British officials found the peer-reviewed estimate “completely meaningless,” and, along with Belgium, Norway, Japan, and the US, wanted it rewritten or stricken. One academic speculated that governments possibly felt “a little embarrassed” that their previous exaggerated claims would be undercut by the UN.
不出所料，此次政要们再次力求删掉这项发现。英国官员认为这项经过同行审议的估算实际“毫无意义”，并且纠集比利时、挪威、日本和美国想要将这部分内容删除重写。一位学者推测联合国驳斥此前政要们的夸大其辞可能让他们感到“有些下不来台”。