Today, at the opening of the Paris Conference on Innovative Development Financing, UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan said, "Brazil, France and other nations already foresee using funds from new sources to contribute to an international facility for the purchase of medicines which would permit the production of antiretrovirus drugs and to facilitate their availability to people suffering from AIDS." The UN leader praised French President Jacques Chirac's program to levy a tax -- from 1-40 euros ($1.18-$47.20 US) -- on all airline tickets purchased in the country, with the proceeds going to buy medicines to fight AIDS, TB, and malaria in the developing world. The tax, which is to be imposed from July 1, is predicted to raise 200 million euros ($238 million US) per year. Representatives from 95 nations are taking part in the two-day conference.

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