The International Whaling Commission today rejected a proposal by the United States and Russia to renew permits for their indigenous peoples to hunt bowhead whales in a fresh sign of widening rifts.
The rejection - the first of its kind by the 56-year-old IWC - reflects a heated power struggle onday four of the five-day gathering that pits conservationists against those who want to end a ban on commercial whaling.
"For our indigenous people, this day is the equivalent of the September 11 terrorist attacks," railed a furious Russian delegate.
The United States, a key player in the anti-whaling camp but keen to get renewed approval for its Alaskan Inuit people to hunt 56 bowhead whales, accused the pro-whaling camp including host country Japan of retaliating for earlier defeats.
The proposal was to renew permits for the Alaskan Inuits to take 56 bowheads and Russian indigenous peoples to take five.
"The United States is disappointed," Michael Tillman, head of the US delegation, told the commission.
"Pro-whalers have expressed this stance because of the stance taken by the United States on other issues...It has everything to do with politics," Tillman said.
Pro-whaling nations such as Japan and Norway oppose as hypocrisy the US hunts, which they say take endangered species.
Japan is particularly angry because its own bid to take 50 minke whales in its coastal waters was rejected on Tuesday.
