It could well use its emerging political clout to try to block negotiations between Mr. Abbas's government and Israel.

But even the composition of the council is a decision about how to share power, which has blocked negotiations in the past.

The Russians have not changed their opposition to the President's Star Wars policy, but they have agreed that it should not block negotiations on intermediate-range and other missile programs.

Nevertheless, the fact that such semantics can block negotiations appears to illustrate the very limited interest the parties have in a settlement at this stage.

Another opportunity to negotiate an agreement arose, but again Joan blocked negotiations.

The "poor four" have specifically warned that they will block negotiations with new applicants for community membership until the budget question is resolved to their satisfaction.

The part of this agreement which blocks negotiations could mean that the Union ends up paying producers to stop producing sherry, port and a whole host of products which are purely and simply copies under international commercial law.

Although this is certainly an important issue in terms of discussing China' s accession to the World Trade Organisation, for example, it cannot be used to block negotiations of this significance.

This was one of the reasons why Poland blocked negotiations between the European Union and Russia on a new Partnership and Cooperation Agreement, which was the subject of today's debate.

Western Sahara's history is one of constant attempts by Moroccans to block negotiations on the implementation of the Sahrawi people's unalienable right to self-determination.