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MINISTERIAL MEETING ON FINANCE

Ministers from the NETHERLANDS and TANZANIA introduced their non-paper on finance issues in the draft political statement that: reconfirmed UNCED commitments; proposed efforts be made to halt the overall downward trend in ODA and reverse it by the end of the century; indicated that commitments are collective and are not accompanied by a guarantee; and noted that the most important sources of finance are domestic, both public and private, and the role of aid is to help. A number of delegations raised concerns and suggested amendments, including INDIA, FRANCE, GERMANY, JAPAN and CANADA. The US said the non-paper was not a basis for agreement. The Co-Chairs said the text was their best effort to forge consensus and that they intended to forward it to the Chair of the COW.