Another senior finance official - one who refused to be identified - put it more bluntly.

Analysts criticized what they called a lack of coordination among finance officials here.

Lower-level finance officials failed to come up with a solution on Saturday.

A Japanese finance official said yesterday, however, that he saw no reason for widespread increases.

The departure of a top finance official in any country tends to affect foreign investors' confidence.

The program will be discussed by finance officials from wealthy nations at a meeting in Rome tomorrow.

Democratic finance officials were then supposed to ask the donors' permission for what they had already done.

Mexican finance officials acknowledge that a brisk debate is under way among them over the issue.

Local finance officials say the legislation does not go far enough.

The finance official said the authority expected to pay most of its bills with tax revenue.