MONTREAL — Premier Jean Charest says Quebec will defend its own position on the Kyoto protocol at an international conference next week in Nairobi.

But it will have to be done in the corridors because federal Environment Minister Rona Ambrose has refused to allow Claude Bechard, her Quebec counterpart, to speak officially at the meeting.

Charest says Quebec will continue to vigorously defend its commitment to the Kyoto accord on greenhouse gas emissions.

The Quebec premier also says he see nothing divisive in the fact his minister is defending a position that's different from that of the federal government. Michael Fortier, the federal minister responsible for the Montreal region, says Quebec "is going to do what it has to do'' at the meeting.