Monday, June 19 2006 10:04 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Mexico City: Japan and Norway, leaders of pro-whaling nations, took a step toward restoring commercial whaling in a vote at the International Whaling Commission (IWC) - a move that has shocked anti-whaling wildlife conservationists.

After falling short of a majority three times since Friday, they managed a 33-32 victory in a vote Sunday on a resolution that would change the IWC's mission from protecting whales to regulating commercial whaling.

Anti-whaling groups expressed shock at the outcome of the vote. The nominal win for pro-whaling countries carries no policy outcome, because it remains well short of the three-fourths supermajority needed under the IWC charter to overturn the existing whaling ban.

But Japanese officials have sought at least a simple majority as a show of strength. Two votes in St Kitts fell short of a majority, and another attempt fell one vote short on Saturday.

Whaling is opposed by most wealthy nations except Japan, Iceland and Norway, which consider the practise part of their cultures.

The IWC meeting is scheduled to continue through Tuesday at Frigate Bay in the Caribbean country of St Kitts and Nevis.

For 20 years, the 70-member IWC has banned all commercial whaling, with a loophole for so-called scientific whaling, a limited practise that still puts whale meat on the Japanese market.

The balance of power in the IWC against whaling has shifted in recent years as numerous small, poor countries, including Pacific and Caribbean islands with no histories of whaling, have joined with Japanese encouragement. Tokyo has given lucrative aid to help sway many of the new members.

Meanwhile, anti-whaling countries have also swelled the IWC ranks with new member countries from Europe, including some that are landlocked.