The G20 discussed an "ambitious" plan to more than double the resources available to the International Monetary Fund, a delegation source told Reuters on Saturday.
He was speaking after the G20 ministers and central bankers issued a statement calling for more capital for the IMF urgently.
"If you're wondering about the scale of the IMF resources, we are talking about more than doubling," he said.
Asked whether that meant increasing the current figure of $250 billion to around $520 billion or something even more substantial, the source said: "If we were talking about 520, we would say double. This is an ambitious plan"
The run-up to Saturday's meeting has been marred by splits between the United States and Europe, particularly on whether to launch a new economic stimulus plan which they don't agree so far on tactics to avercome global crisis.
The United States suggested this week that the IMF's lending capacity should be trebled to 750 billion dollars (580 billion euros). European G20 leaders favour only a doubling of resources for helping troubled countries to 500 billion dollars.
Washington's call for increased spending and tax cuts aimed to give the economy a jumpstart.
"More Cash" dispute
Jean-Claude Juncker, the chairman of Eurozone finance ministers, said before the meeting that US calls for more cash to be injected into the world economy "do not suit us".
Japan and China joined the debate on Friday, saying that government spending should be the top priority.
Failure to come up with a clear policy commitment could further hit already volatile stock markets.
Meanwhile a European source told reporters that while no agreement had been reached on stimulus, all sides agreed that more cash should be available to the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to help nations in trouble.
"The G20 is ready to significantly increase IMF resources," the source told reporters, speaking on condition of anonymity, adding that no figure would be announced Saturday.
"The G20 is ready to significantly increase IMF resources," the source told reporters, speaking on condition of anonymity, adding that no figure would be announced Saturday.
A source said that "There remains a considerable point of difference between Washington and Europe about exactly how and what the tactics should be towards getting the economy back on track."
France-Germany agreement
US President Barack Obama's top economic adviser Larry Summers caused consternation this week when he said leading nations must try to jumpstart a global recovery by pumping more money into their economies.
That has not been welcomed in Europe, where many leaders do not want more spending because of already big budget deficits.
In a rare show of unity, French President Nicolas Sarkozy and German Chancellor Angela Merkel agreed Thursday to join forces at the summit by urging tighter regulation to avert future crises instead of more spending.
Whether or not they can find common ground, finance ministers at the meeting will find it hard to forget that many of their countries are facing their worst recessions since the 1930s amid shrinking consumer demand.
Agencies
