31.   Aid to poor countries will continue to drop as the governments of richer nations like the United States cut their spending, the International Monetary Fund predicted.

32.   And he suggested, in a dig at the United States, that richer nations should tear down trade barriers on low-tech products like textiles.

33.   Annan hopes richer nations will also support additional measures to enable regional and international financial institutions to alleviate the multilateral debt of the poorest nations, he said.

34.   ASEAN asked allies for help in bridging the gap richer nations such as Singapore and Thailand, and poorer members such as Cambodia, Myanmar, Laos and Vietnam.

35.   But as many participants were quick to blame richer nations for not doing enough, they also said more had to be done by themselves.

36.   But developing countries in particular are refusing to consider that, claiming such issues are protectionism by richer nations.

37.   But richer nations, dealing with their own budget deficits and skeptical about past aid, were not rushing to offer more money.

38.   But richer nations, dealing with their own budget deficits and skeptical about past aid, were not rushing to boost aid.

39.   But the problem also exists in richer nations.

40.   Complicating the budget debate are divisions among the richer nations.