The furor began on the second day of the meeting when some "unusual" opening statements were received from non-governmental observers (NGOs).  Although the IWC is a treaty organization, observers are allowed and each may make a written statement of their interest in the proceedings, which become part of the permanent record of the Commission. 

This year three of these statements went beyond the norm to include accusations of influence peddling among members and even such bizarre charges as blowing up whale watching boats.  The normally austere body erupted with indignation from the maligned countries and normal business stopped while the Commissioners met in closed-door session on the problem. 

At nearly noon of the second day, the Chairman of the IWC, Michael Canny of Ireland announced that the sense of the body was to ask the concerned NGOs to withdraw their opening statements and make a formal apology. 

Although a "clarification" of the intent of one statement was offered, there were no withdrawals.  In fact, one of the NGOs was a coalition of several groups and two of those issued a joint news release stating they did not issue an apology, did not withdraw the statement, and had no intention of doing so.  This defiance was, however, irrelevant for the IWC Commissioners made the determination that "...the document...does not constitute an Opening Statement" and purged it from the records of the meeting. 

Eugene Lapointe, President of IWMC World Conservation rust, remarked that, "This is a good first step but the real point is the tension and distrust this sort of circus creates.  There is no need or place for fund-raising rhetoric in an international intergovernmental meeting.  I think they should have been immediately ejected." 

The secretary of the IWC has been directed by the Chairman to draft guidelines for Opening Statements to make sure there is not a repeat of the problem next year. 

"It would be nice," Lapointe said, "for the IWC to be able to get on with the planned and important business of the meeting."