French President Jacques Chirac will put forward ideas for an international tax scheme that would help build a 50-billion-dollar war chest to fight poverty during a 55-nation conference on economic development opening Monday in New York.
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But the authors declined to signal their preferred approach, insisting that each of them is "technically feasible and available" as a "political step."
The group acknowledged that a global consensus on the proposal does not currently exist.
"Opposition even to the principle of an obligatory contribution is strong in many countries," notably the United States, the report said.
Nonetheless most of the 15 authors -- senior government officials, economists, business leaders and representatives from international and development groups -- insist that their proposal stands a realistic chance of being implemented.
"I am relatively optimistic," said Anne Lauvergeon, head of the nuclear group Areva.
Matt's Chat
What the hell kind of Socialist redistribution of wealth crap is this? The UN, or whoever else thinks they can do this, will NEVER get MY money. NEVER. Do you hear me Jack Iraq? You got enough money from Saddam, your appetites should have been sated...Here is my favorite bit:
For Jacques Cassart of the French pressure group Attac, which promotes the interests of the developing world, it is now time "for the people of the world to be heard."Hear this: you will not get a single dime of my money, Frenchie. My voice counts too...
Mark's Remarks
No, your voice only counts if you hate America, Matt...It doesn't matter that America is the biggest friggin contributor to the UN--not Belgium, not France, not Germany, not whatever backwater America hating area Kofi is from. It doesn't matter that the UN has a record of terrible handling of money--Oil for Food program, Rwanda, most of the African programs. No, it doesn't matter. Well, boys, I think it is high time we called in our chips with the UN. Shape up or get the heck out. It won't happen, but I can hope.
The UN is a failed body. It gave up its idealism a long time ago to wallow in self-enrichment. Look at who controls it and who gets rich and you will see the truth of the UN. Learn the facts, people of the world.
