World bird flu conference opens in Beijing

(Reuters)
Updated: 2006-01-18 08:40

Deputy Director-General of China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs Wang Xiaolong sits with other officials at the opening ceremony of the "International Pledging Conference on Avian and Human Pandemic Influenza" in a hotel in Beijing January 17, 2006. The international bird flu conference which the World Bank hopes will raise US$1.2 billion opened on Tuesday with delegates warning that there is no time to waste in fighting the virus. [Reuters]