Pacific island nations and conservation groups have failed to persuade the body that oversees tuna fishing in the Pacific to introduce more stringent measures to protect tuna supply.

Negotiations broke down at a meeting in Guam last month (March 26-30) of the Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission (WCPFC), as Pacific island nations — backed by Australia — failed to reach agreement with the United States, European Union, China and Japan on ways to conserve big-eye tuna and protect other species.

The world's three biggest polluters joined in opposing a European Union (EU) proposal for talks aimed at drawing up a new climate treaty, dimming the chances of extending the Kyoto Protocol limiting greenhouse gases.

J M Mauskar, the Indian government official leading his nation's delegation at United Nations climate talks, rejected the EU plan as a "quid-pro-quo.&" The EU said it would agree to extend Kyoto's restrictions only if all nations made promises to cut fossil fuel burning.

The wealthy people of Nauru face a future of poverty because most of their only natural resource, phosphates, has been exploited ruthlessly by Australia.