China and an alliance of developing countries yesterday launched a concerted attack against the right of the United Nations Security Council to debate climate change. The move came at a landmark meeting at which the UK had sought to cast global warming as a threat to international peace.

"Developing countries believe that neither has the Security Council the professional competence . . . nor is it the right decision-making place for extensive participation leading up to widely acceptable proposals," said Liu Zhenmin, Beijing'sdeputy ambassador to the UN.