NAIROBI - A row over the reform of the UN Environment Programme (UNEP) boiled over last night with the suspension of a governing council meeting and the US, Britain and Spain threatening to withhold their 1997 budget contributions.
"This is a very sad night for diplomacy," Ms Elizabeth Dowdeswell, UNEP's director said. The divisive issue was a US-backed proposal for a high-level committee to oversee UNEP, diminishing the role of permanent representatives.