The environmental ministers who must approve the plan have already backed it.

The Iraqi prime minister has backed the conference, even though it is not a political one.

Senior ministers, including the business secretary, Vince Cable, are backing a move that would give shareholders an effective veto over pay deals they deem unacceptable.

"Well, put me through to your superior, then," Mym sang, angrily, while the minister backed surreptitiously away, deeming him crazy.

The Serbian interior minister, Dusan Mihajlovic, backed that promise with a challenge.

Sixteen ministers backed the decision and three voted against Mr. Shamir.

Serbia's conservative prime minister, Vojislav Kostunica, instead backed a policy of "voluntary surrender" whereby war crimes suspects were encouraged to turn themselves in.

After an uproar in Parliament, the prime minister at the time, Yoshiro Mori, backed away from the plan and Sogo quickly went out of business.

All three ministers reluctantly backed the original plan in advance of the party vote.

The foreign ministers also backed American efforts to suspend Serbia and Montenegro from the European security conference.