remain concerned about the low pledges by industrial countries to reduce carbon emissions.

About 50 African nations have boycotted some meetings since Monday evening at the U.N. climate talks in Barcelona. The talks are meant to prepare for next month's major climate convention in Copenhagen.

Turresson says the EU shares the Africans' concerns but thought their tactic "may not be very productive." He says the talks are not in "a full deadlock" and others are under way.