 Whaling body agrees path to peace
The global body responsible for whales and whaling has opened the door to the eventual partial lifting of the commercial whaling ban.
The International Whaling Commission (IWC) adopted a reform path aimed at finding compromise between pro- and anti-hunting countries.
Delegates at the Commission's annual meeting in Chile agreed the current impasse should not continue.
Governments will try to agree a package of measures by next year's IWC meeting.
The commission has taken a big step forward by setting up this diplomatic process, but it will not be easy
Steve Chadwick,
New Zealand's Conservation Minister
To secure the agreement of whaling nations, it is likely that the essential ingredients of that package will have to include the partial resumption of commercial hunting, perhaps limited to coastal waters.
Some conservation groups approve of the endeavour because they believe it could lead to a reduction in the total number of whales killed each year, and greater regulation of hunting.
Political realities
Moves to reform the organisation have been led by IWC chairman, William Hogarth.  | 
