BERLIN, March 27 (Xinhua) -- Aid and development ministers from the Group of Eight (G8) nations predicted that more money will be given to the Global Fund in June to combat diseases such as AIDS.

    After two days of discussions in Berlin, they said a "significant contribution" was likely to be offered at the June G8 summit in Heiligendamm, Germany, to the fund to fight AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria.

    The public-private fund, established four years ago, had so far saved the lives of 1.5 million people through its public-health projects, said German Development Aid Minister Heidemarie Wieczorek-Zeul.

    There would be more "triangular cooperation" in future arrangements to team up an industrialized nation, an emerging economy and a less developed nation, the ministers said.

    They said the G8 would keep their promise at the 2005 Gleneagles summit to double aid to Africa by 2010.

    The Group of Eight nations include Germany, France, Britain, Italy, Canada, the United States, Japan and Russia.

    The Berlin meeting made no promises on appeals to set up a world tax on aviation fuel and remit this to developing countries to help fight the effects of climate change.

    Envoys from large emerging economies, including China, Brazil, India, Mexico and South Africa, as well as officials of major African regional organizations, also attended the two-day meeting.