Brussels, 29/08/2001 (Agence Europe) - French Prime Minister Lionel Jospin said, on Tuesday on TF1, on the subject of the Tobin tax (on exchange operations intended to put a brake on speculation) that he was "in favour of France proposing that the European Union take an initiative at international level". On Belgium's initiative, the Informal Ecofin Council will have the Tobin tax on its agenda for the first time, on 22 and 23 September in Liège. Answering questions in this connection several days ago, the French Minister for the Economy and Finance, Laurent Fabius, had explained that this measure is "problematical" but that he is "working on the proposal to tax international arms sales", as an alternative to the Tobin tax. "The United States, Great Britain and France alone represent 80% of such exports. With such a tax, by making development aid contingent on peace, we would be making a double blow in favour of the poor countries", he said.