The 182 countries represented at the meetings endorsed his proposals for tackling five "major shortcomings" in the international financial system, he said.

Like Afghanistan last year, the country has endorsed the right to vote in percentages that shame the electoral apathy of the rich world.

Delegates said that only the Nordic countries had strongly endorsed the community's plan.

But not all countries have endorsed the ban.

More than 60 countries endorsed a landmark agreement today to open up their telecommunication markets to all rivals.

Nevertheless, American officials hope that 60 to 80 countries will eventually endorse the treaty.

"A few nonaligned countries have endorsed the treaty as it is," Mr. Young said.

More than 30 countries have already endorsed a ban on antipersonnel mines, including many of America's allies.

Except for Kuwait, no Arab country publicly endorses the use of military force against Iraq.

Here, the countries will endorse one feature of the plan that they have already put into effect.