Secretary O'Neill Hails G-7 Cooperation
Against Terrorist Financing

U.S. Treasury Secretary Paul O'Neill is hailing a decision by the Group of Seven (G-7) major industrialized countries to jointly designate groups and individuals as financiers of terrorism.

The move marks "an important step in our international efforts to increase information sharing and coordinate our counter-terrorist financing efforts," O'Neill said in a statement following the April 19-20 meetings of G-7 finance ministers and central bank governors.

See also: Text of G-7 Ministers' Statement

G-8 Ministers Call for Action on Environment

Environment ministers from eight major industrialized countries, known as G-8, released a statement April 14 calling for more action to reverse the continuing degradation of the world's environment.

The statement was released at the end of a ministerial meeting held April 12-14 in Banff, Canada, to prepare for the upcoming World Summit on Sustainable Development (WSSD) in Johannesburg, South Africa.