US funding decision slammed

DIPLOMATS and officials are appalled at the Bush administration's decision to cut support for the UN Population Fund, and say the move was motivated by domestic politics at the expense of women's and children's health.

But experts say the fallout will be minimal, noting that Washington and its allies have survived bigger crises in the last year and a half.

Europe, Canada, Japan and the United Nations have been frustrated with the administration's decisions to opt out of the Kyoto protocol on climate change and talks on biological weapons. Most recently, the US nearly backed out of its participation in the international criminal court.