WHALING NATIONS WERE DENIED FRIDAY IN EFFORTS TO BEGIN LIFTING A BAN ON HUNTING WHALES, AT THE OPENING OF AN INTERNATIONAL WHALING CONFERENCE ON THE CARIBBEAN ISLAND NATION OF ST KITTS AND NEVIS, DPA REPORTED. IN WHAT WAS SEEN AS A PRELIMINARY MOVE AGAINST THE 20-YEAR MORATORIUM ON WHALE HUNTING, JAPAN AND OTHER PRO-WHALING COUNTRIES HAD SOUGHT TO REMOVE THE FATE OF DOLPHINS, PORPOISES AND OTHER SMALL WHALES FROM THE AGENDA OF THE CONFERENCE. BUT A MAJORITY OF THE 70-MEMBER INTERNATIONAL WHALING COMMISSION (IWC) VOTED TO KEEP SMALL WHALES ON THE AGENDA OF THE FOUR-DAY LONG CONFERENCE, SUGGESTING THAT JAPAN HAD LESS SUPPORT FOR ITS EFFORTS TO REVERSE THE BAN THAN PREVIOUSLY THOUGHT. IN THE FINAL COUNT, 32 COUNTRIES VOTED AGAINST JAPAN'S MOTION, WHILE 30 VOTED IN FAVOUR. SOME COUNTRIES CONSIDERED WHALING SUPPORTERS DID NOT ATTEND THE MEETING.
