The US delegation suggested extending a moratorium on all such operations for an extended period, perhaps of 50 years.

To you and to all members of the U.S. delegation, I wish good health.

But the U.S. delegation has still made no commitment.

"The entire U.S. delegation is fine and no players or staff witnessed the incident," read a statement issued by the team.

I have just returned from Washington as an ad hoc member of the US delegation.

A10 U.S. delegation suffers from internal divisions and low morale.

Max Kampelman, head of the US delegation, said that it was a historic step.

In 2005, he served as a member of a small US delegation to North Korea to negotiate civil rights issues.

His formal meeting with the US delegation ignored the pledge he made then only to meet 'old friends' from abroad privately and not to discuss politics.

The decision was made in Geneva following two days of hearings at which a 26-member U.S. delegation defended the practices.