Bermuda may wait until next November to get rid of hundreds of containers of asbestos, Environment Minister Pamela Gordon told The Royal Gazette yesterday.

While the Island was well within its rights to dump the asbestos at sea, Ms Gordon said she preferred to wait until a new protocol by the International Maritime Organisation was ratified.

She was speaking from London where she has been attending the IMO's meeting in London to discuss a new protocol for the Convention on the Prevention of Pollution of the Sea.

Also present are Deputy Governor Peter Willis and Environment Permanent Secretary James Burnett-Herkes.

Bermuda has become embroiled in controversy over the future of tons of asbestos collected from private and public buildings.

Government, supported by the Health and Environment ministries and the Bermuda Biological Station for Research, planned to dump some 165 containers of asbestos 18 miles off the Island in 12,000 feet of water.

But Government was forced to rethink following a storm of protest from the Opposition Progressive Labour Party and international environmental watchdog, Greenpeace.

One option was for Government to ship the asbestos to another jurisdiction which would agree to bury it. But critics say this could prove extremely expensive.

Earlier this week Ms Gordon told The Royal Gazette she was hopeful that Bermuda could get a commitment from Greenpeace to drop criticisms of Bermuda by presenting a UK document which stated that Britain was anti-dumping but will take into account special cases like Bermuda.

"Greenpeace had wanted to make sure Britain was not using Bermuda to set a precedent for ocean dumping,'' she said. "The group do not have a problem with Bermuda disposing at sea per se. What they fear is the knock-on effect on other countries.'' But yesterday Ms Gordon said despite presenting letters from "relevant ministers'' and the UK document, Greenpeace was not satisfied.

"Greenpeace is still waiting to get more documentation from the convention,'' she said. "We came to the table as honest as can be. We supplied them with everything they requested, including a document which outlined the UK's position on dumping.'' "Every time we satisfy the request that they are asking for, they make another request.

Gordon: Greenpeace `a law unto themselves' "They want to be a law unto themselves. We are trying to be extremely civil, but they are just playing games.'' In addition to using the IMO conference to try to rally support for Bermuda's position, Ms Gordon said local delegates also highlighted the difficulties facing other small countries.

Ms Gordon said she had gained a commitment that the new protocol -- which will be signed by Britain and sets out ways of protecting the world's environment -- would refer to the plight of small countries.

This was a big step forward from the previous protocol, she added. "The original protocol was very generic and dealt with larger countries.

"By our delegation making a presentation and speaking about Bermuda and small island states, our problems have been brought to the table.

"And there are moves to specifically help small islands and put the new protocol in less ambiguous language.'' Ms Gordon said the new protocol -- which was expected to be finalised tomorrow and ratified at the conference next year -- would make it clear each country would have to argue its case for dumping of waste.

"But we have been told it will be tighter and more helpful to small island states in relation to our problems of the disposal of asbestos, steel and building waste.'' Once the new protocol was ratified, Ms Gordon said Greenpeace will have no cause to demonstrate against Bermuda.

"They will not be able to demonstrate if it is sanctioned by 75 to 85 countries,'' she stressed, adding that the permit will be "very clear and definitive''.

"I have not talked with my colleagues. But I believe it would be in Bermuda's interest to wait until then (the ratification), unless risk to humankind was prevalent. Then we would go with the existing permission we have.'' Greenpeace representative in London Mr. Rami Parmentier could not be reached for comment. Greenpeace spokesman Kenny Bruno, speaking from his New York office, said he was not privy to the discussions in London between Mr.

Parmentier and Bermuda officials.

But he said the chairman of the London Convention Dick Trump wrote to Government in early August, asking them not to dump until the London Convention had approved otherwise.

"At this special meeting I understand it has come up. But I don't think that this year's meeting is a regular meeting.''