CAIRO. Sept 8: Delegates to a UN population conference today pressurised the Vatican to stop blocking' a consensus on abortion, reports Reuter.

Conference sources said they expected a subcommittee to present new compromise language on the issue to a drafting committee as early as this afternoon.

But sources said the Vatican would most probably not accept the wording if the chairman tried to force a decision for today on the most controversial part of the document.

They said the Vatican wanted more time to try to win more countries over to its

, The Vatican and some Ca-

tholic allies face ap uproar from nations whose delegations have urged it either to agree with the painstakingly crafted language or opt out of the consensus so the gathering could move on to other issues.

The most contentious phrase in the abortion section says: "In circumstances where abortion Is legal, such abortion should be safe."

"We read it as tremendously ambiguous and encouraging abortion." said one Vatican delegate.

The Vatican fears that unless the document explicitly says there is no international right to abortion, countries where the practice is illegal migljt feel untjer pressure to make it legal, delegates said.

The Vatican again came under stiff pressure this morning to let the conference get on with its main task — drafting a programme to, restrain world population growth over the next 20 years.

Britain pressed the Vatican and its allies — mostly Latin American countries — to sign up or opt out.

Lynda Chalker. British Minister of Overseas Development.- told delegates that the deadlock over the language on abortion could be a fruitless waste of valuable time. Egypt and the United States have also urged the Holy See to make up Its mind.

Delegates said the prospects for a new compromise that could satisfy the Vatican were bleak because many countries who accepted the language in an earlier compromise attempt said it was a 'bare bones compromise' from which they would not budge.