There is a glimmer of hope that a fund will be set up in the US by the end of the year to compensate asbestos victims.

The proposed fund has been delayed by haggling over details by Senate Democratic Leader Tom Daschle and his Republican counterpart Bill Frist.

With Congress due to go into recess later this week ahead of the presidential and congressional elections, Senator Daschle has written a letter to Senator Frist asking him to outline a possible compromise.

Neither is willing to admit that the issue is over for this year.